Seen looking East from Grant and Sacto…

Our favorite even-toed ungulate mammal is at it again, this time in the Chinatown sector.

Pictured below, Digital Prepress International on Mariposa St in the Potrero Sector….

Jeez. Twice in as many days?

Another worker was killed in another industrial accident, both in the southeast section of The City. On Tuesday just before lunch, a 26-year old Oakland woman was pronounced dead after being pulled into (?!?) and mangled by a large offset printing machine.

Read more here and here and here and here and here.

Pictured below, the abandoned PG&E plant at the end of Evans St in The Bayview sector….

See that metal structure on the far left? Well…on early Monday afternoon its rusty steel bones gave way during a demolition project, collapsing on 3 workers. When the dust finally settled: 1 was dead and 2 severely injured. Eeek.

“It looked like one of those movies where some building implodes, like an old hotel or something,” a witness said. “It made this big, crunching, groaning noise, and then all of a sudden it just started falling. There was a big crash, then dust everywhere and workmen running all over the place.”

Read more here and here and here and here and here and here and here.

Plugged: SF Weekly and The Examiner each scooped one of our stories from last week.

Seen in The Mish-Potrero sector.

Our friends at SFist raised an important quandary the other day: Whats up with the “JESUS CHRIST LOVES YOU” sign dude near the Powell BART station??

So, we sent out our street team to investigate and here is what we found out:

• Name: Jose Rodriguez
• Age: 43
• Residence: SOMA
• Number of signs: 4
• Versions of signs: 1
• Length of protest: 8 years
• Purpose of campaign: “I dont believe in going to church or reading the Bible. I cant explain why not. All I do is convey this message,” Jose says, pointing to his sign. “If a few people read and understand this message, that is enough.”

When I asked this Market St maverick his thoughts on me calling him “Jose de Jesus,” he stated simply: “This is fine with me.”

A brief and confusing history of the historic Transbay Terminal….

The Transbay Terminal opened its doors to commuters in 1939 at the corner of 1st & Mission. Designed by German architect Timothy Pflueger, the transit center became the West Bay entry point for trains traveling daily to-and-fro the East Bay via the then just 3-year old Bay Bridge. In 1958 the train tracks were removed from The Bridge, making the terminal a bus-only facility.

In 1972 state transportation planners recommended demo-cide on the terminal, with visions of a new facility and 1 really tall tower. Four decades of political back-and-forth begins: NOW.

The MTA voted in 1988 to bring a CalTrain station into downtown SF — integrating it into the Transbay Terminal. However, in 1992 ex-Mayor Frank Jordan decided “to hell with it” to close the terminal altogether, and replace it with a smaller facility in a nearby empty lot.

Over the years, the ailing terminal had become a “Hard Knock Hotel” for down-and-outers, dope fiends and lunatics. In 1993 the decision was made to lock up the hub at night and keep 300+ transient folks from sleeping on the old wooden benches inside. A mass exodus of homeless to Mid-Market and GG Park ensued.

In 1999 the voters took control and passed Prop H, which required keeping the terminal at its current location — with CalTrain operating its service out of the basement level.

In 2001, The TJPA was birthed to provide the hand-holding and guidance needed in the building of SFs answer to Grand Central Station. The committee included members of the mayor’s office, district supes, and representatives from AC-Transit and MUNI.

Finally, in 2005 a plan was approved for the current site and surrounding blocks: erecting a world-class transit terminal and 13+ skyscrapers on several empty lots that were once covered by off-ramps left over from the 1989 earthquake’s destruction of The EMB Freeway.

In January of 2007, 5 teams of developers and architects entered a design-off to fix-n-flip the aging terminal. The rules for the competition required that entries include at least one gigantic super-tower that will “become an iconic presence and redefine The City’s skyline.”

After an intense battle, one firm stood victorious: The Pelli Clarke Pelli Architectural group. The winning design is slated to be completed sometime around 2020. Stay tuned….

Flickr set here.
YouTube footage here.

Generally, we prefer to remain anonymous here at WHAT IM SEEING — and for no good reason, really — we just do. That said, our love affair with The City has over time spilled off the pages of this blog onto the walls of our small, overpriced Potrero Hill apartment.

So….let us show you what we are seeing, when not lurking the streets looking for content to convert into a subprime post….

The Late-Great Herb Caen reigns supreme on our bookshelf

Signed copy of “Dont Call it Frisco”

Custom Frank Chu print on wall #1

Illustration by Benbrook Design (c.1980) on wall #2

Puzzle by Archar, Inc. (c.1982) on wall #3

The The 51st State scooped one of our stories today and gave us front and center….

CBS-5 got on the bandwagon, too….

FYI: The taking of pictures is frowned upon at The SF MOMA….

“Mister, can you please put that camera away? Thank-you.”

“Excuse me, Sir! Taking pictures is strictly prohibited!!”

“Hi. There is no camera use allowed, except in the lobby, sorry.”

“If I see you take another picture, Im going to confiscate your camera!!”

“Hey, young man — Im gonna have to ask you to turn off your camera.”

Seen (or scene) at Illinois and 23rd.

Foto by Plug2

Clickity-Clack here.

Set your flux capacitors folks, and get ready to take a look into the future….

“8 teams in each city will have just one week to envision what their city might look like in 100 years, before presenting their 3-D model to a panel of five esteemed judges.” - The History Channel

This past Sunday, The Great-8 of SF design firms battled it out in The Ferry Building — with their creative eyes focused on a $10k prize. Each team had just 3 hours to build their 7×7 visions of the future, and only 15 minutes to tell their story to the judges. In the end, the winner was a team of 2: IwamotoScott Architecture.

