235 Valencia Street

While San Francisco’s Historic Preservation Commission is slated to formally forego a nomination of Loren ‘Hap’ Jones’ former motorcycle shop at 235 Valencia Street for landmark status, a designation which could have blocked a redevelopment of the Mission District site, the Commission is poised to make an administrative change to allow the building to be registered as a Historical Resource.

As such, while the Commission recognizes that “the property may be demolished and redeveloped in the future,” it also finds that the property’s history warrants an “interpretation at the site” (i.e., a plaque or the like), in order “to provide the public with a broader understanding of the history of Loren “Hap” Jones and motorcycling in San Francisco and the Bay Area.”

Last year, the owners of the site, which is zoned for development up to 50 feet in height, met with Planning to discuss demolishing the building in order to clear the way for 32 condos over retail and parking to rise.

The Historic Preservation Commission will vote tomorrow.

8 thoughts on “Hap’s Old Mission Haunt Likely to Be Razed for Condos to Rise”
  1. This is not an historic building, but still it looks great. One does not preclude the other. It blends nicely with the building across the street despite different architectural styles. Makes for an interesting streetscape.

    Too bad it will be torn down and replaced with, in all probability, another cookie cutter box.

    It would be nice to see them keep the front/facade of the building and complement it architecturally with an addition of several stories.

  2. Oh please no more façadism. These former auto repairs shops left as remnants on a new taller building look idiotic. Either a building is worth saving or it isn’t. This one isn’t; they aren’t.

    1. I disagree. In many buildings like this 99% of the architectural detail is contained within the facade. The remainder of the building is a simple featureless box.

  3. Architectural detail? Where? What? This has the same architectural pedigree as thousands of Taco Bells across the country.

    1. You mean Spanish style? I’d take a Spanish style garage over any of the condo boxes I’ve seen thus far.

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