RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AT THE PRESIDIO

The very modern contemporary art museum proposed for the Presidio of San Francisco National Historic Landmark District viewed from in front of an 1890's barracks at the intersection of Sheridan and Montgomery Streets looking toward the 1776 "El Presidio." (Officers Club.) Is this the right building at the right place in a national historic landmark?


Despite official words of welcome for the 100,000 square foot art museum by Presidio Trust officials and the Mayor, and the premature praise of some newspapers, it is becoming clear that the proposal for an out of place, oversized, inappropriately designed art museum on the Presidio is not going to be a "slam dunk." The National Historic Preservation Act calls for a formal consultation process that includes representation from the Park Service, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the State Historic Preservation Officer and the Presidio Historical Association. The first meeting of this group recognized many difficulties with the art museum proposal as it stands now and with the hurried process that an environmental review is scheduled to take. The protected status of the Presidio as  one of fewer than 2,500 National Historic Landmark Districts in the nation brings close scrutiny when a proposed action, such as the art museum, would have severe adverse effects on the national landmark. We also are encouraged by public opposition to this project that has been expressed in letters to the Trust and by e-mails to the newspapers that have reported on the art museum. The weight of public opinion is leading to an atmosphere in which - just perhaps- reason will prevail and a redesigned art museum would be located elsewhere on the Presidio, while a suitably designed history center might be established somewhere near Main Post. That would be a win-win situation for everyone, including the public that a national park is meant to serve and the values the park represents.

Public Letters on the Presidio's Future

The comment period closes today for letters or e-mails to the Presidio Trust concerning several proposed projects on the historic Main Post. These letters are for the public to tell the Trust what must be studied in a proposed Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. This SEIS is supposed to make it possible to build an 80,000 square foot hotel and a 100,000 square foot contemporary art museum within 200 yards of each other, the flagpole, and the 1776 El Presidio (Officers Club).

The letters range from the highly detailed and technical submission by the Presidio Historical Association to individual angry comments against any construction at all.

Thank you, Everyone, who sent in e-mails and letters. We have not seen them, unless you sent them to us. Within a day, we will post some on this blog and invite you to post yours as comments. Also, ask questions that you think all would like to have answered, and we will do our best to answer them.

Watch this space for some sample letters and e-mails.

FIRESTORM OF PUBLIC OUTRAGE

Over at the San Francisco Chronicle blog, SFgate, look for the comments on John King's article yesterday. 210 posts last time that I looked. Most see a big airport looking building as out of place in the historical park district, but would like to see it elsewhere in the Presidio.

The organization proposing a more fitting history center is at www.presidioassociation.org.

Take a look there at an alternative to the mega museum in that location..

Monstrous Art Museum in a National Historic Landmark and National Park???

The image of the proposed Contemporary Art Museum of the Presidio was revealed in a well orchestrated demonstration of Establishment support at a meeting on December 3. We will post those images here or on as soon as we get them. In short, the 100,000 square foot structure would overwhelm the site. It would have three to four times the size of any nearby building. It would change the identity of the Presidio from a National Historic Landmark into an office park of old buildings where that big art museum is. The 220 years of history would be overwhelmed in visitors' perceptions.

The Presidio Association responded with a proposal for a history center half the size, with much less bulk, sensitive to the surroundings and environmentally advanced. It would have an inviting open layout and the latest exhibition design, all to present four themes: Completion of America's Westward Expansion, America on the Pacific Rim. Changing Peoples and Cultures, and From Here to Where.

In the tightly controlled meeting, assertions were made with much enthusiasm how a contemporary art museum would "revitalize" the old Presidio and bring the public to it, thereby making it a great national park. Somehow the logic escaped me that a museum that had nothing to do with the values of a National Park could make a great park. The Historical Association presented the case for a modern, well thought out and appropriate history center that could accomplish "revitalizing" the Presidio as a park better. This assertion was simply not acknowledged. We cited the British Columbia Museum in Victoria which draws over 1,000,000 visitors a year. The chief tourist attraction in San Francisco is not MOMA; it is Fisherman's Wharf, with 12 million visitors a year. Alcatraz alone attracts 1.4 million and many more turned away. There is no question that the issue of attracting crowds is wrongly put: the first issue is what is the carrying capacity of the Presidio to handle large numbers of visitors. After all, the Disney Museum claims to bring in 400,000 a year (highly unlikely, in my judgment, but what do I know?) How many succesful mueums can the Presidio have before it is unable to receive any more the visitor?

The crowd last night was packed with speakers brought in by the art museum sponsors, from Mayor Newsome and two MOMA directors, through many art dealers and board members with Mr. Fisher at MOMA, to several architects who sang the praises of this completely overscaled, inappropriate museum proposal that showed no sensitivity to the site.

This begins a long process of hearings and regulatory processes. The art museum proposal obviously has very major adverse effects on the integrity of a national historic landmark district. That fact triggers a lot of regulatory standards and guidelines. Unfortunately, the way the Presidio Trust Law is written, it manages a national park, but does not report to the Park Service, that has the responsibility for preserving national landmarks. Instead, it reports directly to a congressional subcommittee.

In this regulatory morass, THE PUBLIC MUST BE HEARD again and again.

More later. NEXT STEP: get in your letter dealing with the scope of what you want studied on Main Post of the Historic Presidio.
Your ideas on the fast schedule of this process, scope, and alternatives to present in the E.I.S. are important.

Critical Meeting Monday, Dec 3, 6:30 p.m., Officers Club

Okay, folks, you have been great. 27 spoke at the November 28 meeting. NO ONE spoke against, and many spoke for, a history museum on the Main Parade grounds of the Presidio.

Now, we are on the home stretch: yet another meeting is on Monday to learn about, compare, and get your comments of the merits or problems of a contemporary art museum and/or a history center proposed for the Parade Ground - where the nonhistoric bowling alley is now. You will make up your own mind, but think of which proposal fits the site best and will be less intrusive into the historic landscape. Consider which offers the greatest public benefit to the broadest cross-section of park visitors. Ask yourself which best fills the purposes of a unique National Historic Landmark District, a fully paid for contemporary art museum, or the History Center at the Golden Gate that will take years to negotiate and find the necessary donors.

Whatever your decision, it should not be based on financial gain for the Presidio Trust. This particular location is too central to the historic district for mere commercial exploitation. A large insitution at the proposed site will dramatically affect the "integrity" of the entire historic heart of the Presidio. A decison based on financial expediency now cannot be undone. This choice will shape the Presidio's identity as a national park forever.

I think that there are other, more suitable and better sites for a large contemporary art museum on the Presidio.

Your grumbling, your concerns, will make no difference unless you show up and speak. A well financed and influential personal project can overwhelm a silent public. The only remaining chance to input will be a letter to the Presidio Trust by December 15.

See you there Monday evening!

Public Meeting November 28: Your Ideas Count

The public has a chance to influence the future of the historic Presidio of San Francisco. Be at the Officers Club on Main Post near the flagpole at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, November 28. Come with your ideas on what you would like to see happen on Main Post: what alternatives do you want the Presidio Trust to Study? What has not worked out in the old plans for Main Post? How do we make the central area of the Presidio National Historic Landmark District into a great National Park for all the people?

NEWS! History Center Proposed for Presidio

Take a look at the vision for a "History Center at the Golden Gate" on the website of the Presidio Historical Association, presidioassociation.org.

You remember that a contemporary art museum is planned by a wealthy art collector for the heart of the Presidio's historic Main Post? Lots of questions from the public about that, but the art museum comes with all the money and political clout needed to make it happen. Now, a group of people who have supported history at the Presidio ever since they opened Fort Point to the public over 50 years ago have stepped forward with a museum proposal for the Presidio's Main Post that makes a lot of sense. It sure looks good for the ordinary public who national parks are meant for. The big rub? These Presidio fans have no money. It will take the Presidio Trust, the Park Service, and wealthy donors to make this vision for an American History museum at the Presidio into a reality.

At the least, this proposal for a public history presentation on the 230 year old Presidio seems more fitting that an art museum or Disney Family Museum. But money talks, and money builds museums - even in a National Park.

You can make your feelings know about this idea of a history museum in the location planned for a contemporary art museum by a letter to Museum Scoping, Compliance Officer, Presidio Trust, PO Box 29052, San Francisco, CA 94129 or e-mail PresidioMuseum@presidiotrust.gov.