Lucky 13 Could Be Replaced By New Condo Development

Lucky 13 Could Be Replaced By New Condo DevelopmentRose Garrett/Hoodline
Sari Staver
Published on March 11, 2015

Patrons of local dive bar Lucky 13 may soon be out of luck themselves.

The bright red one-story building at 2140 Market Street may soon be razed, according to preliminary plans filed with the San Francisco Planning Department. 

The plans, which are tentative in nature and could change during the ensuing application and review processes, call for the construction of a 5-story building, which would include 31 residences and 1,200 square feet of ground floor commercial space.

The building and its adjacent patio and parking lot would be demolished, under the plans.

At press time, little additional information was available. The manager of Lucky 13, Martin Kraenkel, could not be reached. A bartender who answered the phone at Lucky 13, who declined to give his name, said that the news of the proposal “was the first thing” he had heard of such plans.

The plans will be subject to a lengthy review, including a review by the Department’s Historic Preservation staff. A similar proposal to demolish the building was abandoned in 2002, reportedly because the building, constructed in 1906, was a historic resource. For more history, be sure to check out the SF Gay History entry.

According to the planning document, the property owner is Frank Cafferkey. The plans were filed by Werner Schmalz of Forum Design (who is also working on the Alouis condo replacement).

We will keep you posted as further information becomes available.

Update: Kraenkel has responded on his Facebook page (via Dan Jackson):

Hey everybody! Thank you very much regarding your concerns for the LUCKY 13! The possibility of the replacement of the bar with condos has been hanging over our heads since 2002. The building is actually a historical landmark and that makes it a little more difficult to demolish.

At this point, plans are submitted and in the very, very early stages of any kind of decision or action. In the short term we are not going anywhere! Again, thank you so much for all your concerns and outpouring support. It means a lot to everybody at the Lucky 13. Keep your fingers crossed….

Thanks to DP and Nathan D for the tips.