One possible frame though which to consider the ongoing evolution of cities like San Francisco: the measures (sometimes) taken to preserve the historic fabric of the city.
A proposed development of a 12-story glass tower on Pine Street in San Francisco has not prompted significant opposition from neighbors, but it has provoked its own kind of controversy, according to an article on Socket City.
The current plan for the site is to "raze the existing garage on the site, a building that’s been deemed to be associated with 'the temporary commercial reconstruction in the aftermath of the 1906 Earthquake and Fire' and San Francisco’s historic Auto Row." Because of that historic lineage, however, "the Historic Preservation Commission would like the existing façade of the 1545 Pine Street building to be preserved and incorporated into the new development, 'to maintain the historic character of the block.'"
The HPC's recommendation for what's known as a facadectomy complicates the nature of historic preservation—and despite the neighborhood opposition, this particular iteration has inspired plenty of commentary on the Socket Site comment board. The larger concept of facadism, however, has long provided a schema for debate about the value of historic preservation, exemplified by an article by Paul Goldberger about a similar situation in 1985.
FULL STORY: A False Sense Of Preservation In SF?

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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