SAN FRANCISCO — The Port of San Francisco and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are planning on raising the iconic, historic Ferry Building by as much as seven feet.

The daring plan is an attempt to combat the impacts of sea level rise and extreme weather, both triggered by the climate change, and our warming planet.

How the SF Ferry Building will be raised

“We’re already seeing flooding on the Embarcadero. We know that the Bay is rising; we know that it will continue to rise”, explained Port of San Francisco Director Elaine Forbes.

Earlier this year, according to the United Nation-backed International Panel of Climate Change or IPCC for short, the planet is rapidly approaching a catastrophic threshold of heating. NOAA is tracking the melting of glaciers and ice sheets, as well as the rising ocean waters.

“Humanity is on thin ice, and that ice is melting fast,” said Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres in a recent address.

Port of San Francisco officials have held a series of public meetings with stakeholders along the 7.5 miles of bay coastline under the Port’s control. One neighborhood includes the Ferry Building.

The feedback was clear: those who work and/or live along the Embarcadero waterfront want to see the landmark Ferry Building remain on site and functioning. Currently, it is home to six ferry piers, used by millions of commuters and tourists each year. The Ferry Building also houses 44 different shops and restaurants as well as a world-famous Farmer’s Market.

And less known, it’s 2nd and 3rd floors have 190,000 square feet of offices and meeting spaces.

Port Engineer and member of the Water Resilience Team Steve Reel joined Juliette Goodrich in the CBS News Bay Area Virtual Set and in an exclusive report, demonstrated on how the Port and the U.S. Corps of Engineers are planning on raising the huge landmark.

The project will break ground in about a decade. The U.S. Corps will pick up 65% of the cost.

San Francisco’s Prop A — which was passed by 82.7% of voters in 2018 — authorized $425 million general obligation bonds that will partially fund the Waterfront Resilience Program. That includes funding improvements for earthquake safety of the three-mile long Embarcadero Seawall, near-term flood protection improvements, and planning for other long-term resilience.  

More from CBS News

Juliette Goodrich

Emmy award winning reporter and Bay Area native Juliette Goodrich joined KPIX 5 in 1997 and has performed a variety of anchoring and reporting assignments during her time with the station. She is currently the weekend nighttime anchor.

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The Swedenborgian Church in San Francisco is selling its adjacent former parsonage, a stately, renovated, 129-year-old home.

Not available on the market for more than a century, the 4,000-square-foot former parsonage in the Pacific Heights neighborhood is listed for $4.25 million, according to the Compass real estate firm.

The four-bedroom, five-bathroom residence, 2121 Lyon St., was built in tandem with construction of the Swedenborgian Church, some 129 years ago.

“What makes 2121 Lyon St. extraordinary, in addition to its central, seminal place in the history of San Francisco … is despite its 129 years of age … the home feels very modern,” listing agent Kerry Rose of Compass said in an email. “The light, ample room sizes, high ceilings, layout and exquisite details make this home an amazing hybrid of classic and modern styles and shows how thoughtful design coupled with quality construction really stand the test of time. Beyond simply being a very livable home, it generates a sense of peace and joy and somehow allows one to feel both secure and yet open to the outside world simultaneously.”

In 1900, the residence was bought by artist William Keith, a member of the church.

The Eloesser family bought the property in 1921 and lived there until 1986, when the Swedenborgian Church purchased it through a life estate deed. The church took full possession of the property in 2010, according to Compass.

In 2012, the owners began an extensive renovation based upon findings and recommendations in the Architectural Resources Group’s historic structures report.

The work included creation of a new kitchen, restoring the exterior, adding new bathrooms and upgrading the electrical, plumbing and heating systems. Additional updates were done in 2023.

The residence includes a serene garden, patio, potting shed and secured gated access.

The property was a favorite destination for wedding parties in the city for decades, according to Compass.

The church’s design and creation in 1895 was influenced by an elite group of early California pioneers, according to a Compass representative. That group included William Keith, the painter, naturalist John Muir, architect A. Page Brown, draftsman Bernard Maybeck and the Reverend Joseph Worcester, who would be its first minister.

The buildings are done in the First Bay Tradition style, an architectural style popular from the period of the 1880s to early 1920s.

Amanda Jones of Compass is the co-listing agent.

default Mario Serafin

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SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — In meeting room 400 on the top floor of San Francisco’s spectacular Beaux Arts City Hall, the seven-member Historic Preservation Commission met Wednesday to discuss two issues: their own budget and to recommend to the Board of Supervisors whether Should this be the case, extension of landmark status to the interior of the Castro Theater (the exterior was listed as a historic monument as early as the 1970s, making it a San Francisco Historic Landmark #100).

It would be six hours before they finally got to the budget.

San Franciscans still love extravagance, despite the onslaught of money-oriented technology over the past 20 years, and the extravagant — and many of those with less extravagant inclinations — came to voice their opinions on this proposal. Slightly more than 100 people, including a few celebrities, approached the commission, pushing the meeting well past its scheduled end time and forcing the commissioners to move the meeting to another room after the 5pm deadline.

Eddie Muller of Turner Classic Movies spoke out in favor of the landmark, noting that he had organized successful screenings of noir films at the Castro, drawing crowds that stretched around the block. Eric Reed Boucher, better known to fans as Jello Biafra, told the commissioners: “The Castro was built not to be just any cinema, but to be a great theater.”

“There is a reason for everything else [film] Festivals are choosing to hold their festivals there,” Boucher said. “Its magical.”

Some addressed the board a little more memorably than others. Susan Englander, a cheery old lady in a San Francisco Giants cap and dressed in red like many in the audience who showed up to show their support for extending landmark status to the interior of the historic Castro Theater, began her testimony on the commission .

“I just want to witness what the Castro means to me-e-eans!” she sang before recounting her first date as a bisexual woman at her beloved movie palace. In fact, her testimony was similar to many others’ testimonies in this regard. For a few generations of LGBT San Franciscans, the Castro’s place in the community and their own lives are iconic.

At stake is the interior of the 100-year-old Castro Theatre, a fabulous movie palace that is widely loved and definitely showing its age. Like the surrounding neighborhood, long plagued by the problems of skyrocketing rents and rising homelessness, the Castro Theater has seen better days, and efforts to revitalize the grand old cinema have been tumultuous at best. After 100 years, the cinema is showing its age and the effects of delayed renovations.

A year ago, San Franciscans were surprised by the news that management of the theater had been handed over to Another Planet Entertainment, a concert promoter based across the bay in Berkeley. As the manager of numerous well-respected venues throughout the Bay Area such as the Greek Theater in Berkeley, the Fox Theater in Oakland and both the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and The Independent in San Francisco, the addition of the Castro was a big deal for the company.

Another Planet’s renovation plans, prepared by Palo Alto, California-based CAW Architects, called for extensive renovations of the entire building, including the installation of an HVAC system and heater (the theater is notorious for its lack of heat), the Restoration of the murals and decorative features as well as numerous other details throughout the building. Recent torrential storms in California have flooded the basement, said David Perry, spokesman for Another Planet, and the roof is also leaking.

However, one point in particular stood out. Another Planet wanted to remove the theater’s sloped floor and orchestral seating to make room for tiered platforms that would allow event producers to remove seating for standing audiences and accommodate other types of events. If films have been shown in the theater, Another Planet insists the seats could be replaced.

Many disagreed, and the most vocal of them turned up for Wednesday’s meeting. While this is not the first time large and noisy gatherings have been held on the subject, it is the first real step towards starting the renovation work.

Like Englander, many of those who spoke up remembered first dates, and many more remembered finding a sense of themselves as gay men and lesbians. The Castro Theater, they said, offered community in the shared experiences of watching old movies, attending sing-alongs, and just hanging out with like-minded people, many of whom had fled their hometowns across the country to live in San Francisco live their lives openly.

“It was at the Castro that we discovered our stories and defined our community,” said Robert Gray, sharing fond memories on the theater’s balcony, which also hosts live organ performances before the films begin. “The organist wasn’t the only fan of big organs at the Castro,” Gray joked.

Some find the Castro Theater magical.

“San Francisco residents are called unicorns, and that’s what the Castro Theater is,” said Serafina Miller, interim president of the California Art Deco Society. Recalling the numerous sing-alongs she took her daughter to, she said as a black woman she was sensitive to the impact the theater’s potential loss would have on a marginalized community.

Lesbian filmmaker Monica Noland recalled meeting her partner at the screening of a Barbara Stanwyck film. “Here in San Francisco,” she said, “we have the right to brag at one of the finest theaters in the world, and that’s worth saving.”

But while the majority of those who turned up to speak in person opposed Another Planet’s proposals, there were many who disagreed. For example, the majority of incoming calls supported the proposal. One of the commissioners later commented on the fact that it was the proponents of landmark status who actually showed up in person.

Six hours later, after providing their own comments and recalling their own memories of the Castro, the commission voted 6-0 to recommend landmark status for the theater’s interior. Next, the topic goes to the planning commission and finally to the supervisory board. As some Commissioners have noted, there will be more meetings.

At 6:30 p.m., six hours after their meeting started, they finally moved on to the budget.

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On one of Nob Hill’s most desirable blocks, in a rare availability building, this chic condo sits across the street from Huntington Park, just steps from Grace Cathedral, with stunning views of the San Francisco skyline, the ocean and beyond .

Step through the Porte-Cochère and meet uniformed doormen in the lobby, which features marble floors, glittering chandeliers, and floor-to-ceiling windows. With its lavish nature, it makes the residence a hot ticket…if you can swing the $6 million prize.

The Nob Hill – 1170 Sacramento Street, 12D www.youtube.com

Built in 1963, the 1170 Sacramento began as a place of stature and has maintained its status with some of the city’s highest-priced residences sold. There are the unparalleled views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay, Alcatraz, the Bay Bridge, the Richmond Bridge, the East Bay and downtown. Inside, this unit has one of the largest floorplans at 2,740 square feet, which allows for plenty of room to harbor and retreat.

Enjoy the sea view from two sides in the bright living room with a fireplace and a walk-in balcony behind glass doors. The formal dining room has a similar view and its own fireplace. The kitchen has a black and white palette with checkered floors, double ovens, stone counters, and a pantry.

All bedrooms are en-suite although the primary has two bathrooms of its own. The house is completed by an office room, laundry, storage room and parking for two cars.

Bedroom: 3rd

Bathroom: 4.5

Size: 2,780

Asking price: $6,000,000

// 1170 Sacramento St. Unit 12D (Nob Hill); Visit nobhill12d.com for more information.

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]]> https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/video-home-tour-nob-hill-rental-with-landmark-views-asks-6-million/feed/ 0 https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/san-francisco-commissioners-advocate-landmark-standing-for-inside-of-historic-castro-theatre/ https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/san-francisco-commissioners-advocate-landmark-standing-for-inside-of-historic-castro-theatre/#respond Thu, 02 Feb 2023 08:04:44 +0000 https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/?p=26071 SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — In meeting room 400 on the top floor of the city’s spectacularly beaux arts City Hall, the seven-member Historic Preservation Commission met Wednesday to consider two items : its own budget and to recommend to the Board of Supervisors whether to extend landmark status to the interior of the Castro Theater …

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SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — In meeting room 400 on the top floor of the city’s spectacularly beaux arts City Hall, the seven-member Historic Preservation Commission met Wednesday to consider two items : its own budget and to recommend to the Board of Supervisors whether to extend landmark status to the interior of the Castro Theater (the exterior was landmarked back in the 1970s, making it San Francisco Historic Landmark #100). It would be six hours before they finally got to the budget.

San Franciscans, despite the onslaught of money-focused tech over the past 20 years, still love flamboyance and the flamboyant — and plenty of those with less flamboyant inclinations — showed up to voice their opinions about that proposal. Easily more than 100 people, including a couple of celebrities, addressed the commission, taking the meeting well past its slated end time, and forcing the commissioners to move the meeting to another room once its 5 pm deadline passed.

Turner Classic Movies’ Eddie Muller spoke in support of the landmarking, noting that he had organized successful showings of noire films in the Castro, drawing crowds that stretched around the block. Eric Reed Boucher, better known to fans as Jello Biafra, told commissioners “The Castro was built to be not just any movie theater, but a great theater.”

“There’s a reason for all the other [film] festivals choose to hold their festivals there,” Boucher said. “It’s magical.”

Some addressed the board a little more memorably than others. Susan Englander, a cheerful old lady sporting a San Francisco Giants cap and dressed in red like many of the others in the audience who showed up to show their support for extending landmark status to the interior of the historic Castro Theatre, began by singing her testimony to the commission.

“I just want to testify what the Castro me-e-eans to me-ee!,” she sang, before going on to recount her first date as a bisexual woman at the beloved movie palace. In fact, her testimony was similar in that regard to the testimonies of many others. For a couple of generations of LGBT San Franciscans, the Castro’s place in the community, and their own lives, is iconic.

At stake is the interior of the 100-year-old Castro Theatre, a fabulous movie palace, widely beloved, and which is definitely showing its age. Like the neighborhood around it, long beset by the issues of skyrocketing rents and increased homelessness, the Castro Theater has seen better days and efforts to revitalize the grand old cinema have been tumultuous at best. After 100 years, the movie house is showing its age and the effects of delayed renovations.

One year ago, San Franciscans were surprised by the news that management of the cinema had been contracted to Another Planet Entertainment, a concert promoter based across the bay in Berkeley. Already the manager of numerous esteemed venues throughout the Bay Area such as the Greek Theater in Berkeley, the Fox Theater in Oakland, and both Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and The Independent in San Francisco, the addition of the Castro was a big deal for the company .

Another planet’s plans for renovations, devised by CAW Architects of Palo Alto, California, called for extensive renovations of the entire building, including the installation of an HVAC system and heating (the theater is notorious for its lack of heat), restoration of the murals and decorative features, and numerous other details throughout the building. Recent torrental storms in California flooded the basement, said David Perry, spokesperson for Another Planet, and the roof leaks as well.

One item in particular, however, stood out. Another planet wanted to remove the theater’s raked floor and orchestral seating to make way for tiered platforms which would allow event producers to remove the seats for standing audiences, as well as accommodating other types of events. When the theater showed films, APE insisted, the seats could be replaced.

Many disagreed, and the most vocal of them showed up for Wednesday’s meeting. To be sure, this was not the first time large, noisy meetings have been held over the matter but it marks the first real step on the path to starting renovation work.

Like Englander, many of those who spoke out recalled first dates, and many more recalled finding a sense of themselves as gay men and lesbians. The Castro Theatre, they said, provided community in the shared experiences of watching campy old films, participating in sing-alongs, and simply being around others like themselves, many of whom had fled to San Francisco from their hometowns around the country, to live their lives openly.

Robert Gray said “Inside the Castro we discovered our stories and defined our community.” He recounted randy memories in the balcony of the theater, which is also home to live organ performances before the movies begin. “The organist wasn’t the only fan of big organs in the Castro,” Gray quipped.

Some find the Castro Theater to be magical.

“San Francisco natives are called unicorns and that’s just what the Castro Theater is,” said Serafina Miller, interim president of the California Art Deco Society. She recalled the numerous sing-alongs to which she’d taken her daughter and said, as a Black woman, she was sensitive to the impact the potential loss of the theater would have on a marginalized community.

Lesbian filmmaker Monica Noland recalled meeting her partner at the showing of a Barbara Stanwyck movie. “Here in San Francisco,” she said, “we have bragging rights to one of the best theaters in the world and that’s worth saving.”

But while the majority of those who showed up to speak in person opposed Another Planet’s proposals, there were plenty who felt otherwise. The majority of the calls that came in, for example, were in support of the proposal. One of the commissioners later commented on the fact that it was the supporters of landmark status who actually showed up in person.

Six hours later, after making their own comments and recalling their own memories of the Castro, the commission voted 6-0 to recommend landmark status for the theater’s interior. From here it goes on to the planning commission and then, finally, the Board of Supervisors. There will be a few commissioners noted, more meetings ahead.

A 6:30 p.m., six hours after their meeting had begun, they finally moved on to the budget.

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]]> https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/san-francisco-commissioners-advocate-landmark-standing-for-inside-of-historic-castro-theatre/feed/ 0 https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/landmark-opioid-litigation-trial-begins-in-san-francisco/ https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/landmark-opioid-litigation-trial-begins-in-san-francisco/#respond Fri, 27 May 2022 03:39:22 +0000 https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/?p=20690 The federal trial will examine the role of opioid manufacturers Allergan and Teva, distributor Anda, and Walgreens pharmacy in fueling the opioid epidemic in the City and County of san francisco SAN FRANCISCO, April 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Today, trial begins with the People of the State of Californiaacting by and through san francisco City …

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The federal trial will examine the role of opioid manufacturers Allergan and Teva, distributor Anda, and Walgreens pharmacy in fueling the opioid epidemic in the City and County of san francisco

SAN FRANCISCO, April 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Today, trial begins with the People of the State of Californiaacting by and through san francisco City Attorney David Chiu, against opioid manufacturers Allergan and Teva, distributor Anda, and Walgreens pharmacy. The bench trial will take place before the US District Court for the Northern District of California with Judge Charles R Breyer presiding

Brought on behalf of the people of the State of California, the lawsuit alleges that opioid manufacturers Allergan and Teva engaged in deceptive marketing practices that misrepresented the dangers of their pills and that all defendants, including Anda and Walgreens, failed to identify, divert, and report suspicious orders as required by law. Walgreens pharmacy is also accused of over-dispensing opioids without proper due diligence against fraud and diversion.

The people allege that these corporate practices fueled a widespread surge of opioid-related addiction and overdose in san francisco, thereby creating an ongoing public nuisance in the region. From 2006 to 2014, San Francisco County saw 163,645,704 opioids distributed, enough for 22 pills per person per year. Between 2015 and 2020, san francisco saw a 478% increase in opioid-related overdose deaths, and in a typical day at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG) Emergency Department, approximately 25 percent of visits are opioid-related. The lawsuit seeks funds to abate the public nuisance, as well as injunctive relief and civil penalties to repair the damage caused from the opioid epidemic and prevent such practices in the future.

“This trial will give voice to the tragic experiences and ongoing needs of our community on the front lines of the opioid epidemic,” said san francisco City Attorney David Chiu. “For too long, the people of san francisco have had to shoulder the burden of the opioid epidemic. It’s time for these companies to pay for the crisis they created. We look forward to presenting our case and securing the funds we need to heal.”

This trial is the fourth bellwether case in the federal opioid litigation proceeding involving more than 3,000 American cities, towns, and counties, bringing opioid manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacy chains to court for fueling the opioid epidemic. This case will serve as a test trial to help reach resolutions and seek accountability for the destruction these companies caused. for san francisco and communities around the country decimated by the opioid epidemic, litigation is a vital tool to secure the resources they need now to implement specific programs required at the local level and sustain the costly, decades-long recovery process ahead.

In a joint statement, National Prescription Opiate Litigation MDL Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee co-leads Paul T Farrell Jr of Farrell & Fuller Law LLC, Jayne Conroy of Simmons Hanley Conroyand joe rice of Motley Rice LLC, said:

“The manufacturers’ false marketing campaigns and Walgreens’ failure to report and prevent suspicious opioid orders has led to an unprecedented, unyielding public health crisis in san francisco and across the United States. The federal opioid litigation exists to facilitate the long overdue process of corporate accountability we have seen occur in courts across the country over the past several months. We look forward to seeing the same process unfold in san francisco in the days to come. This trial serves as an opportunity to provide financial relief to support local recovery efforts while shedding light on the defendants’ concerted efforts to sidestep their obligations under law.”

This trial follows a jury verdict from November 23, 2021 in the federal trial in the Northern District of Ohio that found CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart liable for fueling the opioid crisis in Lake County other Trumbull County of Ohio. A judge will determine the value of the opioid epidemic abatement funds owed by pharmacy chains to these communities in May of 2022.

The general public and members of the media can find information about how to listen to the proceedings here.

The case is City and County of san francisco, et al., v. Purdue Pharma LP, et al., Defendants (Case No. 3:18-cv-07591-CRB).

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE National Prescription Opiate Litigation

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]]> https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/landmark-opioid-litigation-trial-begins-in-san-francisco/feed/ 0 https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/fireplace-roars-by-way-of-landmark-sonoma-county-household-vineyard-cbs-san-francisco/ https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/fireplace-roars-by-way-of-landmark-sonoma-county-household-vineyard-cbs-san-francisco/#respond Sat, 05 Mar 2022 17:08:10 +0000 https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/?p=17391 SONOMA (CBS SF) — While the fire only raged for 20 minutes, the blaze that roared through the barn-turned-tasting room at Sonoma County’s landmark Larson Family Winery earlier this week took a devastating toll. Gone was a treasure trove of historic Sonoma Rodeo and Larson Family memorabilia. The winery dates back to 1899, was once …

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SONOMA (CBS SF) — While the fire only raged for 20 minutes, the blaze that roared through the barn-turned-tasting room at Sonoma County’s landmark Larson Family Winery earlier this week took a devastating toll.

Gone was a treasure trove of historic Sonoma Rodeo and Larson Family memorabilia. The winery dates back to 1899, was once the stomping grounds of Buster Millerick, the Petaluma native who helped train Seabiscuit and was among the first to open in Sonoma Valley.

READ MORE: Officials Warn Of Unstable Slopes On Highway 50 Above Echo Summit

On Wednesday at approximately 8:45 pm, the Schell-Vista Fire Protection District got a 911 call reporting a fire at the winery. Fortunately, the station wasn’t located too far away and firefighters quickly arrived at the winery.

The barn-tasting room was fully engulfed, but their quick action limited the spread of the flames to other parts of the winery. Video of the blaze was captured by a Sonoma County sheriff’s helicopter that was flying over the area after taking part in another call.

“The barn-turned-tasting room suffered irreparable damage and will be closed until further notice,” the family posted on the winery Facebook page. “No humans or dogs were injured in the fire. The adjacent barrel room and winemaking facilities were left unharmed.”

READ MORE: San Francisco Bartender Critically Injured by Hit-and-Run Driver

“We are devastated by the loss of our business and priceless historic Sonoma Rodeo and Larson Family memorabilia.”

While the family was still coming to grips with the damage and loss, they promised to continue on.

“While we’re still very much in the recovery phase, we are moving forward with every intention of opening back up and being a place where you can continue to make great memories,” the family posted on the winery web page.

MORE NEWS: Rising Rent: San Mateo Leads Bay Area Cities

Fire officials said the cause of the fire was still under investigation.

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]]> https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/fireplace-roars-by-way-of-landmark-sonoma-county-household-vineyard-cbs-san-francisco/feed/ 0 https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/s-f-supervisors-approve-casa-sanchez-bldg-in-mission-district-for-landmark-standing-cbs-san-francisco/ https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/s-f-supervisors-approve-casa-sanchez-bldg-in-mission-district-for-landmark-standing-cbs-san-francisco/#respond Sat, 29 Jan 2022 06:24:57 +0000 https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/?p=15947 PIX NowHere’s the latest from the KPIX newsroom. (1-28-22) 3 hours ago SF Supervisors Approve Casa Sanchez Bldg. in Mission District for Landmark StatusThe former Mission District site of the Casa Sanchez business — known for its salsa, chips and tortillas — is closer to becoming a historic landmark. Shawn Chitnis reports. (1-28-22) 4 hours …

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PIX NowHere’s the latest from the KPIX newsroom. (1-28-22)

