Part 10 – On-ramp, Off-ramp, and Muni Overview

The two north-oriented aerials shown here contrast the 1938 Market Street Railway, MSRy., Geneva and Elton shops, left, versus that in 2022 for San Francisco Muni, right. This update will address additional eminent domain activities executed by the Dept. of Public Works, Division of Highways, District IV in the 1960s to complete the right-of-way for Highway 280.

L288-05-Courtesy Google Earth, (Image 1 of 37)

The activities leading to the transformation of the streetcar facilities between 1938 and 2022 involved destruction of the Elkton yard in 1977, shown here in a northeast view from May 31, 1977, the addition of BART in the early 1970s, and the alterations described in this update ca. 1970. For a more comprehensive history of the facilities’ history, see https://www.sfmta.com/blog/elkton-shops-part-1-first-70-years Credit: SF Public Utilities Commission Photo M-2370-2

L288-10-Moreau Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 197699BARTD, (Image 2 of 37)

This District IV map of the area to be discussed from 1955 was revised on Sept. 30, 1969, although it actually shows no changes to be made. The review will start just off the right side of the map at Ocean Ave. just north of the Southern Pacific, SP, San Bruno Branch right-of-way.

L288-15-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 3 of 37)

This District IV report is dated to February 1962, almost half a decade after the State took control of the SP right-of-way. As will be revealed in this presentation, it would take until 1970 to resolve three issues related to peripheral parts of the new highway, the largest being the border with Muni. Although never mentioned in this document, these land takes involved on- and off-ramp lanes between Ocean Ave. and Niagara Ave., and a potential off-ramp to Alemany Blvd. and Brotherhood Way that was never built.

L288-20-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 4 of 37)

The general information contained within the report is shown here, along with other approval and certification documentation. Note that all images to be shown were taken in the Dec. 1961-Jan. 1962 timeframe, a point that will not be mentioned moving forward in this update.

L288-25-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 5 of 37)

The cost of the properties to be obtained changed dramatically between the 1962 report submission date, and the revised figures in Sept. 1969, primarily due to valuation of the Muni main property. Before delving into the Muni narrative, the three other non-Muni properties that were appraised will be presented first.

L288-30-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 6 of 37)

Description, as written in the report District IV report, Feb. 1962, left: Looking westerly up Ocean Ave. past Tara St., to the left, and showing a portion of the Lick Wilmerding School. The subject parcel consists of a portion of the terraced fill between the building and the parking lot, State-owned Parcel 18505. Description, right: Looking southeasterly along Ocean Ave. State-owned Parcel 18505 was obtained ca. 1957 and was presented in Part 6 of this series of updates.

L288-35-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 7 of 37)

Description, left: Looking southerly across Ocean Av. The subject parcel consists of a portion of the filled area shown herein. Description, right: Looking northwesterly from the parcel 18505. Note the presence of the SP branch tracks.

L288-40-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 8 of 37)

The appraisal for the strip of land is shown here. When the highway was completed, this land was utilized as part of the two-lane Geneva Ave. off-ramp from Highway 280 South. It is possible that the initial taking of property with Parcel 18505 did not take account for the off-ramp, but this speculation has not been documented. The school would be provided enough land adjacent to these ramp lanes for one row of parking spaces and a thin piece of land separating them from the school building.

L288-45-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 9 of 37)

Next to property behind no. 2661 San Jose Ave., outlined in red and green ink on the map, left panel. The house itself, although labeled Parcel 30195 in the map, was never taken for the highway project. It was the last house standing on the north side of the highway when this section was completed in the mid-1960s, red arrow in the right panel from Mar. 31, 1953. The houses on its western flank by 1953 were removed ca. 1960, enclosed by the yellow rectangle, but the land was not needed for the highway. The State resold the land and new houses were in place by 1965. This is all explained in detail in Part 7 of this series of updates.

L288-50-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, left, 3326-13, right, (Image 10 of 37)

The front of no. 2661 San Jose Ave. ca. 1962, left, remains unchanged in 2023. The two properties appraised by the State are outlined in black with black arrows in the right panel in a northwest view from the SP right-of-way.

L288-55-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 11 of 37)

District IV was incentivized to take these properties since the owner could not be determined. This action would then allow them to become the owner.

L288-60-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 12 of 37)

In the end, the State decided it didn’t need this land for the new highway, and withdrew their attempt to claim ownership.

L288-65-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 13 of 37)

The third piece of property was outside the path of the highway, but more aligned with a possible exit to the Alemany Blvd.- Stanley Drive, the latter now known as Brotherhood Way, green arrow in left panel. The panel on the right provides more details.

L288-70-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 14 of 37)

A west aerial view from March 31, 1953 shows the area of interest. Brotherhood Way was created by the Works Project Administration in the mid-1930s. See this link for more https://www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=Brotherhood_Way

L288-75-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 3326-11, (Image 15 of 37)

Description: Looking northwesterly along Alemany Blvd. at its intersection with Orizaba Ave., the latter on the right. The subject parcel consists of a portion of the fenced vacant corner property and a portion of the paved street.

L288-80-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 16 of 37)

Description, left: Again, looking northwesterly along Alemany Blvd. Description right: Looking northwesterly and showing the type of single-family residential use of the adjoining land which fronts upon Orizaba Ave., at the right.

L288-85-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 17 of 37)

The appraisal of the property is shown here. The comparable properties mentioned in the second panel from the right will be shown in the next update to follow in this series. The insert boxed in orange is a record of a payment of one dollar to the city made in 1963, this amount typically reflecting the taking of a public street. The increase in the fee to 2K dollars in the left panel bringing the acquisition up to 1969 reflects the land between the streets as a usable lot for a structure.

