Editor,
Apropos of recent View articles about new residential developments, am I missing something? I’d think that building all luxury housing will also help create affordable housing, since that’d free up the previous units from the new owners. The previous units are probably not as luxurious.
Raymond Chui
Pennsylvania Avenue
Editor,
The January issue provided an interesting juxtaposition of development/real estate issues that beg for comment, especially given the frenetic pace of change over the last several years. The possibility of the Flower Mart relocating to the Corovan site gladdens the heart given the many legal skirmishes that’ve recurred related to development at that location. Various community leaders quoted in the article raised seemingly specious arguments regarding trucks and the relative merits of building yet another huge, primarily market-rate, housing project on the property, as opposed to trying to maintain some diversity in our neighborhood in the form of true production, distribution, and repair businesses.
Speaking of greed, the closing of My Gym in Dogpatch is heartbreaking given its apparently positive impact on the community and the children growing up here. It reminded me of the fate that we suffered in 2013 when the rent on our favorite yoga studio, Yogasita, was doubled and Susannah Bruder, our friend and teacher, was forced out, with her a wonderful community of people who shared in the joy of working with and learning from her.
Perhaps there’s some hope, though. The new Chase Center – called by some the “Greed Center” – hosting the Golden State Warriors may be required by circumstances to actually reduce its prices for seats given the abysmal performance of the team that was stolen from Oakland. Commoners might even be able to afford to go to a game.
Jim Wilkins
Pennsylvania Avenue
