By Jack Rogers

October 02, 2023 at 05:18 AM

City’s “request for info” draws eight buildings, could yield 1,100 units.

Eight office building owners have responded to the city’s “request for information” aiming to identify landlords interested in converting their San Francisco properties to apartments or condos, according to the city’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development.

Five of the buildings are in the greater Mid-Market and Civic Center neighborhoods, two are in the Financial District and one is near Yerba Buena.

All of them are aging: they were built between 1900 and 1967, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The combined square footage of the eight buildings totals less than 1M SF.

The city estimates that if all eight properties were converted from office to residential, it would create about 1,100 new apartment units, with the largest building yielding 300 units and the smallest about 40.

The city agreed to keep the addresses of the buildings confidential because existing tenants could be impacted. The Office of Economic and Workforce Development is conducting one-on-one interviews with the eight property owners.

Anne Taupier, the city’s economic development director, told the Chronicle the city interprets the response to its request for information as an indication that an increasing number of landlords have concluded that the persistence of remote work has rendered some older office buildings obsolete.

“We were pleased with the responses, it was more than we had expected and there was a good variety of buildings,” Taupier told the newspaper. “We think there is a chance to see some game-changing activation.”

Taupier indicated that the eight respondents own buildings that are vacant, partially vacant or have tenants with expiring leases who may not renew. She described the request for information as a “fact-finding mission” to give the city a better understanding of the financial or bureaucratic obstacles that stand in the way of office conversions.

She said most of the aging properties would be candidates for Mills Act tax credits, which allow cities to reduce taxes for 10 years or more to owners of historic properties.

Specifically, the economic development director said the city wanted to identify “financial shortfalls” hampering conversions and to determine solutions either in the form of new legislation or ballot initiatives.

San Francisco has been easing zoning regulation and lowering fees to try to spur office-to-resi conversions. State Sen. Scott Weiner has announced that he plans to introduce legislation in January creating tax breaks for conversion projects, incentives that will be part of a downtown revitalization bill.

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The Philadelphia Eagles are home underdogs to the San Francisco 49ers in a rematch of last season’s NFC Championship Sunday. A head-to-head win over the Eagles would go a long way for the 49ers, as they currently sit two games behind them with an 8-3 record for home-field advantage and a bye in the playoffs.

Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. The game will be televised on FOX.

The matchup pits two of the highest-scoring offenses against each other; the 49ers and Eagles are tied for the third-highest points per game at 28.2. A.J. Brown has already surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for Philadelphia and caught seven touchdown passes. DeVonta Smith is heating up as of late, with 23 catches, 355 yards and three touchdowns in his last four games. Jalen Hurts’ recent play has catapulted him to be the favorite to win NFL MVP. His elite play couldn’t come at a better time, as the Philly defense has struggled recently, allowing 24.4 points per game during their five-game winning streak.

San Francisco hopes having Brock Purdy, who left the NFC Championship Game with an elbow injury, will help lead to a different result. The Niners have scored 30 or more points in seven of their eight wins. The turnaround of the defense has been critical to the 49ers’ three-game winning streak. Since getting battered by the Bengals for 31 points, opponents have averaged just 10 points per game in the three games since.

The injury status of OL Lane Johnson, DT Fletcher Cox and TE Dallas Goedert could play a significant role in the outcome of this game.

All odds from BetMGM. Looking for NFL tickets? Buy them here.

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(Photo of Jalen Hurts: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

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It’s hard to develop chemistry midseason, but that’s exactly what the Jacksonville Jaguars’ offensive line has to do through the final eight games of the regular season.

Through the first nine games this year, the Jaguars have changed at least one aspect of their offensive line five times.

Due to his four-game suspension, Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson was unavailable Weeks 1 through 4, setting up OL Walker Little to take his place. By Week 4, though, the team had already made a shift, benching left guard Ben Bartch for veteran Tyler Shatley.

Another change took place in Week 5 when Robinson made his return and was immediately thrust in as the team’s starting left tackle, moving Little to left guard and benching Shatley. That lasted just 11 plays before Little injured his knee, costing him the next three games of the season.

Shatley returned to the team’s role as the left guard, marking the fourth shift, placing Shatley next to Robinson.

Now with Little’s return this past Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, Shatley returned to the bench, marking the fifth change of the season to the left side of the team’s O-line.

On Monday, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson spoke about the potential continuity issues, while expressing optimism that they’ll continue to improve.

“That’s big. Having five guys that would’ve been there for nine games. There would be more continuity I think, [Jaguars OL] Walker [Little]] is still working himself back in with his first full game back there,” said Pederson.

“Really just understanding that there’s a lot of communication that has to go on up front, getting all of that down and the timing. It continues to improve but we can definitely get better there.”

Against the 49ers, the Jaguars surrendered five sacks and 10 quarterback hits. Not all of that is due to the offensive line, but some of it certainly was and communication issues are a product of a lack of playing together.

The Jaguars hope that is the last shift the line will have to make, which is especially important to develop continuity with the unit.

“I got a lot of confidence in the group, there’s no question or hesitation. They’ll continue to improve and get better,” Pederson said Monday.

Cam Robinson believes in Walker Little, trusts the process

Little is at the center of all of the team’s offensive line changes this season. He also was one of the players most criticized for his performance against the 49ers this past weekend.

According to Pro Football Focus, Little surrendered the most pressures (three) and was the lowest-graded offensive player with a grade of 29.2. His pass block grade was 41.4, also the lowest on the team.

Still, Robinson believes that the third-year offensive lineman will be just fine.

“Walker did fine. The more he plays at that position, the more reps he’ll get. Walker’s a hell of a player, he’ll be fine. Just give it time and give it reps. We’ll gel and it’ll be fine,” Robinson said after the game Sunday when asked about Little’s performance.

Little was tasked with manning the team’s left tackle role throughout training camp. As such, he was given limited reps at left guard during camp and did not take any or many during his time as the team’s starting left tackle before getting hurt in Week 5.

“I think it hurts him a little bit that he didn’t get all those reps in there. But he’s good enough and smart enough and all that, he’s athletic enough to know the role, know the job, know his assignments,” Pederson said when asked about Little’s lack of training camp reps at guard.

“Now, it’s just a matter of him 0-playing in more condensed spaces. It’s different than being out on those islands as a tackle. He’s getting used to that as well. He’s done some good things and he’s still working through the process.”

Ultimately, for the Jaguars’ offensive line to improve, they will have to continue to learn how to play as one. That’s the difference.

“Specifically, when you’re dealing with the O-line, it’s just different because if you’re a receiver, you just go make a play. If you’re a running back, you just go make a play. But, we all have to be in sync, like, we’re all literally one person. He’ll be fine. We’ll get reps. We’ll get better,” said Robinson.

The Jaguars will have another opportunity to gel on Sunday, Nov. 19 when the team takes on the Tennessee Titans at EverBank Stadium.

Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82.

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In February 2022, Mayor Erin Mendenhall touted plans by two biotech firms to open labs on the west side of Salt Lake City, at the renovated and celebrated INDUSTRY SLC building.

Recursion President Tina Larson was “thrilled” to be expanding into the Granary District building, she said in a news release issued by the city. Denali Therapeutics CEO Ryan Watts said he was “excited” to open a “state-of-the-art biologics clinical manufacturing facility” there.

Since then, neither company has moved in — with both blaming construction delays. Denali Therapeutics terminated its lease earlier this year, while Recursion is locked in litigation with the building’s owner, Industry Office SLC.

The absent labs are two of several projects across the city tied to the work and uncertain fate of general contractor Makers Line, which has deleted or set to private its web page and social media accounts in recent days as employees announced their goodbyes on LinkedIn and described the company as closing. Subcontractors have filed liens and lawsuits — with a flurry of at least five more this week — claiming they haven’t been paid by Makers Line or concrete company Titus.

Makers Line and Titus are two of an “integrated suite of companies” under developer Q Factor, owned by the husband-and-wife team of Jason and Ellen Winkler. The Winklers made a splash in Salt Lake City as they began reclaiming the cavernous foundry building that became INDUSTRY SLC, after developing similar projects in Denver’s River North Art District, or RiNo, a transitional area now turned fashionable.

But as Makers Line has gone silent, Jason Winkler has not responded to requests for comment from The Salt Lake Tribune. Reached last week by Building Salt Lake — which reported first on the company’s layoffs and possible shutdown — he said in a text only that Makers Line did “not quite” close down entirely.

Here are some of Makers Line’s projects in Salt Lake City and what’s known about their status.

Chicago Street Townhomes

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Chicago Street Townhouses, one of Makers Line’s projects under construction on Chicago St. and South Temple, on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023.

Q Factor is the owner of the Chicago Street Townhomes project, a planned 30-unit subdivision off South Temple that was approved by the city in 2021 and, as of two weeks ago, was being developed according to schedule.

But designer Jarod Hall hasn’t heard from Q Factor in a week, he told The Tribune. Hall’s firm, di’velept design, designed the units and submitted applications to the city on Q Factor’s behalf. Hall said everything seemed “fine” in a weekly check-in meeting with Q Factor two weeks ago — the companies even discussed future projects they might work on together. But since news of Makers Line’s potential closing, Hall hasn’t been able to reach anyone.

“It’s totally out of left field,” Hall said.

Hall said his team has been paid for their portion of the work so far. He doesn’t know what will happen to the town house project, which, for now, is in limbo. But he said he is “nervous” about what Makers Line’s departure could mean for the city.

“The problem is, we’re going to have about 20 Sugar House holes throughout the valley,” Hall said, referring to a plot of land in Sugar House that sat demolished but undeveloped for years.

(Sheila R. McCann | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Atre Sugar House development, which contractor Makers Line has been working on, is planned to include a complex at 1121 E. Ashton Ave. with 228 units.

Atre Sugar House

Two residential towers are planned on Ashton Avenue in Sugar House, with an eight-story building adjacent to Fairmont Park and a larger 10-story complex across the street, where a 24 Hour Fitness gym once stood.

The complex at 1121 E. Ashton Ave. plans to offer a mix of 228 studios and larger units with one, two or three bedrooms, available at market rates.

The smaller building at 1132 E. Ashton Ave. will have 113 microunits, studios to two-bedrooms, which “will allow people of lower incomes to be able to afford something in the Sugar House Business District,” the Sugar House Community Council has noted.

Kova, an interior design and supply firm in Austin, Texas, is working for Makers Line on the project, according to its website. On Tuesday afternoon, two Makers Line trucks were parked at the sites and a banner declared them a Makers Line and Alta Terra project.

But no work was underway. Alta Terra, a real estate investor and developer based in Park City, has not responded to multiple requests for comment from The Tribune.

If construction is delayed in Sugar House or elsewhere in the city, there is no limit on how long a pause could last, said Salt Lake City Council Chair Darin Mano.

“I don’t know of any city rule or ordinance specifically related to this,” he said. “In practice, we tend to see projects in this state sit in perpetuity.”

A site where construction has halted “still needs to be secured and safe,” Mano added. “When construction begins again it would need to be re-permitted and inspected and anything that has worn out due to weather exposure would need to be replaced.”

The Granary District

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) The INDUSTRY SLC building, at 650 S. 500 West in the Granary District, in 2021.

The INDUSTRY SLC building, at 650 S. 500 West, has become an anchor in the burgeoning Granary District and is owned by Industry Office SLC, according to property records.

The Winklers are minority owners of Industry Office SLC, according to Recursion’s lawsuit, with Catalyst Opportunity Fund as the company’s majority owner.

There have been more than 20 liens filed against the property by various subcontractors, according to city records, including one filed Oct. 31 by White Cap, a building materials supplier. Many have been later resolved and released, but roughly 10 are still pending.

Across 500 West from the INDUSTRY SLC building, a seven-level parking garage is in mid-construction.

Mendenhall was back in the Granary District for the groundbreaking of the garage in May 2022, KSL reported. The city handled some pass-through funding for the garage, said Andrew Wittenberg, a spokesperson for the mayor.

In a statement issued Thursday, the mayor’s office said, “we never want to see a company struggle or fail. The city is aware of some projects which are utilizing new general contractors to stay on schedule. Salt Lake City Building Services staff members are always available to assist with technical questions to ensure projects with new leadership can still move forward without delay.”

County records show some of the land where the garage is being built is owned by Industry Office SLC, but the bulk of the area is owned by AAM Investments Ltd., which the Utah Department of Commerce lists as a limited partnership based in Salt Lake City.

A year ago, banners on the fence around the site advertised Makers Line, Q Factor and their related companies, according to Google Street View. This week, those banners were gone.

North of the area, Q Factor has also been a partner in projects in the developing Post District.

Denali Therapeutics

Denali Therapeutics, a biotech and pharmaceutical company based in San Francisco, says it has moved on from the Granary District. It had signed a lease for space at INDUSTRY SLC in August 2021, the company said in Securities and Exchange Commission filings, but there had been construction delays.

