Sup. Dufty Convenes Library/History Center Meeting
Next Saturday, December 11, Members of the community are invited to a meeting to discuss a plan for a new Castro District public library and Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Historical Society & Museum. This idea is still in the conceptual stage, but if built it would replace the existing Eureka Valley/Harvey Milk Branch Library on 16th Street between Noe and Sanchez Streets. The new building would be two level, with the library on the ground level and permanent home for the GLBT Historical Society & Museum above.
The concept has the potential to fulfill several of CAPA’s stated goals, including creating more cultural facilities for the GLBT community, and the siting of such facilities on or near Market Street to support nearby businesses and make best use of transit and pedestrian routes. The design of any new structure there should be appropriate to its use and significance, but should also minimize any negative impacts on the adjacent residential areas.
Your input on these issues is important, so please plan on attending the community meeting on Saturday. And please come to the CAPA meeting on Thursday to discuss how CAPA should approach the project.
2004: CAPA’s Year in Review
The past year has been an interesting one for CAPA. We continue to play a role in many of the issues related to development in both the Castro district and the Central City Neighborhoods in San Francisco. Our influence is due in large part to the ongoing dedication of several individuals who represent CAPA’s goals in various local issues.
Earlier this year, CAPA members were involved in Supervisor Dufty’s traffic calming workshops. In the short term, many modifications to the signaling, signs and crossings are being implemented, but CAPA should continue to work with Supervisor Dufty to draft and implement a more comprehensive pedestrian safety plan.
CAPA’s position on the proposed Market St. Trader Joe’s store helped to shape the debate about the project and the opinion of many others in the neighborhood. CAPA’s opposition to the project’s multi-level parking garage, lack of other uses on the site, and chain store tenancy received a lot of press, including the Chronicle, the Guardian, and the Bay Times. Now we need to prepare to respond to a developer-sponsored traffic study which is expected to be released this month, although the results are not known.
Through our members’ involvement with many area initiatives,
CAPA remains an active force. Larry Maxwell represents us on the Safeway
Perimeter Stewardship project, and Michael Mullin serves as a liaison to the
Neighborhood Network. Through our membership in the Housing Action Coalition,
we have been active in the campaign for affordable housing funding, which
unfortunately lost by a narrow margin (although won 65% of the vote).
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE GENERAL MEETING
Thursday, November 11, 2004
Transportation Public Workshop to be held Nov. 17 by the SF Transportation Authority to gather public input for Five-Year Prioritization Programs for revenues from a 2003 Proposition K. This is an opportunity for CAPA members to speak for our pedestrian and transit priorities. The Authority may have some funds for neighborhood planning.
Trader Joe's proposed store at !5th and Sanchez Streets. We are waiting to do anything more until their traffic study is complete, now expected in December.
City Car Share now has a third pod in the Castro area: The others are behind Walgreen's and at Davies Hospital. Mayor Newsom doesn't have a car, he uses City Car Share.
Eureka Valley-Harvey Milk Library. It will be renovated and enlarged, with space for the GLBT Historical Society and International Museum of GLBT History, now downtown on Mission St. This will give the Castro more presence as a gay cultural center.
Castro MUNI Station and BART Seismic Bond Funds. BART owns the station and the tunnel leading to it. Joe Curtin will find out how the planned reconstruction might affect CAPA's goals to expand Harvey Milk Plaza and improve access to the station.
Friends of 1800 Market. They were to get $150,000 for their historical/cultural survey of the Castro, but the money is now uncertain. Judy Hoyem asked CAPA for help in lobbying to keep the funding. She discussed the UC Berkeley Extension property and the plans to tear down two or three buildings, including a gymnasium, that she argued are worth saving.
Coloring the LGBT Center. Tom Taylor explained his plans to put a gay flag on the Center and to drape the building with rainbow colors. The building will be prominent in the line of sight for motorists exiting the freeway at Octavia Blvd.
CAPA and Supervisor Dufty.
We should arrange a meeting with him to explain and advocate our
ideas.
AGENDA FOR THE GENERAL MEETING
Thursday,
December 9, 2004, 7:30 p.m.
1. Call to Order/Introductions 7:30 p.m.
2. Approval of Agenda and previous meeting’s Minutes
3. Library/GLBT History Center Proposal
4. Updates on: Trader Joe’s, Traffic Calming
5. Strategy for 2005 -organizational planning retreat
6. Nominations for officers – president, vice president, secretary.
7. Finance Report and Membership Update
8. New Business
9. Adjournment 9:00 p.m.
584 Castro Street,
PMB 169
San Francisco, CA
94114-2588
PRESIDENT
Joseph Curtin
VICE-PRESIDENT Aaron Starr
SECRETARY
Steven Hall
BOARD
OF DIRECTORS Lawrence Maxwell
Michael Mullin
James Morse
CAPA GENERAL MEETING
Thurs.,
December 9, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Castro Meeting
Room, 501 Castro Street at 18th.
Second Floor,
above the Bank of America
See the full
agenda inside
EUREKA VALLEY
LIBRARY/GLBT HSITORY CENTER COMMUNITY MEETING
Saturday,
December 11, 2004
