the great Mid market revival is in the news again and it's followed by even more stunning and willful ignorance
This is the one subject in San Francisco where most the of comments point out this ignorance. You just can't fool people with this shockingly blatant ignorance.. The city of San Francisco has paid for and spent 30 years to make Mid Market a containment zone, with the help of non profits in last 20 years. It will remain a containment zone no matter how many Twitters move in because the city will continue to pay for and operate a containment zone in the area for the next 20 years. That's why we call it the corrupt twitterloin. To put it even more simply YOU are literally paying to revive Mid Market and paying to keep it a crime zone, at the very same time, by the very same politicians
To put it bluntly, Crackheads of the Day will still be here in Mid Market in 10 years, guaranteed. In fact, that is more guaranteed and likely to be here in 10 years than any of the dot coms
williamb7373
8:13 AM on May 11, 2012
Ed Lee, like most San Franciscans, has no idea how bad it is in this area; he's ignorant if not blind to the anarchy in mid-Market which now has begun to stretch West of Van Ness. And until he pulls a Michael Bloomberg and no longer allows people to live and die in full view on Market St, or any street in S.F. his term of Mayor will be a failure.
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Reply 1 replybauii
8:21 AM on May 11, 2012
You are right on point. Within the last year the scene has pushed west. Unless the City acts now rather than continuing the entitlement of people to deal and use drugs openly, to get dead drunk and all the things that go along with it...this part of Market and the streets north and south will soon sink into what 6th and Market has been for years. Oh by the way don't bother contacting District 6 supervisor Kim, she is worthless.
silom6X
6:50 AM on May 11, 2012
"Total resurgence" in the mid-Market area will not be possible until you get rid of all the winos, bums, and homeless. So far the "city that knows how", doesn't.
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kimbo66
Kimbo668:15 AM on May 11, 2012
I worked in the area for 8 years, You are totally correct.
City hall just doesn't get it.bosguy1
9:33 PM on May 10, 2012
I walk by the businesses mentioned on a daily basis because I live in the area. The businesses themselves are fine, but outside on the street is bad news. Across from the bike shop, at any given time of day, is about thirty thugs, wobbling around, grabbing their crotch, dealing drugs and intimidating people. Where the new theatre is going, well damn, you got gang banger heaven outside the coffee shop and "check cashing" store lingering outside, asking you if "want something", along with a plethora of drug addicts and homeless grabbing your arm for money, smoking crack and urinating. Oh, and lets not leave out the "meet and greet" gang bangers that hang out and block the Civic Center MUNI/BART exits and entrances.
I give the businesses credit for moving there and try to be hopeful the area will "resurge". But, until I hear the Mayor speak about cracking down on the crime and drug dealing that goes on, I'm not so hopeful. Until that's all dealt with, these businesses don't stand a chance, period.
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al_sf
al_sf11:15 PM on May 10, 2012
Your insight is right on.
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al_sf
al_sf11:18 PM on May 10, 2012
Twitter is coming. Twitter is coming. Scratch my back. But guess what, Twitter still hasn't found a real way to make money (come on advertising? so is every other web 2.0 company out there). Ok Twitter is coming but the area still reminds me of Gotham city from the Batman movie. When it gets dark......we will see the "other" side of mid Market....the "darker" side. And 20 year old hipsters don't fight crime. Yes they fight bugs in code but not crime.
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buzzman
buzzman11:33 PM on May 10, 2012
The City does not want to admit that its housing policies in SOMA and the TL are the reason mid-market continues to be an arm-pit, and will remain one.
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ddeburger
ddeburger11:39 PM on May 10, 2012
Just wait until one of those twitter employees gets stabbed or mugged. Wait until they start complaining to management because of being hassled and feeling intimidated trying to get to and from work everyday. They would have to endure what you described right outside the civic center Bart/Muni and anywhere along that stretch trying to get lunch or whatever. Let's see how long this lasts and if Mayor Lee is going to clean it up. If not, wait for the announcement of Twitter leaving that area and possibly SF for good.
giantsmax
giantsmax12:10 AM on May 11, 2012
If the mid market area can finally be revitalized that would be a huge positive for San Francisco. My only worry is where will all the drug dealers and other bad people go---they have to go somewhere--right?