In March of this year, Denali Therapeutics said, it terminated that lease. In April, it signed a new lease for a lab, office and warehouse space, it said in filings, elsewhere in Salt Lake City.

The company did not respond to requests for comment. The website Intelligence360 has reported that the new site is on Amelia Earhart Drive, near the Salt Lake City International Airport.

Denali Therapeutics does still have an incentive contract with the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, the office confirmed, for up to $1.3 million in tax rebates.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune Recursion Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company, opened its headquarters at The Gateway in Salt Lake City in 2018.

Recursion

Recursion hired Industry Office SLC to construct a shell of a manufacturing facility — which Industry Office would own — and when it was done, Recursion would become a tenant and build out the interior, according to court documents.

But after construction delays, each company began accusing the other of breaching their contract, according to letters filed in 3rd District Court in Salt Lake City. Industry Office sued Recursion in June and Recursion filed its own counterclaims in September; all are still pending.

Industry Office SLC has accused Recursion of trying to breach the lease and avoid liability; it wants Recursion to pay fines for terminating the lease early. But Recursion argues Industry Office failed to execute essential components — most crucially, a three-hour firewall that would separate Recursion’s lab from its planned neighbor, Denali Therapeutics.

Such a wall “effectively separates a structure into separate buildings,” providing three hours of protection in case of an emergency, Recursion explained in court documents, a safety feature required by its research and manufacturing.

Recursion also accuses Jason Winkler in court documents of misrepresenting the building’s progress, lying about having relevant permits from the city, and lying about the delivery of steel that — at that point — hadn’t even been ordered.

In a pivotal meeting in January, Recursion said in court documents, its executives met with Catalyst co-founder Jeremy Keele and other company leaders without the Winklers, described as Catalyst’s general partner.

The Catalyst representatives said their relationship with their general partner had become ‘toxic’ and resembled ‘Armageddon,’” Recursion attorneys wrote, “and they admitted that Industry Office had terminated the General Partner from the project for ‘gross negligence’ and ‘willful misconduct’” related to repeated construction delays.

Describing the meeting from the other side, attorneys for Industry Office wrote that “attendees for Recursion emphasized that their issues were with Winkler and his entities.”

Keele, Catalyst’s co-founder, told the Recursion leaders, “There must be a way to resolve your issues and get this back on track,” the attorneys wrote, “I feel like we’re on the 90-yard line and it would be a waste to pick up the ball and go home.”

Charles Jabara of Recursion, the filing said, responded, “I wish we were on the 90-yard line, we feel like we’re not even in the game.”

Industry Office SLC, its attorneys, Catalyst and Maker’s Line all declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment. In a statement to The Tribune, Recursion declined to comment on the dispute, citing the litigation. The company said it “remains committed and excited to continue its growth here in the Beehive State and is actively pursuing alternative options for further expansion.”

Ogden

Ogden officials halted work in March on a 55-unit apartment building that Makers Line’s companies were involved in constructing — after the city found some of the lumber didn’t meet the fire code, the Standard-Examiner reported.

The five-story Union Walk project at 144 25th St. has been sitting idle since, according to the Standard-Examiner. The city most recently issued a notice on Oct. 12, giving the developer, Summa Terra Ventures, until Dec. 11 to resolve the problem.

Summa Terra’s CEO, Mike Watson, said in a statement to KSL that “Makers Line unilaterally made the decision to substitute fire-treated lumber — as originally prescribed in the contract, the approved building plans and the prevailing national building code — with untreated lumber.”

Two companies also claim, according to court documents, that Makers Line owes them money for work done on the Union Walk project. Bingham Plumbing and Mechanical claims Makers Line owes more than $106,000, plus interest, for plumbing and mechanical work and equipment, while Bear River Heating and Air Conditioning is seeking more than $64,000 in compensation — claiming Makers Line has failed to pay them for materials, equipment and labor for the same project.

Q Factor’s website also touts another Ogden project, the restoration of the Ogden Stockyard Exchange building. The plans call for converting the 1931 Art Deco building’s 14,400 square feet into office space, and adding a 25,000-square-foot building onto it. The Ogden City Council approved the project in November 2022, the Standard-Examiner reported — though Mike McBride, spokesman for Mayor Mike Caldwell, told the newspaper this week that if Makers Line was shut down, “that whole agreement would be null and void.”

Several other suits filed by subcontractors also are pending. LG Concrete, for example, claims Makers Line owes it $104,194, plus interest, for labor, materials and equipment. LG Concrete and other companies also have filed liens on some of the properties where they have conducted work and not been paid, which attorney Justin Scott could expedite payment or force foreclosure.

“I’m one in a long line of attorneys representing contractors that have performed work and have not been paid,” said Justin Scott, the attorney representing LG Concrete. “It’s a difficult situation. [Subcontractors] outlined a lot of resources and money and haven’t been paid.”

Tribune reporter Blake Apgar and Tribune culture & business editor Sean P. Means contributed to this report.

Editor’s note • This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism.

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SAN FRANCISCO — As PG&E moves forward with the utility’s plan to bury thousands of miles of power lines underground, there are some who question whether there’s a cheaper alternative to keep the Bay Area safe.

The utility company says it is on track to put hundreds of miles of powerlines underground by the end of 2023. 

KPIX got an up close look of the Vacaville underground circuit. It sits in the burn scar of the 2020 LNU Lightning Complex fires. It is a high fire risk area because of the winds. 

“We had a lot of doubters and I am happy to report that today we completed the civil work for the 350th mile. Our goal is to bury 10,000 miles of line,” said PG&E CEO Patti Poppe. 

She says the underground mission is to  prevent future wildfires and reduce public safety power shutoffs. But it comes at a cost to customers.

“I think what most people are worried about is affordability,” said Poppe. “I just want your viewers to know it is less expensive to bury the lines as we are doing than it is to continue to do overhead conductors and all the vegetation management that goes with it year after year after year.”

“The goal is to have these lines live by the end of the year,” she added. “And once they are all energized, you see those high voltage lines? They are all taken down. “

PG&E is still in the early stages of its undergrounding plan that is scheduled to continue through 2026. Some consumer advocates are opposed to the operation and say it is too expensive. 

“What PG&E has proposed is not affordable for customers,” said Katy Marsony with TURN (which stands for The Utility Reform Network). It advocates on behalf of ratepayers and says a faster and cheaper solution is to insulate power lines instead of burying them.

“We don’t believe that undergrounding is the solution in the customers best interest. With insulating power lines, there is a much lower price point and it is installed much more quickly,” said Marsony  

PG&E’s undergrounding plan still needs the final approval  by the California Public Utilities Commission. A vote is expected in November. Until then, Poppe says the utility company is hoping to deliver on its mission.

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.

Read More

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Mourners streamed into San Francisco City Hall on Wednesday to pay their respects to the late U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, honoring her as fearless, smart and the glue who kept the city together after two political assassinations that catapulted her into the mayor’s office and the national spotlight.

“She wasn’t afraid to do a man’s job. She wasn’t afraid to be a senator. She wasn’t afraid to go after what she wanted,” said Lawanda Carter, 48, of San Francisco. “And that’s encouragement for us women now to have courage.”

Carter was among the scores of everyday San Franciscans and political leaders alike who brought flowers, bowed their heads or clasped their hands in prayer as they stood before Feinstein’s casket, which was draped in an American flag and on display behind velvet ropes. Many said they had never met Feinstein, but wanted to honor an indefatigable public servant who fought to level the playing field for women, members of the LGBTQ community and racial minorities.

Feinstein died early Friday in her Washington, D.C., home of natural causes, said Adam Russell, a spokesperson for her office. She was 90.

She was San Francisco’s first female mayor and one of California’s first two women U.S. senators, a job she first won alongside Barbara Boxer in 1992, dubbed the “ Year of the Woman.” Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also of San Francisco, and Mayor London Breed were among the officials who paid their respects.

Feinstein spent much of her career in the U.S. Senate but will be known as the forever mayor of San Francisco, a role she inherited in tragedy. She was president of the Board of Supervisors in November 1978 when a former supervisor assassinated Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, the city’s first openly gay supervisor, at City Hall.

Feinstein, who found Milk’s body, became acting mayor and won election twice to serve as mayor until 1988.

Georgia Otterson, 76, a health care administrator, said Feinstein wasn’t as politically liberal as she would have liked, but the late mayor earned her respect with how she kept the heartbroken city together.

“We were all mourning together, holding candles. If memory serves me, Joan Baez sang,” Otterson said of an impromptu march that night from the historically gay Castro District to City Hall. “And she held us up.”

As a centrist Democrat, she was criticized by some more liberal voters, including for her longtime support for the death penalty, and as the country became more polarized, for her collegial relationship with Republicans. But the straight, white woman largely earned the gratitude of a city that celebrates its racial and sexual diversity.

She steered San Francisco through the HIV and AIDS crisis, bringing attention to an epidemic ignored by President Ronald Reagan. She also secured federal and private funding to save the city’s iconic cable cars from death by deterioration.

Feinstein led the city as it played host to the Democratic National Convention in 1984. Another San Francisco tradition — “Fleet Week” — was started by Feinstein in 1981, and this year’s annual celebration of air shows, naval ships and military bands is dedicated to her.

Breed recalled looking up to Feinstein when she was a Black kid growing up in public housing and playing the French horn in a middle school band that performed regularly at mayoral events.

“She was so proud of us and she said so, and she took the time to talk to us, express how amazing we were and to remind us that we were her band,” Breed said at a news conference the day after Feinstein’s death.

Mourners Wednesday expressed their pride in Feinstein.

“She kept moving on up. I was proud of her, very proud of her,” said Dorothy Hudson, 81, a retired federal government employee. “She was very kind, very smart. She opened doors up to let people know, ‘You can do it.’”

San Francisco native Cari Donovan placed a bouquet of red and pink lilies and daisies on the floor before the casket. She lingered, crying quietly over a woman she never knew but who was so important to her life.

“She championed and fought for the rights of so many people,” Donovan said. “I’m so grateful. And I really just wanted her family to know how much she meant to me.”

The social worker said she talked to her 28-year-old daughter about the battles Feinstein fought so that younger generations of women could dream bigger. “She was a lioness.”

While Feinstein’s career sent her to Washington, she remained deeply involved in the affairs of San Francisco, the city where she was born and raised. She often called her successors — including Gov. Gavin Newsom — to complain about potholes or trash and to offer advice and encouragement.

John Konstin Sr., owner of John’s Grill, a favorite downtown tourist destination and watering hole for city politicians, recalled Feinstein ordering potholes filled, trees trimmed and ugly scaffolding brought down before San Francisco hosted the 1984 Democratic convention.

“She asked, ‘How long has this scaffolding been up?’ And my dad said ‘Maybe 10 years,’ and the next day it came down,” said Konstin, 59. “It was half a block of scaffolding.”

The restaurant, which is celebrating its 115th anniversary Wednesday, honored Feinstein with flowers beneath a portrait of her that hangs on a wall.

Feinstein’s body will remained in City Hall through the evening and a memorial service is scheduled Thursday outside the building.

Speakers will include Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Feinstein’s granddaughter Eileen Mariano. President Joe Biden will deliver remarks by recorded video.

Among the first to say goodbye Wednesday were Jose Romero Cooper and Mark Cooper. The married couple waited in line before doors opened to the public.

“What I’m gonna say is: ‘Thank you for everything, for being strong,’” said Romero Cooper, 61, a scarf of the American flag draped around his neck.

He stood before the casket, genuflected and crossed himself, then walked away with tears streaming down his face.

___

This story has been corrected to show that Feinstein died Friday, not Thursday.

——

AP researcher Randy Herschaft in New York contributed to this report.

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News

By Marjorie Hernandez

August 17, 2023 | 5:43pm

Brazen bay-area burglars were filmed making a series of smash-and-grabs from a line of parked cars in broad daylight — with no sign of any police response.

Completely unbothered by bystanders, the Lexus-driving criminals went along the line of cars near San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Warf smashing windows and pillaging the contents before moving onto the next, as captured on video by a reporter from local TV station KTVU.

One of the vehicles targeted by the burglars even had a person sitting in the back, but he still snatched the victim’s bag before taking off.

“It’s called ‘bipping and boosting,’” San Francisco Police Lt.Tracy McCray told The Post, referring to the slang term for the smash and grab incidents which are plaguing the Bay Area.

“It really exploded during the pandemic so much so that someone told me that the sidewalks are glistening and sparkling [with glass from windows] where cars are broken into left and right.

Wild video from a user submitted to KTVU shows thieves breaking into car after car in San Francisco. The crime is called bipping and it is plaguing the city. via KTVU

The crime is called bipping and it is plaguing the city. via KTVU

“The infuriating part is the brazenness of it has gotten off the chain. They don’t even try to hide what they are doing anymore.”

