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Public raises concerns about Saint Francis Hotel entrance and Crocker Amazon park; planning staff, enforcement staff respond
Summary
Public commenters urged Historic Preservation Commission intervention over entrance changes at the Saint Francis Hotel and a proposed Crocker Amazon renovation that would remove mature trees and may disturb archaeological resources; planning staff said a minor permit was issued for Saint Francis and that Rec & Park has not yet submitted a CEQA project for Crocker Amazon; enforcement staff reported active enforcement at 369 Valley.
Several members of the public used the commission’s general comment period Nov. 19 to raise preservation concerns about a hotel entrance change and a Rec & Park renovation, and staff provided updates on enforcement and planning procedures.
Saint Francis Hotel: Richard Brandy, a member of the public, said the Saint Francis Hotel (a Category 1 building) has closed its historic Powell Street entrance, moved the main entrance to the automobile entrance on Geary Street, and converted the flanking doors into fixed windows. Brandy said he believed the work “violates the Secretary of the Interior standards,” and that the historic lobby is now a bar and not a publicly accessible lobby. Planning staff later noted they had issued a minor permit to alter for the Saint Francis Hotel and reminded commissioners that operational decisions (which door a commercial operator uses) may fall beyond the commission’s permitting purview even though staff can require materials or certain elements be retained.
Crocker Amazon Park: Multiple speakers —…
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