Though it is spartan, even strangely adorned with vehicular impedimenta, I find this space very beautiful. It’s the drill court at the Armory, an incongruous building at 14th and Mission in a city that seems to celebrate such architectural discord.
The moorish castle-inspired building was originally built as a National Guard facility in 1914. It was empty for years, and always seemed like a bizarre fenestrated asteroid dropped on the neighborhood. Eventually, kink.com moved in and while I’m not privy to the exact goings-on, the word is it’s kinky. Nothing wrong with creative re-use. The best part is that they’ve leased the drill court back to an organization responsible for developing the space into a community center. SPUR is leading a tour of the Armory on September 30th and other than crawling in a window, this is a rare opportunity to view this space until it’s fully developed.
Of the many amazing but forlorn buildings deserving renovation, the Hibernia Bank building on Jones and McAllister streets has always struck me as exceptional. It is a beacon for the mid-Market area, perfectly representing its squalor and stagnation, but also its tremendous potential for inspired urban renewal. The stretch on Market St from 5th to Van Ness is desperate for revitalization, and ripe for it too, with many striking facades and shuttered theaters.
The old Strand theater, with the federal building looming behind it, defines the very discord of modern and historic that makes the urban landscape so appealing to me. The restoration of the nearby Book Concern building into incredibly tiny condos (250 sf?!) is not to my taste, but it does at least represent a step in bringing new life to the area.
The old Mint on 5th and Mission could be a good example of appropriate restoration and reuse of historic spaces. The space is currently empty, but owned by the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society who envision a new cultural institution including a museum and visitor center. Meanwhile, Mint Plaza has literally sprouted up around the building to give the landmark new context in its urban setting. As I’ve mentioned before, this was just another pee-smelling alley a few years ago. Now it’s a pee-smelling alley with plants and pedestrian amenities and restaurants. In other words, a postage stamp size San Francisco!
Modern architecture can create inviting spaces in many forms, but there’s something really inspiring about these grand old spaces. The style and accessories of their eras are charming, but part of the appeal for me is the very juxtaposition of the old and new in this city. I hope that, to borrow an unfortunate phrase of my fellow mellow citizens, we can keep San Francisco’s architecture weird.