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intransit
InTransit6:32 AM on May 11, 2012
Correct. So there's the Lower Height? Church & Duboce even? South Van Ness around Goodwill is my bet though.
Plenty of sketchy and sliding places around to pick up the slack.
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likewhatever
likewhatever6:44 AM on May 11, 2012
Don't worry 6th St won't be changing anytime soon. Too many SRO's.
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gluconeogenesis
gluconeogenesis6:53 AM on May 11, 2012
Maybe the increase in demand by techies who want to live close to work will make the rental model more appealing to current SRO landlords.
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dns_2008
dns_20087:16 AM on May 11, 2012
16th and Mission... It's much seedier than it was 40 years ago....
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Name withheld7:34 AM on May 11, 2012
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frankinsf
frankinsf7:47 AM on May 11, 2012
San Jose.
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williamb7373
williamb73737:59 AM on May 11, 2012
They've already begun to migrate to West of Van Ness; specifically the 1500 block of Market, which has been decimated by a liquor store in the middle of the block that allows drug deals inside and outside it's storefront, and loitering; something that NO other businesses allow in the area. As a result, there is violence, and one can hardly get past them to the MUNI Metro at the end of the block, or to Zuni Cafe. Until San Francisco makes it illegal, like NYC, to live and die in full view on her streets NO amount of property retail rental will upgrade the area.
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ddeburger
ddeburger8:23 AM on May 11, 2012
Let them go hang out in front of Mayor Lee's place, the homeless advocates homes, and the BOS homes. See how fast they clean up the problem!
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Share | E-Mail | Permalink [Report Abuse]ddeburger
7:06 AM on May 11, 2012
The reality is that until this stretch gets cleaned up, these businesses don't have a chance in hell. At any given time, there are drug deals, bums, thugs, and the like hanging all up and down that stretch of street. How many people want to get off at Civic Center BART/Muni and be harrassed and intimidated on a day to day basis just trying to get to and from work?? All its going to take is a Twitter employee or another employee from one of those businesses getting stabbed or mugged before they pack up and move out. It is wonderful that they want to revitalize the area, but Mayor Lee needs to clean it up first before even thinking of revitalizing it. He's putting the cart before the horse.
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bikercop
bikercop7:41 AM on May 11, 2012
I disagree. Many of the shady characters you mention will shun the light cast upon the area when businesses move into the mid-Market location. Let's let this work itself out. Why should the City spend money to clean up mid-Market when it will occur naturally?
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ddeburger
ddeburger7:50 AM on May 11, 2012
Are you kidding?? Those new employees are going to be new targets for the thugs and bums. And YES, the city should spend the money cleaning it up. It is their responsibility for letting it get that bad in the first place. I mean, who is going to be at fault once those employees have had enough of this nonsense and those companies decide to pack up and leave?
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Name withheld8:01 AM on May 11, 2012
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san_francisco
san_francisco8:01 AM on May 11, 2012
twitter will be the neighborhoods new squeaky wheel and call the cops for every little problem. that is one of the cornerstones of the gentrification process.. duh...
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williamb7373
williamb73738:09 AM on May 11, 2012
ddeburger: you are absolutely right. The cops don't do anything about this problem until/unless someone makes a citizen's arrest (like I did last week after having been mugged near Zuni Cafe). Even then, the perps are back on the street the next day, unless one is maimed by them. San Francisco refuses to put out THE INN IS FULL sign, and until it does take responsibility for the anarchy on it's streets, Twitter employees will need to arm themselves when they come to work.
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ddeburger
ddeburger8:20 AM on May 11, 2012
@williamb7373: Sorry that happened to you...it's terrible. For the cops not to do anything about it unless you file a citizens arrest is appalling! Whatever happened to serve and protect?
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