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The holidays are just around the corner, but happenings in the neighborhood aren't slowing down yet. Here are the top highlights this week:
After a contentious and quite convoluted seven-hour discussion, the Board of Supervisors approved the long-debated 5M Project — a win for Forest City, middle-class residents and the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation. On the flip side, Friends of Boeddeker Park argues that the future high-rises will come at a cost to Boeddeker Park — especially its community garden and future orchard, which will receive new shadows from the towers from 7-8am in the fall and winter.
The SF Business Times spotted a new set of development plans for the Tenderloin this week. Dolmen Property Group has proposed constructing 51 "studio/efficiency units" on top of the vacant auto shop at 135 Hyde St. The building would be 80 feet tall and include a private rooftop, public open space and 2,000 square feet of ground-floor retail.
With established players and new venues just starting up, the Tenderloin's theater district is thriving. This week we checked in with PianoFight to hear the ups and downs of their first year, and visited with Exit Theater to learn more about its 32 years and five venues in the Tenderloin.
Come December, a new visual arts gallery will be joining the neighborhood as well, and its first exhibition will exclusively feature "hidden gems" living and working in the Tenderloin.
Something else to look forward to next month, besides the general merriment that comes with more time off work: the electronic record store on Larkin, RS94109, is planning its return. The fully renovated space will include a coffee bar, listening stations and a custom DJ booth, giving the owners the chance to turn the shop into a regular hang-out for the Bay Area's underground music scene.
Looking forward to next year, an expansion of the city's Pit Stop public restroom program is highly likely. Just like the initial roll-out, the city is taking a data-driven approach to expanding the program citywide, and the numbers point to expanding the restrooms' hours past 9pm.
Finally, for those following the hotel murder trial: Lisa Heng, the 30-year-old single mother suspected of stabbing her lover to death in a Tenderloin hotel last year, has been acquitted. According to the Examiner's latest report, a former girlfriend of 42-year-old Matt Sheahan, took the stand and shared details of a similar violent interaction with Sheahan while they were dating, supporting claims that Heng acted in self-defense.
Now that the serious stuff is out of the way, here's a few different ways to enjoy yourself this weekend:
