Project Status: Completed
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Neighborhood Commercial Buildings Historic Context Statement

Project status: Completed

The Neighborhood Commercial Buildings Historic Context Statement: 1865-1965 was prepared by Planning Department Staff to provide a history of the development of storefronts and commercial districts in San Francisco from the city's early days to the recent past.

The historic context statement provides a narrative history of commercial development patterns, time periods of development,  typical architectural styles of each period and key features that illustrate the style. These features are referred to as character-defining features and help planners understand which buildings should be considered historic resources, based on how many of these features they retain.

The historic context statement also provides a framework that planners can use to evaluate the significance of commercial buildings.  This document is intended to be used to inform the Citywide Cultural Resource Survey (SF Survey) effort and ensure that property evaluations are consistent with local, state, and federal standards.

To inform the historic context statement, a survey of neighborhood commercial buildings was conducted by the Planning Department in the summers of 2014 and 2015. The survey documented corner commercial buildings and buildings within neighborhood commercial corridors (NCD and NCT districts). Planning Department staff surveyed approximately 5, 500 buildings and made preliminary historic evaluations. These evaluations will be finalized during each geographic phase of SF Survey.

What Does This Mean for Property Owners?

At this time, there is no change to surveyed properties’ historic resource status. Preliminary historic evaluations will be finalized during each geographic phase of SF Survey.

Preliminary historic evaluations will be finalized by NCD/NT district during each geographic phase of SF Survey.

 

Upcoming

None at this time.

Hearings

Past Events

Community Events

  • Tuesday, March 8, 2016, 6-8pm, Helen Willis Clubhouse at Broadway and Larkin Streets (Russian Hill)
  • Saturday, March 12, 2016, 11am, Tour of Hyde and Polk Street - Join Planners for a tour of Hyde and Polk Streets
  • Saturday, March 12, 2016, 12pm, Ask-a-Planner Session - Royal Ground Coffee, 2216 Polk Street
  • Tuesday, March 29, 2016, 6:30-8:30pm, Argonne Clubhouse at Geary Blvd. and 18th Ave. (Richmond)
  • Saturday, April 2, 2016, 11am, Tour of Divisadero Street - Join planners for a tour!
    and at 12pm, Ask-a-Planner Session - Cumaica Coffee, Sacramento and Divisadero
  • Tuesday, April 5, 2016, 6-8pm, St Mary's Rec Center at Murray and Justin Drive (Bernal Heights)
  • Saturday, April 9, 2016, 11am, Tour of Mission Street
    and at 12pm, Ask-a-Planner Session - Cumaica Coffee, 4726 Mission Street.
  • Tuesday, April 26 2016, 6-8pm, South Sunset Clubhouse at 41st Ave. and Vincente St. (Parkside)
  • Wednesday, October 19, 2022 - Community Meeting (online)