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]]> https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/s-f-supervisors-approve-casa-sanchez-bldg-in-mission-district-for-landmark-standing-cbs-san-francisco/feed/ 0 https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/cinema-is-my-faith-and-the-castro-is-our-vatican-shakeup-at-landmark-san-francisco-venue-stuns-locals-san-francisco/ https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/cinema-is-my-faith-and-the-castro-is-our-vatican-shakeup-at-landmark-san-francisco-venue-stuns-locals-san-francisco/#respond Sat, 22 Jan 2022 14:53:32 +0000 https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/?p=15643 fFor years, underground San Francisco drag performer and cinephile Peaches Christ has been filling the city’s renowned Castro Theater with her Midnight Mass series, juxtaposing cult film screenings with live drag parody re-enactments and stage interviews. These loving but irreverent late-night events are an integral part of LGBTQ+ culture at the city’s preeminent art-house theater, …

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fFor years, underground San Francisco drag performer and cinephile Peaches Christ has been filling the city’s renowned Castro Theater with her Midnight Mass series, juxtaposing cult film screenings with live drag parody re-enactments and stage interviews. These loving but irreverent late-night events are an integral part of LGBTQ+ culture at the city’s preeminent art-house theater, itself one of the most visible landmarks in San Francisco’s most famous gay district.

As Peaches Christ puts it, “Cinema was my religion and the Castro is our Vatican.”

And now, a month after hosting the US premiere of The Matrix Resurrections and a few months before its 100th birthday, the owners of the opulent 1,400-seat movie palace have announced that it will soon become primarily a live entertainment venue and will no longer screen many films at all.

Wednesday’s news sent shockwaves through the city’s artist and film communities and revealed a partnership between Castro and Another Planet Entertainment (APE), a Bay Area concert promoter. Known for preserving other historic venues – and for producing Outside Lands, a three-day music festival usually held in Golden Gate Park every August – APE announced that it is planning a major renovation of the interior and the famous marquee, as well as a dramatic transformation in the kind of events that the Castro will host.

“We want to present all types of programs in the theater – comedy, music, film, community and private events and more,” the organizer said in a press release.

Cast members stand at the premiere of The Matrix Resurrections on December 18th. Photo: Noah Berger/AP

The news stunned local filmmakers and festival programmers, who urged APE to seek input from the community – so much so that the promoter rushed to placate the reeling city, saying nothing unexpected would happen overnight.

Century-old movie theaters and single-screen theaters have been disappearing from San Francisco for years, victims of rising operating costs and the popularity of streaming services well before the pandemic hit. But as a cultural institution, the Castro Theater is unique. It is home to numerous festivals and premieres and matinee screenings of Camp Hollywood classics such as Gray Gardens and Auntie Mame. A destination for American film buffs, where you might watch a painstakingly restored 1940s noir, witness director Peter Bogdanovich belittle Cher during a Q&A session, or just sing along to Grease.

Already dark for 15 months during Covid, the Castro reopened in June 2021 to host the 45th edition of Frameline, San Francisco’s long-standing LGBTQ+ film festival.

Continuing a longstanding tradition of prefixing every film with live music from the in-house organ – no longer a “Mighty Wurlitzer,” but arguably the world’s largest pipe-digital hybrid organ – the return of the theater embodied the dawn of last summer’s optimism in California briefly eased its pandemic restrictions on indoor gatherings. It’s also very, very gay: San Francisco, the Judy Garland-revived theme from the 1936 disaster film of the same name, is always the last song before the curtain goes up. Consequently, the theater’s large and vocal queer fanbase was particularly saddened at the prospect of losing it forever.

“We know there won’t be the same amount of screenings at this venue and of course we’re very saddened by that,” said James Woolley, Executive Director of Frameline.

However, he did confirm that the 46th iteration of the festival, an anchor of San Francisco’s Pride Month celebrations, is still ongoing in June.

Peaches on stage at the Castro. Photo: Courtesy of Peaches Christ

Although Peaches Christ was initially dismayed, a call to APE put her mind at ease.

