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Commission punts decision on 2300 Third St.; asks real estate and city attorney for nonprofit-first plan
Summary
The commission reviewed a proposal to declare the former Potrero Station (2300 Third St.) surplus and to seek nonprofit leases, but commissioners asked for a draft MOU, legal vetting and more financial detail and postponed action until January.
The Police Commission discussed the future of the long-vacant Potrero (formerly spelled variously in the record) police station at 2300 Third Street on Nov. 30, 2011, and agreed to postpone final action so staff can prepare a draft lease/transfer approach with legal input.
Lieutenant Raj Vaswani outlined the property’s history and condition, saying the building — designed in 1912 and constructed by 1915 — has been vacant since 1997 and has faced maintenance costs tied to boarding and code compliance. John Opdycke, acting director of real estate, told commissioners that rehabilitation estimates in the capital plan put costs “north of $20 million,” making full restoration for continued police use fiscally infeasible.
Opdycke and the chief said they had received interest from community-serving nonprofit organizations and recommended an incremental approach: declare the property surplus so the Department of Real Estate can issue a request for proposals to nonprofits for a lease, with sale as a fallback that would require Board of Supervisors approval. "We would like to explore that opportunity, not necessarily as a revenue opportunity, but more so putting the property out as a request for proposal to the nonprofit community," Opdycke said.
Commissioners asked how proceeds would flow and whether the police department could preserve financial benefits if the property were later sold. Opdycke said real estate can act as an interim jurisdiction holder, draft an MOU to clarify revenue flow and work with the chief on terms. Commissioner Angela Chan proposed amending the resolution to specify preference for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit; commissioners and the city attorney were asked to vet legal language and a draft MOU.
Public commenters offered divergent views. A for-profit developer urged moving forward and argued that state retrofit rules make nonprofit rehabilitation especially costly; he said a private firm could finance quicker restoration and generate revenue for the police department. Other commenters warned of potential conflicts if commissioners appear to favor nonprofits tied to speakers.
Rather than vote, the commission asked staff to prepare a draft MOU and revised resolution language and scheduled further consideration in January so senior staff and the city attorney can provide more detail before any surplus designation or sale.
