Onion The Fort has dramatically affected the lives of the elderly living at Green Manor Apartments (http://presidiosentinel.com/local-news/blinded-by-the-dark). Green Manor was built in 1970 to provide 150 homes for disadvantaged elderly people. For almost 50 years, it has enabled residents to live their final years with dignity. A combination of HUD programs, both Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance and Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly, have supported some of our most vulnerable society members.
The enclosed pictures show that the building creates a wall between the seniors and the sunlight. In exchange for a few new “affordable units”, the developer was allowed to remove the sun from 30 elderly people’s homes.
“Our society must make it right and possible for old people not to fear the young or be deserted by them, for the test of a civilization is the way that it cares for its helpless members.”
– Pearl S. Buck
Address:
1011 Fort Stockton Dr.
Project Owner/Developer:
Jonathan Segal
Project Architect/Designer:
Jonathan Segal
Im guessing Pearl lives in the building next door, During the construction of this project the police were called multiple times due to objects (Full wine bottles, frozen water bottles, and fruit) being thrown at workers from the building next door. Cities Change, nothing is the same forever, sorry the building blocked your view but the city needs more housing.
I think Pearl is the person that was quoted.
Either way, very good discussion and something that we need to be mindful on both sides, maybe starting to open up a discussion on these issues. How can we respect surrounds, how variances are regulated, while still filling our need to house the thousands of people moving here each year. It is a shame though that items were thrown at people only trying to do their job to feed their families, that behavior is not acceptable but does not make their opinion invalid.
Pearl S. Buck was a writer, now long dead.
https://www.english.upenn.edu/Projects/Buck/biography.html
This nomination is factually inaccurate.
The Fort project was designed & developed exactly in accordance with the local development regulations. Development ‘incentives’ are at the developers option to use in order to be able to afford to produce affordable living units & to do so within a dynamic & expressive architecture in the Mission Hills community is simply an outstanding commitment to developing a range of housing options in our City.
We need more housing, we need more vibrant retail & food/beverage establishments & we need more critical for our design & development in this City & this project is a superb example of all of these things.
I agree but this architecture is boooooring.
Definitely an onion. New brutalism at its worst and it keeps on spreading. Century 22 fascist architecture.
From an opinion piece in the Presidio Sentinel:
“In exchange for its three ‘very affordable’ housing units, the project has been allowed additional density and incentives, including the following:
• Five (5) units over the fifteen (15) units allowed under existing zoning.
• Building height limit increased from 50’ to 87’ (and up to 90’ at top of the elevator tower).
• Required commercial parking spaces reduced from 11 to 0.
The residents of the adjacent Green Manor low-income senior housing facility are now experiencing the public cost of this project . . . With a building height of 87 feet where only 50 feet would have been allowed under the zoning ordinance that existed at the time of permitting, the Fort cuts off light and casts a broad shadow on neighboring properties. Other Mission Hills residents and visitors will deal with the public cost as the reduced parking requirements for the commercial element of the project push parking out onto neighboring streets in an already-crowded area.”
Also, all of this occurred with no public hearings and no effort to be sure Green Manor residents understood what was happening — all in the service of an expensive (some units rent for over $4000/month) eyesore that looks like a radiator. (And you should see the interiors with pillars in the middle of some rooms.)
This is an onion in three dimensions — exterior appearance, interior appearance, and community impact.
DBP13 makes several good points. While we need more affordable housing, this is far from a public works project with only 3 affordable units! The project—scale and design—disrespects its neighbors and neighborhood. Local residents already think this is a giant Onion.
1. When Green Manor was built, I’m pretty sure it blocked sunlight and views from existing homes.
2. Green Manor has an equal amount of style as The Fort considering the time period each is built.
Two wrongs don’t make a right.
A truly hideous building, incongruent with the historic, vintage, lovely character of Mission Hills. I first became aware of the Fort’s existence when I saw a group of people gathered on the sidewalk in front of it, noisily commenting on its unsightly appearance. My first thought was that it completely blocks the sight views of the low-income, elderly residents at the equally unattractive Green Manor, which the Fort abuts. But I’m sure there was no advocate to speak up for these voiceless people.
Why aren’t there photos included here of the whole building? Are we voting on the space between the buildings or the actual design of this? I know a few vocal Mission Hills residents don’t like this and would have perhaps preferred it to be returned to it’s historic nature and be a car dealership..? I personally like the finished product and the inclusion and rebuild of the badly neglected Neuner Bros building. Also, I don’t see mention of the developer/architect’s willingness/efforts to improve the patio space of the Green Manor…?