“They assured me that the programming would be very well thought out. They’re not going to program it like they would Bill Graham, or remove the seats,” she said, referring to a much larger venue that welcomes EDM DJs and mainstream musicians.

While concerned that the Castro might devote itself entirely to live performances, Peaches noted that comedy festivals like Sketchfest had long since broadened the scope of what the theater was doing. Second screenings were hardly his bread and butter.

“As much as I would hate to see the repertory calendar disappear when you went to the screenings, nine times out of ten it was less than half full,” she said. “I ran a cinema and have been in the business for a long time. I knew it wasn’t a sustainable model.”

Peaches is optimistic about APE as a local entity that’s much smaller than national companies like LiveNation. They promised her they would honor her existing contract and also assured her that they would install a new cinema screen, improve accessibility for people with disabilities, and make other necessary repairs.

“What the general public doesn’t see is that the Castro needs a huge electrical upgrade,” she said. “The old wiring sometimes caused circuit breakers to trip. It was stressful.”

Still, the underlying economics are what they are, which is why many San Francisco theaters are now derelict (or repurposed as gyms).

“Theater business is tough, and I think it’s especially tough for independent historic single-screen arthouses. You can only charge so much for a movie ticket,” said Lex Sloan, filmmaker and executive director of the 110-year-old single-screen Roxie Theater, the oldest such venue in San Francisco. “We are more than just cinemas. We are places where people make memories and make new friends. Places like the Castro and its programming are the quintessence of what makes San Francisco weird and wild.”

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]]> https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/cinema-is-my-faith-and-the-castro-is-our-vatican-shakeup-at-landmark-san-francisco-venue-stuns-locals-san-francisco/feed/ 0 https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/the-connection-between-kanye-wests-donda-and-a-san-francisco-landmark/ https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/the-connection-between-kanye-wests-donda-and-a-san-francisco-landmark/#respond Tue, 19 Oct 2021 09:31:49 +0000 https://dailysanfranciscobaynews.com/?p=11727 July 23, 2021 In this file photo, rapper Kanye West attends the WSJ Magazine 2019 Innovator Awards at MOMA on November 6, 2019 in New York. Angela Weiss / TNS Rap superstar Kanye West is no stranger to San Francisco. There he proposed marriage to his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, and the couple visited SF two …

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July 23, 2021

In this file photo, rapper Kanye West attends the WSJ Magazine 2019 Innovator Awards at MOMA on November 6, 2019 in New York.

Angela Weiss / TNS

Rap superstar Kanye West is no stranger to San Francisco. There he proposed marriage to his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, and the couple visited SF two weeks ago to attend an exhibition at the Asian Art Museum with their children.

With the same fanfare that accompanied his last album releases, West unveiled his tenth album last night in an Atlanta stadium. “Donda,” named after his late mother, was due to hit streaming services this morning, but in typical Kanye fashion, hadn’t appeared at the time of publication.

Two days before the release party, West released a teaser video for the album that includes a clip of the song “No Child Left Behind” starring Sha’Carri Richardson. The dark track is reminiscent of West’s previous album “Jesus is King”, with a religious message and a muted organ as the only prominent instrument.

Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill in San Francisco provides a quiet place to get away from the noise of the city on June 19, 2013.

Mark Bolster / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

It turns out that he used the Grace Cathedral organ for the recording. Nob Hill Episcopal Church confirmed that their organ was on “Donda” but could not provide any further details.

The historic Olian Skinner organ with 7,466 pipes was built in 1934 and renovated in 2010. It is the fifth largest in California and the fifty largest in the world. It can be heard at both personal church services and online concerts scheduled to take place monthly through the end of 2021.

Kanye West can be seen at a listening event for his album “Donda” at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on July 22, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for Universal Music

Dan Gentile is the arts editor at SFGATE. He moved from Austin, TX to San Francisco, where he worked as a vinyl DJ and freelance food and music writer. His lyrics have been published in Texas Monthly, American Way, Rolling Stone, Roads & Kingdoms, VICE, Thrillist, and others.

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