NEMS Moves To Purchase North Beach Building Sought By Beat Museum

NEMS Moves To Purchase North Beach Building Sought By Beat MuseumPhoto: Nathan Falstreau/Hoodline
Nathan Falstreau
Published on August 22, 2016

Last month, Jerry Cimino, founder of North Beach's Beat Museumlaunched a fundraising campaign to purchase the former Citibank building at 580 Green St., allowing the museum to not only expand, but add a cafe and a Beat-themed boutique hotel as well.

But those dreams may be squashed, as nonprofit community health center North East Medical Services (NEMS), which largely works with low-income Asian patients, has already put down some cash to purchase the building and open a facility offering radiology services instead. 

Johnson Wong, CFO at NEMS, told us that they are expecting to close escrow on the Citibank building toward the end of this year. While current plans call for a new radiology center, NEMS will reach out to the neighborhood to see which services are most desired before moving forward. 

The Beat Museum's Cimino told us that he was aware that there may be other potential buyers, but that he plans to continue the fundraising campaign. "Despite any interest by other parties, we're continuing to move forward in our desire to purchase the building. We believe our plan of securing a new and permanent home for The Beat Museum is important to preserving the legacy of the Beats in San Francisco."

A rendering of the proposed Beat Museum at 580 Green St. | Rendering: Michael Palumbo

Even if NEMS secures the building, it may face some obstacles to setting up shop. Kathleen Dooley, a member of the San Francisco Small Business Commission and the North Beach Business Association, told us that the medical group may not be permitted to operate at 580 Green St., due to North Beach Neighborhood Commercial District (NBNCD) regulations. 

Planning Department representative Gina Simi couldn't say whether or not NEMS would be in violation, as no formal application has been presented to the city. Whether or not the medical group will be permitted to operate depends on what types of services will be provided. 

While she couldn't confirm an exact use without a formal application, Simi said that NEMS' proposal would likely fall under one of two categories: "hospital or medical center," which is not permitted in the NBNCD, or "medical service," which is permitted, pending the approval of a conditional use authorization.  

Under SF Planning Code, a hospital or medical center is defined as "a public or private institutional use, which provides medical facilities for inpatient or outpatient medical care, medical offices, clinics, and laboratories." Medical service is defined as "a retail use which provides medical and allied health services to the individual by physicians, surgeons, dentists, podiatrists, psychologists, psychiatrists, acupuncturists, chiropractors, or any other health-care professionals."

Simi also noted that regardless of which business moves into the space, NBNCD regulations require that any change of use in a space larger than 3,000 square feet must go through the conditional use authorization process. Given its size, 580 Green St. would fall under that regulation. 

Wong told us that he expects the process of procuring the building to be slow, and he doesn't foresee NEMS opening up any new facilities until late 2018.

As for the Beat Museum? "If some other organization were to buy it before we're able to tender an offer, we will continue to press forward in our effort and hopefully find another suitable location in North Beach," Cimino told us. 

We'll keep you posted as we learn more.