Of all the properties in all of the neighborhoods in this entire city, why would someone buy a historic property -- only to demolish it??

Below is the text of a letter from San Francisco Tomorrow

in support of preserving the designated historic resource:

April 7, 2015
 
Justin Greving, Preservation Planner
Planning Department, City and County of San Francisco
1650 Mission Street, Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94103
 

RE:  369 Valley Street

 
Dear Mr. Greving,
 
SF Tomorrow has always supported Proposition M’s intent of protecting historic resources, and Article 10, Section 10001 of the Planning Code, which stipulates that “structures, sites and areas of special character or special historical, architectural or aesthetic interest or value have been and continue to be unnecessarily destroyed or impaired, despite the feasibility of preserving them. It is further found that the prevention of such needless destruction and impairment is essential to the health, safety and general welfare of the public.”
 
The proposed demolition of the Earthquake Shack at 369 Valley Street would violate not only that intent but also the letter of the law that was put in place specifically for historically significant buildings like this one. According to the Planning Department’s designation of this building as a “Historical Resource” in, this Earthquake Shack is one of the few remaining of its kind – a living demonstration of the resolve of San Franciscan to persevere under extreme adversity.
 
New construction on the site of 369 Valley Street should not trump historic preservation. New construction at that location would contribute less to resolving the city’s current affordability crisis than would maintaining the current, occupied Earthquake Shack residence. We believe it is the builder’s and owner’s responsibility to understand the nature and protections put in place for the property they purchased. To buy a known protected resource with the intent of circumventing those protections granted by the Planning Department is a practice that should be discouraged, not rewarded.
 
SF Tomorrow is unwaveringly opposed to the demolition of this historic Earthquake Shack.
 
Sincerely yours,
Jennifer Clary, President
Roland Salvato, Vice President

cc:
Mayor Edwin Lee
Board of Supervisors
Supervisor Scott Wiener
Planning Commission
John Rahaim, Director of Planning
Jeff Joslin, Director of Current Planning
Tim Frye, Preservation Coordinator
Tina Tam, Senior Preservation Planner