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HVNA Calls For More Below-Market Units, Zero Parking At Future Flax Development

Flax Art & Design is officially closing tomorrow, and details of the residential development that will replace it at Market and Valencia have already come to light. The response to the latest rendering of the nine-story, 162-unit building (pictured above) has been mixed. In comments on our last post, readers questioned the new facade, the ground-floor retail space and the height.

But the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association (HVNA) has taken things a step further, penning a letter of response regarding the development. In the letter, the organization calls for major revisions to the project, including completely removing the proposed 86 on-site parking spots, and offering 20 percent of the units at below-market rate, up from the current proposal of 12 percent.

Howard Flax outside his Market Street store, which is closing tomorrow. (Photo: Stephen Jackson/Hoodline)

Such a step is not unusual for the HVNA, which was founded in the wake of the freeway controversy (detailed in length here) that took place in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Since then, the group has been an active force in shaping the neighborhood's rapidly expanding slate of new housing developments, with architects and developers regularly presenting plans for feedback at its monthly meetings.

The residential development at 1699 Market was no exception. Its developers met with HVNA's Transportation and Planning subcommittee on March 7th to share the new renderings and plans; nine days later, HVNA responded with the letter.

The group's list of requests is long, but the biggest issues raised involve parking and BMR units. Based on research done while developing the Market and Octavia Plan, HVNA has determined that the city has reached maximum car capacity, particularly in this area.

With that in mind, the group opposes the development's proposed 86 parking spaces, requesting for them to be cut down to zero. Their argument is that the location is very close to bike lanes and transit (including the Van Ness Muni station and several bus stops).

"We can't add more cars; there's not room," explained Jason Henderson, Chair of the Transportation and Planning committee. "Cars will exit onto a side alley on Stevenson that goes to Gough, then turn right onto McCoppin, right on Valencia and right on Market." Aside from creating an inevitable traffic nightmare just a block from one of the city's most dangerous intersections, "it's about climate change," he states. "And it's being realistic."

In addition to zero parking, HVNA is also requesting an increase in BMR units, from the city-required 12 percent to 20 percent. Of those, they suggest that 12 percent be offered at 55 percent of Average Medium Income (AMI), while the remaining 8 percent be offered to middle-income residents (90-110 percent of AMI).

"That's a pretty conservative number, compared with what other neighborhood groups are asking for," Henderson told us. While some groups would push for a higher percentage and hope developers would meet them in the middle, that's "not HVNA's style," he stated. Instead, the group sticks to its guns and hopes developers listen.

The letter also requests a re-thinking of the ground-floor commercial space, and the activation of two blank facades facing the Travelodge next door (possibly via murals).

"HVNA is not being NIMBY. HVNA is saying build it, but build it so the people who live in this neighborhood can live there," Henderson told us. "Developers expect to be at war with neighborhood associations, but we say no—if you have affordable housing and no parking and don't make it ugly, we're probably good to go."

With Flax just now moving out, arguments over the details of the development will likely continue for many months to come. We'll keep you updated.

Source: Hoodline http://hoodline.com/2016/03/hvna-calls-for-more-below-market-units-zero-parking-at-future-flax-development

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