Day-time vehicle break-ins have become so common in San Francisco neighborhoods such as the Alamo Square and Japantown that Supervisor Dean Preston called for a hearing to address the city’s bipping epidemic, according to the San Francisco Standard.

Preston, who has voted in the past against law enforcement-based policies, said San Francisco city officials have made “no progress” on the persistent break-ins.

“Residents continue to deal with broken car windows, stolen possessions, and shattered glass on the streets and sidewalks, while visitors are left with trauma, financial loss, and less-than-ideal memories of their visits,” Preston said in a statement.

The brazen thief peers through a car window to see what’s worth stealing via KTVU

The man then smashes another car window and grabs a backpack via KTVU

San Francisco had nearly 1,670 car break-ins in the past 30 days, according to the latest data tracked by the San Francisco Police Department. There has been nearly 10,000 thefts from vehicles in the city so far this year.

Tourist areas such as the North Beach Neighborhood, Japantown and Presidio are the San Francisco neighborhoods with the highest break-ins per 10,000 residents.

Signs can be seen throughout the city warning residents and tourists alike not to leave anything inside their cars, but that has not deterred criminals.

A car with broken window is seen in Alamo Square in San Francisco on August 9, 2023. Car break-ins have been at epidemic levels throughout the Bay Area. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Police take information from a tourist couple whose car was smashed and belongings were stolen in Alamo Square of San Francisco on Aug. 9, 2023. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

A safety alert sign that says ”Prevent Crime” is seen near the Palace of Fine Arts as car break-ins have been at epidemic levels in San Francisco.Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

McCray, who is the vice president of the SFPD union, said the break-ins have added to the crippling effect of the doom loop has had on the entire city, which has seen dozens of businesses shutter since 2021.

McCray said while there are undercover police who track the break-ins, there are still not enough resources because the department is also struggling to keep up with regular calls for service and incidents involving fentanyl and other drug overdoses.

There is also the risk of putting the public in danger should the brazen burglars speed through residential and tourist areas, she said.

A homeless man sleeps by the former location of Old Navy on Market Street in San Francisco on Aug. 16, 2023. Many retailers are citing homeless problems and other challenges of operating in Downtown San Francisco and contemplating whether to remain open.David G. McIntyre for NY Post

McCray added, “When we do make an arrest for a break-in, the problem is, they are released almost immediately on their own recognizance and they go right back out there and do it again. A lot of them even have ankle monitoring bracelets and they still don’t care. There’s that complete disregard because they know they will just get away with it.”

Ty Vinson, owner of Super Auto Glass, said business has been booming since the pandemic because of the surge of bipping incidents. He said residents, tourists, rental car companies and dealerships have been calling his business nonstop.

He said about 20% of glass replacements are windshields and the other 80% are other windows in the vehicle.

“We even have some customers call us two or three times a week,” Vinson said. “There’s people who have told us that they have our number on their speed dial.

Safety alert signs are seen near the Golden Gate Bridge as car break-ins continue to increase in San Francisco.Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

“It’s good for our business but it is very sad because we don’t like to see our communities like this. This shouldn’t be happening with this frequency.”

McCray said residents have been so frustrated by the thefts that they leave notes for would-be burglars.

“People are even leaving notes on their car saying, ‘Hey, I have nothing inside. Just don’t break my window.’ It’s really sad to think about that because you just want to come in and enjoy the city, but you have to worry about something like that happening.”

A homeless encampment is seen in Tenderloin District of San Francisco pictured on June 6, 2023.Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Vinson said he has grown frustrated by city leader’s inaction. While on a recent call to replace a customer’s broken-in window in San Francisco, he saw another smash and grab incident happen directly across the street.

“This doesn’t just happen in San Francisco, and unfortunately, it’s happening all across the Bay Area,” he said. “If they do get arrested, they are back on the street the next morning because they aren’t being held in jail.

“I feel like the residents and business owners, have become the cleanup crew. The city leaders and people in power have to understand that what they are doing is also creating a problem. You can’t just let people off because it lets them know it’s OK to continue to do these crimes.

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The next few weeks reportedly could be huge in the career of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance.

This has been a weird last 12 months for third-year QB Trey Lance. This time last year the 23-year-old was promoted into the starting signal-caller spot over incumbent Jimmy Garoppolo despite the team reaching the NFC Championship game months earlier with the veteran leading the offense.

Related: Love Fantasy Sports? Get Top FREE Insights From One Of The World’s Best Players Today!

However, Lance did not get much of a chance to prove he was the right man for the starting job after suffering a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2. Unfortunately for the young talent, he did not have the role waiting for him once he got healthy because 2022 rookie Brock Purdy took the NFL by storm late in the season in relief for Garoppolo when he incurred his own season-ending foot injury.

Now, the backup role is not guaranteed for Lance this season. While there is little doubt Purdy will be under center in Week 1, the first-round pick from 2021 is in a serious battle with New York Jets and Carolina Panthers veteran Sam Darnold for the QB2 position. A player head coach Kyle Shanahan has had nothing but praise for since joining the team.

San Francisco 49ers record (2022): 13-4, first place in NFC West

Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

On a Friday appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show,” NFL insider Albert Breer explained why if Trey Lance can’t win the backup quarterback role in the preseason, the San Francisco 49ers will definitely gauge his value on the trade market.

“I think it’s wide open. That’s my interpretation of it. I don’t think Trey’s necessarily the number two. Obviously, if he’s not the number two that opens up other questions. If someone is willing to give them a draft pick, do you do it? Do the ‘9ers, who like Trey as a person, want to afford him the opportunity to get a fresh start somewhere else with the acknowledgment that the opportunity might not be there for him? … Big decisions are made on quarterbacks in year three.”

– Albert Breer

It makes a lot of sense for the San Francisco 49ers — despite a wild situation of multiple injuries to their QBs last season — to ponder moving Lance because two somewhat pricey backups may not be the most effective way to use their salary cap space in 2023.

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Third-year San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance went from being unquestioned starter this time last year to competing for the QB2 job with veteran journeyman Sam Darnold.

It’s been a pretty big fall for the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. It appears that this has continued through the early portion of training camp. David Lombardi of The Athletic noted that Lance struggled on Friday, completing just 1-of-4 passes with two of his incompletions being seen as easy conversions.

In fact, Lance threw the least number of passes compared to Purdy (11) and Darnold (seven) on Friday. It’s the clearest indication yet this summer that he’s falling behind on the 49ers’ depth chart.

But Lance appears to be taking it all in stride after missing all but two games of his sophomore campaign to an ankle injury.

“Just taking it one day at a time,” Lance told reporters Friday when asked about his spot on the 49ers’ depth chart. “I’m very present-mind focused. Every rep, one rep at a time, one day at a time, one meeting at a time. Whatever it is, I truly believe everything works out exactly how it’s supposed to. So as long as I control what I can control, that’s all I can worry about.”

Since returning to practice on Thursday after suffering an elbow injury in the NFC Championship Game, sophomore quarterback Brock Purdy has taken all of the first-team reps.

Meanwhile, Lance and Darnold have been alternating second-team reps throughout the summer session. Some have even come to the conclusion that Darnold is the odds-on choice to be No. 2 behind Purdy.

For Lance’s part, he spent the offseason working with personal quarterback coach Jeff Christensen, who retooled his elongated throwing motion, among other things.

“The game has slowed down a lot,” Lance told reporters. “Just going to continue to get better, though. … It’s more my feet, honestly, than anything from the last couple of years. But, yeah, I don’t find myself liking to watch the mechanics side of the last couple of years’ reps. I feel like I’m in a much, much better place now, for sure.”

Related: Ranking all 32 NFL starting QBs

Trey Lance’s spot on the San Francisco 49ers’ roster is iffy

Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

Lance’s optimism aside, the first few days of 49ers training camp have just been a continuation of rumors about his status with San Francisco moving forward.

The 49ers are going to have to make a decision if Lance can’t beat Darnold out less than 2.5 years after they exhausted a huge draft haul to trade up for the young quarterback.

It must be noted that the North Dakota State product has thrown all of 102 passes in two NFL seasons. Dating back to the end of the 2019 season in college, that number stands at a mere 132 passes. Heck, he’s thrown 420 passes since high school.

Trey Lance NFL stats: 54.9% completion, 797 yards, 6 total TD, 3 INT, 84.5 QB rating

The larger question here is whether San Francisco can get anything of substance for Lance should the team decide to move off him. Back in the spring, 49ers general manager John Lynch indicated that there wasn’t much interest from other teams.

Regardless of Lance’s positive attitude, continued struggles moving forward in training camp and the preseason will be telling as the regular season approaches.

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