L288-90-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 18 of 37)

To begin the evaluation of the contribution of land from Muni to the new highway, this rotated aerial of Highway 280 from 2022 whereby west is along the top shows the location of the SP right-of-way, red line, obtained by the State in the late 1950s. The land taken from San Francisco Glass Co. to the east of the SP would account for the exit lane for Highway 280 North. Between Muni and the exit lanes is the BART station at Balboa Park, so first BART’s role in this matter needs to be clarified.

L288-95-Courtesy Google Earth, Modified by Stuart Swiedler copy, (Image 19 of 37)

The first major BART plan was revealed in June 1961, left and center panels, and the train route was proposed to be positioned in the median of Highway 280, something that was not to come to fruition for reasons not given. The BART bond issue approved by voters did not occur until Nov. 1962, reflecting the summary provided in the right panel. It would appear, therefore, that in Feb. 1962, District IV did not factor in BART’s land needs, and only required minimal trimming of track on the west side of Muni. Ref: Left, Courtesy BAERA, W. Railway Museum Archives; R, Courtesy Copyright California Department of Transportation

L288-100-Multiple Attributions, (Image 20 of 37)

The last point is pictorially supported in this Harrison Ryker aerial from 1938 until after this section of the highway was completed in 1965. The area that was trimmed included track derived from the SP spur into the facility, yellow line, track no longer needed with the abandonment of the SP.

L288-105-Courtesy Google Earth, and cas-65-130_1-10, Courtesy of UCSB Library Geospatial Collection, (Image 21 of 37)

This map shows the three parcels requested by District IV associated with Muni. The take did not appear to involve any major buildings.

L288-110-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 22 of 37)

The appraisal of Muni contained three plans for how the tracks might be rearranged to allow the State to get land for the highway, while creating the least inconvenience for Muni and allowing the flow of streetcars across San Jose Ave. from the Elkton yard to the car house. Plan A, shown here, involved eliminating the track to the west needed for the highway, in green, and creating the connection across San Jose Ave. via Ocean Ave., and to the west of the paint shop via Niagara Ave., red lines and added red arrows.

L288-115-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 23 of 37)

Plan B was similar, except that it eliminated any track between the paint shop and the new highway by making a connection across San Jose Ave., just to the south of Geneva Ave., red arrow. This plan would provide more land for BART, although this is not stated as discussed above.

L288-120-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 24 of 37)

Plan C, however, provided the least amount of new track, and a shorter course across San Jose Ave. that brought streetcars right into the car house, red arrow, left panel. The right panel from 1965 confirms that Plan C was the choice made. Ref: Left, Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242; Right, cas-65-130_1-10,  Courtesy of UCSB Library Geospatial Collection

L288-125-Multiple Attributions, (Image 25 of 37)

Now a display of the appraisal paperwork, starting with the large Elkton yard area, 30494-1. To the far right was the original ca. 1962 valuation, while the higher value was the updated figure. The basis for the differences will be addressed soon.

L288-130-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 26 of 37)

The valuation of Parcel 30494-2 actually decreased in value between 1962 and 1969, but that is because the size of the take was reduced. The value for Parcel 30494-3 remained the same, far right.

L288-135-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 27 of 37)

Beginning with these three panels, an extended explanation of the increased costs of the project between 1962-1969, and the details of all the plans presented is revealed. Note in the middle panel that even as of 1969, District IV separated their activities from BART, appreciating that the latter had finalized that they would be using land between the District IV’s take and the Muni Elkton facilities. As explained at the outset of this update, by the the time BART was built, the days were numbered for the structures at the Elkton facility.

L288-140-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 28 of 37)

Details, details and more details shown here. The properties noted in the Market Data Approach section will be shown in the next presentation with all other comparable properties.

L288-145-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 29 of 37)

Here begins more details and granularity about the three plans offered to Muni by District IV.

L288-150-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 30 of 37)

The plan details continue here, the panel at the right revealing that Plan C was favored by the city.

L288-155-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 31 of 37)

To complete the appraisal and valuation process, the middle and right panels provides a very concise history of Geneva Ave.

L288-160-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 32 of 37)

To complete this update, the next several panels will provide several important documents that fill in some of the details missing from the appraisal process contrasting the initial 1962 review with that from 1969. The left panel shows the first page of the lawsuit or eminent domain action by the State to emphasize that all the properties reviewed in this update were bundled together. The other three panels from 1962 indicate that the appraisers must have thought the work to be done at Muni would be relatively simple, requiring only to move materials.

L288-165-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 33 of 37)

The winning bid in 1962 by the contractor to perform the work for Muni shown on the left shows the work would be considerably more complicated and costly. Then everything sat for over 5 years, and it is not directly explained why. The appraisal summary on the right from 1968 indicates a large expense for a parking deck that was not considered in the 1962 assessment that accounts for much of the difference in cost.

L288-170-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 34 of 37)

This three-page letter provides some indication that the negotiations between the State and Muni were difficult and complicated. The last paragraph enclosed in orange is particularly sarcastic relative to what is normally seen in an appraiser’s report.

L288-175-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 35 of 37)

Three more State documents providing more elaboration as to the increased cost of taking the land from Muni.

L288-180-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 36 of 37)

From the document on the left, more indication that the State wanted to get this settlement completed and avoid any other delays. On the right, the check is in then mail, but a new decade has begun. Next time, the detailed set of images that went along with the Muni land appraisal, and comparable properties evaluated to support the proposed valuations.

L288-185-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1242, (Image 37 of 37)