Photo By Janet Carpinelli.

Photo By Janet Carpinelli.

August 2008

Dogpatch Resident Works to Preserve Old Waterfront Building

By Lisa Tehrani

The plans for Mission Bay are quickly becoming a reality, with new buildings completed almost quarterly.  The area is slated to have more than 3,000 high density residential units, and 51 acres of open space, most of which will be contained in a greenbelt along Mission Creek and the Bay.  

In light of all of the new development, some community members are hoping to retain a modicum of the area’s old characteristics.  Janet Carpinelli, a Dogpatch resident and Green Trust Board Chair, is working hard to preserve some of the waterfront’s 20th Century aesthetic. Green Trust is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving open space on the Central Waterfront. Carpinelli explained, “It is a good time to take stock of the whole [Mission Bay] project, and see how we can make it a better final product and a more interesting place to be.”  In particular, Carpinelli would like to preserve the Bluepeter Building, located at the intersection of Illinois, Mariposa and Terry Francois Boulevard, across from The Ramp and Kelly’s Mission Rock.  The building sits on a parcel designated as open space, according to the Mission Bay Redevelopment Plan.  

Carpinelli envisions the building becoming a food vending space, child care or community center. “We do not have community meeting place on the east side of Potrero Hill,” she stated, “The Bluepeter building is the perfect transition building between the old and the new, physically and historically.”

Originally built around 1940, the currently abandoned building features a vaulted-roof that was originally used for boat manufacturing and repair.  It used to have direct access to the bay, but was set back from the waterfront to accommodate infill.  Boat manufacturing and repair uses still exist across the street, along the waterfront. The southeast corner of the building was notched out to allow for construction of Terry Francois Boulevard in 1955.

A 2001 historic resources study developed by the San Francisco Planning Department claims the building isn’t eligible for listing on the National Historic Register.  However, the report noted that it “should be given special consideration in local planning.” Kelley Kahn, Project Manager for the Mission Bay Redevelopment Project Area, explained that the building will likely be demolished because it’s not listed as a historic resource in the Redevelopment Plan’s Environmental Impact Report (EIR).  Only three historic resources were identified in the EIR: the two bridges that cross Mission Creek and the brick fire station located on Third Street.

Preserving the Bluepeter Building wasn’t discussed during a series of late-1990s open space and community amenities workshops according to Kahn. In 2006 additional planning meetings were held specifically to talk about open space on and around the Bluepeter parcel. Kahn explained, “Saving this building was not brought up as desire or priority.”

Carpinelli disputes Kahn’s claim that the neighborhood’s land use preferences have been adequately addressed by the Redevelopment Agency. She noted, “The community was never satisfied with the amount or quality or placement of open space in Mission Bay. The open space in Mission Bay is far below that recommended by the San Francisco Planning Department’s regular recommendations.”

A portion of the Bluepeter Building’s parcel is already partially covered by a Municipal Railway (Muni) substation, which was built several years ago.  Carpinelli noted that the substation was also not supported by the community.  “When Muni came to the community in 2001 and said that the Mission Bay developer wanted to put the substation in open space, we were absolutely against it and insisted that the station should be placed on land being developed by Catellus on property not slated as open space.” Kahn noted that Muni plans to contribute $100,000 to improve and beautify the design once the park is built, money which Carpinelli considers a mitigation for taking the open space.

“Saving and retrofitting the building is not part of the Mission Bay Redevelopment Plan and not part of the master developer’s infrastructure and open space obligations. The Plan that was adopted in 1998 sets forth clear expectations of what the development expectations are,” Kahn explained. She noted that the Agency is not opposed to preserving the building, but is concerned with how building restoration and ongoing programming and maintenance would be financed. The Redevelopment Area’s funding has already been determined, and preserving the building is not part of that plan. Carpinelli stated, “The Mission Bay Redevelopment Plan has been changed before and can be changed again.”

Under current plans the Bluepeter parcel will likely become green space with some small playing courts. It may also be included in the City’s emerging sustainable storm water runoff management plans, with bio-swales or bio-retention pools.

Carpinelli has enlisted the San Francisco Architectural Heritage to help with her efforts. Jack Gold, the nonprofit’s Executive Director, explained that his organization generally likes to support neighborhood groups through education and advocacy at public hearings “I think that the important thing is to convince the Redevelopment Agency to reuse the space,” Gold noted, “The structure relates to the area’s association with the Port of San Francisco.  I can visualize it being utilized as part of a park facility, as an indoor/outdoor space. The Bluepeter Building has tremendous reuse potential.”

Jennifer Cleary, President of San Francisco Tomorrow (SFT), also supports Carpinelli’s efforts. She stated, “I am very interested in retaining the historic maritime fabric of the Central Waterfront. While SFT doesn’t have a position on this building in particular, we are deeply concerned about the pedestrian unfriendly development in Mission Bay, and think that retaining historic structures on the southern edge could help make the transition between those oversized buildings and the historic Dogpatch neighborhood.”

Carpinelli plans to advocate for the building’s salvation at the Redevelopment Agency’s Community Advisory Committee meetings, and hopes community members will get involved. She’s already lobbied District 10 Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, and presented her case to the leadership of the Dogpatch and Potrero Boosters neighborhood organizations. “It is going to take pressure from citizens to save the building,” she explained.

Ralph Wilson, a Potrero Hill resident committed to maintaining some of the area’s historic buildings stated, “I think it would be a terrible shame to lose the beautiful old Bluepeter Building when it could easily be adapted to a great new use. This simple, functional building has real character. Preserving it is very important to retaining the historical fabric of the important small boat building and repair industry on this part of the waterfront.”

Carpinelli is optimistic about the reuse potential.  “I feel it could all be worked out in a new plan for this parcel where open space, sustainable wastewater treatment, community use and a historic resource can all be managed in a creative solution.”

 

 

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