The dynamic duo — based in The Mission — consists of Professors Lisa Iwamoto (UC Berkeley) and Craig Scott (CCAC). Their work centers on strong environmental and site relationships, along with original uses of materials — raw and syntheitc.

All 8 models are were displayed on the 2nd floor of The Ferry Building. Similar contests are being held in Atlanta and Washington DC.

Flickr set here.
SF Gate coverage here.

Seen in The Mish-Potrero sector.

Cozy studio has unobstructed waterfront views. Living space includes a large, great-room for entertaining and dining, which also serves as the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. Immaculately kept, modern-bohemian, currently owner occupied. Recently added spacious front deck, perfect for summer BBQs. Easy access to 101 & 280. Walking distance to T-Third MUNI Metro line.

Address is 566 A Pennsylvania St near Army. If interested, pls stop by and ask for Matt Foley.

PAEDAY rocks a mystery spot on The EMB.

SENY rocks a beat up MUNI at the scrap yard near The Cathedral.

Seen (or scene) from the outside-looking-in at Pier 36.

Seen (or scene) from the inside-looking-out at Pier 36.

Part 3 of a 3 part series taking a look at Pier 36….

Leftovers from our exploration of the doomed and unexplainable Pier 36….

Flickr set here.

Part 2 of a 3 part series taking a look at Pier 36….

Here at WHAT IM SEEING, we strive to bring you the story behind the story.

In the case of Pier 36, however — we are baffled. We have unraveled its almost certain future, but cant dig up much of anything on its past.

Less than credible sources have indicated the following might have went down inside these walls:

• A shipping repair company once operated here
• Union leader Harry Bridges played poker here
• SFPD held protesters protesting the Iraq War here

If any 1 of our 8 loyal readers wishes to enlighten us on the history of this building, pls feel free to drop your knowledge off in the comments section. Along with the other 7 loyal readers, we would certainly appreciate it.

Flickr set here.

Part 1 of a 3 part series taking a look at Pier 36….

Last week, Curbed SF tipped us off to the leveling, greening and beautification-ing planned for our favorite condemned South Beach abandonment — Pier 36.

It seems that the fate of this oldie-but-goodie is now in the hands of the people. On February 5th, the future will rear its ugly head via the vote count of Proposition A.

So we decided it was our civic duty to hop the fence, pry open the roller door, and take a look around — to capture the history of this sleeping beauty before it becomes a distant memory.

Flickr set here.

Seen climbing Carolina Street at 22nd.

“I wish that everything in SF worked as well as Beach Blanket Babylon. For 21 years, day in and night out, Steve Silver produced a steady stream of fun, games and general hilarity, and his imagination showed no signs of running dry.

Long may he be remembered as the master of the revels he created for so many.

BBB and BBB, a combination made for each other: Beach Blanket Babylon and Baghdad-by-The-Bay, where the promise of laughter is kept with enthusiasm and integrity in the Green Street wonderland of Steve.” — Herb Caen, 1995

Beach Blanket Babylon debuted in 1974 and was originally to run for 6 weeks. That was 37 years ago, making it the longest running musical revue in history.

Video sample here.
Official site and tickets here.

Seen (or scene) last nite at City Hall.

Can any 1 of our 8 loyal readers shed some light onto the purple-ish hue of a glow coming from atop Room 200??

Ive fired off an email to the property manager, stay tuned for his anticipated response.

UPDATE: Reader Doug comments that it is actually a pink-ish hue beaming from our City Center — “to expose disparities in breast cancer detection and treatment.”

Press release here.

MUNI on Lower Market

“Theorizing that one could time travel within his own lifetime, Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished….”

Or something like that.

CalTrain at 16th and 7th

Or 88 days….or 12 1/2 weeks….or 2,112 hours….or 126,720 minutes….or 7,603,200 seconds….until they turn the lights back on and play ball at Ye Olde Ball Park, that is.

But whos counting?

Our friends over at NorCal Aviator recently got a hold of a camcorder and a pilots license. And theyve been shooting video and renting airplanes like its going out of style.

Turn up the volume, sit back, and enjoy the ride(s).

JAUT wishes you a belated Happy New Year, but more importantly — he cares.

In 1956, citizens of The East Bay voted to establish the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit district. Public funding allowed AC Transit to acquire the dysfunctional and bankrupt Key System from the California PUC in 1960.

By 1974, the AC Transit service area stretched from the Contra Costa County cities of San Pablo and Richmond to the Alameda County cities of Fremont and Newark as well as limited service from San Francisco. The entire AC Transit grid is considered to be a single district.

Pictured above is a privately owned GM New Look 974 Model aka “The Fishbowl Bus”.

Yesterday some d’bags on 280 started hitting the far right lane in hopes of getting 8-foot high breakers to splish-splash over the guard rail down onto 16th Street. It was like “whatevs” until a Yellow Cab got blinded by the light mist, lost control, and slide-showed into the barrier. The slip n’ slide seemed to have put the cabbie in quite the pickle.

I can only imagine what was running thru his mind….

“WTF?!?”

“My cousin is gonna lose his medallion and be pissed. Peace out.”

“Hey dude, you cant just leave! Call your dispatch and get The Cops out here!!”

25 minutes later….

Poncherello goes toe-to-toe and sets things straight:

Some mad angry woman named Mother Nature has been following us around the country for the past 3 days — putting a serious hurting on the climate of wherever we may roam.

From minus 17 degree wind chills in Chicagoland to heavy rains blowing from left to right in The City….Yikes!!

Then out-of-the-gray this morning at around 9:15, she apologized to us in the form of a rainbow stretching from The Dirty 30 to the Fi-Di.

Apology accepted….and happy to be back in Paradise City.

Fotos from our Sub-Zero trek back to The Motherland….

From Chicagoland, IL:

From: Sheboygan, WI aka Cheese County:

From Madison, WI: