July 2007 - The Potrero View

2 THE POTRERO VIEW JULY 2007
Publisher’s View
Gateway to Potrero
When I first moved to the Hill
almost a decade ago it bothered
me that to travel to or from the
neighborhood I had to go over
a freeway, under a freeway, or
past unpleasant looking industrial
detritus. Of course this islanding
effect helped give the community its
tight-knit character. There were few
reasons for most San Franciscans to
visit our neighborhood, and plenty of
visual cues that might dissuade folks
from doing so, leaving residents to
themselves.
The Hill’s isolation began to
change with the arrival of the
Maktub Group, otherwise known
as the owners of Chez Papa, Chez
Maman, Baraka, and Couleur, who
made our little corner of paradise a
destination for foodies. The rising
tide of integration with the rest of the
City is accelerating, with Dogpatch
becoming gourmet alley for restaurant
start-ups and expansions, and the
northern slope being populated by
high-end retailers, bakeries, chain
coffee shops, and, starting this
summer, Whole Foods.
Still, accessing the neighborhood
remains a mostly depressing affair.
There’s no public marker that
residents or visitors are entering, or
exiting, a quite special place that’s
distinct from the eastern South-of-
Market sprawl or Potrero Avenue
speedway. We should fix that.
As a start let’s turn the rather
barren Kansas Street Circle in
By Steven J. Moss
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Showplace Square into a beautiful
gateway to Potrero Hill. A fountain,
like the charming one located in
Berkeley’s Marin Circle; native
vegetation, and benches would be a
more suitable visual cue that would
also better serve nearby workers and
residents than the current desultory
statue surrounded by what amounts
to a doggy litter box. An attractive
public space might also foster civic
pride and spur the nearby merchants
into doing their part to create a lively
and eye-catching public center. It is,
after all, a fundamentally lovely little
circle, bounded by mostly attractive
buildings. But, like much of the Hill’s
public space, it’s been neglected.
Potrero Hill has historically
prided itself on its gritty, working
class, industrial-age character. We
should do what we can to retain
the elements of this community
personality that still suit us. But
it’s time for investments in public
space to catch-up with our million
dollar real estate market and the
energetic investments in commercial
buildings.
The View is prepared to do its part
to help beautify the Kansas Street
Circle, and invites readers who share
this vision to contact us at: editor@
potreroview.net. This generation’s
dedication to its community will be
inscribed in the parks, schools, and
public spaces we leave behind to
those who follow.
Letters to the Editor
Healthy Helipad
I was disappointed by the
article about San Francisco General
Hospital’s (SFGH) proposed helipad
that appeared in the View’s May
issue. The piece mostly showcased
the views of project opponents, and
you didn’t investigate or attempt to
verify any of the claims they made.
One opponent questioned the need for
the helipad; nowhere in your article
did you attempt to determine if there
was a need. Another opponent said
the noise would make nearby homes
“unlivable;” you didn’t investigate
how noise levels have impacted
neighbors at other urban helipads.
By simply giving a soapbox to
opponents, you did the issue and our
neighborhood a disservice.
I’m not associated with this
project or SFGH in any way, but
issues of public health are important
to me and my family. For example,
the only pediatric trauma center is
in Oakland. If my son were to need
such a center, the only possibility
of transport is via ambulance over
the bridge. Obviously helicopter
transport would be better. It’s
meaningless to say, as the opponents
did in your article, that the helipad
should be opposed if it benefits people
outside our neighborhood. The
Bay Area faces collective dangers,
including earthquakes and terrorism,
for which SFGH’s trauma center
provides regional services.
One of the opponents you quote
said that the hospital hasn’t given
a good reason for the helipad. You
should have checked the link that you
supply with your article; it provides
just such a reason:
In a November 2001 Report on the
SFGH Trauma Center, the American
College of Surgeons stated,
“The lack of a helipad and
helicopter service is a major
deficiency in providing optimal
trauma care for San Francisco
General Hospital and San
Francisco. It is difficult to
understand why a city the size
Masthead design by Giacomo Patri
PUBLISHER EMERITUS: Ruth Passen
EDITOR and PUBLISHER: Steven J. Moss
JULY STAFF:
of San Francisco does not have
any medical air transport. The
congested roads and bridges
with the surrounding water make
helicopter service an essential
medical support service.”
There’s an excellent summary
of issues and opinions posted on the
Potrero Hill Neighborhood blog.
This exchange includes the views of
people who have lived near urban
helipads, a helicopter pilot, and
someone whose life was saved by
such a service. It’s far more balanced,
substantive, and informative than
what you’ve provided. I think any
neighbor who’s interested in this
issue should check-out this link:
http://www.potrerohillsf.com/
forums/viewforum.php?f=6.
Megan Adams
Potrero Hill Resident
Migden Editorial
As a 30 year+ Hill resident, I
appreciate the changes you’ve made to
the View. However, the June edition
contained an article -- “Editorial - A
Leader Worth Supporting” -- which
is a blatant political advertisement.
It’s not in your words, it’s pointedly
written by Carole Migden herself:
“As your State Senator, I have...”
If you wish to support her
candidacy, then write an actual
editorial yourself. If she wishes
to advertise, charge her for it
and properly label it--don’t be
disingenuous.
Ron Miguel
De Haro Street
Both Assemblyman Leno (April
issue) and Senator Migden were
provided with an opportunity to
publish their unsolicited editorials;
it seemed like the fair thing to do.
The View has not endorsed either
candidate. Editor.
Angelina Acevedo, Paula Eve Aspin, Virginia Donohue, Debbie Findling, Kerry Fleisher,
Lonnie Ford, Melissa Glorieaux, Harry J. Johnson, Abigail Johnston, David Matsuda,
Sara Moss, Lisa Tehrani
Editorial and policy decisions are made by the staff.
All staff positions are voluntary.
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Address all correspondence to THE POTRERO VIEW
2325 Third Street Suite 344, San Francisco, CA 94107
Telephone: 415.626.8723
E-mail: editor@potreroview.net • office@potreroview.net (advertising)
Copyright 2007 by The Potrero View. All rights reserved.
Any reproduction without written permission from the publishers is prohibited.
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