Part 5 – Eminent Domain of Abandoned Property

A southwest view toward Mt. Davidson and Miraloma in the distance in 1957 shows property soon to be in the possession of the Dept. of Public Works, Division of Highways, District IV for the construction of Highway 280. This scene  was taken on the San Jose Ave. overpass of the Southern Pacific, SP, San Bruno Branch looking toward Niagara Ave. and San Francisco Glass, already detailed in the two previous updates.

L283-05-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1149, (Image 1 of 28)

Many folks lost their houses or businesses to provide land for Highway 280 in San Francisco, but the list shown here would have been much larger if not for the taking of the railroad right-of-way. The next few updates will not attempt to review all of these properties, but some images and information will be provided to gain a general appreciation of the buildings obtained by eminent domain to create room for the highway.

L283-10-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 2 of 28)

The next few updates will focus on the securing of the SP right-of-way in San Francisco by District IV. Layering the path of the SP from 1938, top, over the exact location in 2023, bottom, reveals that Highway 280 tracked very closely to the former railroad until the southwest end of the BART station in Daly City, again, sparing many residential neighborhoods. The colored circles in the bottom aerial correspond to BART stations at Glen Park, yellow, Balboa Park, turquoise, and Daly City, orange.

L283-15-Courtesy Google Earth, Annotated by Stuart Swiedler, (Image 3 of 28)

The contents of the District IV folder from 1957 shown here, left panels, will provide the history and images of the eminent domain process for the SP right-of-way, starting here with important dates, center panel, to understand the process from the issuing date of this report, right panel, until the process of obtaining the whole route.

L283-20-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 4 of 28)

As with other Division of Highways’ reports, project details with more dates, left, a summary of key historical information, center and top right, and sign off and validation of the information presented within the folder, bottom right, were included.

L283-25-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 5 of 28)

The project costs and distribution of fees in the report are provided here, left to right, respectively. To assign the parcel number with the exact location of the property in question, two maps will be presented next. The taking of advertising signs or billboards would play a big part in the eminent domain process, and in these updates are interesting to observe as a reflection of the signs of the time.

L283-30-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 6 of 28)

For the eastern portion of the project, the purple-colored parcels are former SP right-of-way obtained by the City and County of San Francisco after the SP abandoned the land in 1949, and subsequently removed the track, while the red-colored parcels mark the active SP San Bruno Branch freight operation.

L283-35-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 7 of 28)

For the western portion of the project, with some overlap from the previous map, the purple-colored parcels are former SP right-of-way obtained by the City and County of San Francisco after the SP abandoned the land in 1949, and subsequently removed the track, while the red-colored parcels mark the active SP San Bruno Branch freight operation. The green parcel is a City-owned parcel adjacent to the tracks that was not owned by the SP.

L283-40-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 8 of 28)

The review of property taken by eminent domain by Division IV will follow the northeast-to-southwest route of the SP branch line. The first properties to review will be those from the City and County of San Francisco, land purchased from the SP after they abandoned the section between the Bosworth St. overpass of Bernal Ave. to Nantucket Ave. The report doesn’t indicate the date when the images to be presented were taken, but it is most likely 1957.

L283-45-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 9 of 28)

The section was divided into five parcels. Parcel 19876-3 will be discussed later in sequence, but is preserved here to maintain the contents of the document. Parcel 19876-4 was the city street, Bernal Ave., recently changed in this timeframe as an eastern extension of San Jose Ave. The southbound lanes had been part of the SP branch line until 1949.

L283-50-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 10 of 28)

This map shows the approach of the planned Highway 280 to San Jose Ave. as it cut through residential properties. All the properties destined for removal are indicated.

L283-55-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 11 of 28)

This southwest aerial from Mar. 31, 1953 shows Parcel 19876-4. Note the railing of the Bosworth St. overpass, red arrow, two service stations, green and yellow arrows, and the billboards, turquoise arrows.

L283-60-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3326-17, (Image 12 of 28)

Description, as written in the report: Westerly view across intersection of San Jose Ave. and Diamond St. Service station encroaches on subject parcel. The service station noted is out of this frame and will be shown shortly, but the image has all the other features marked in the aerial in addition to a third billboard to the east in the background.

L283-65-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 13 of 28)

This map continues the survey to the southwest, reaching Parcel 19876-1 after the San Jose Ave.-Diamond St. branch point. Also note the number houses to be removed to the south of this parcel, primarily to provide space for on- and off-ramps. This would require displacing San Jose Ave. to the south.

L283-70-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 14 of 28)

The configuration of San Jose Ave. in 2023 relative to the pre-highway location is compared by overlaying this aerial with the boundaries of San Jose Ave.’s 1938 location, red lines. Note the shift of the road to the south.

L283-75-Courtesy Google Earth, Annotated by Stuart Swiedler, (Image 15 of 28)

This southwest aerial from Mar. 31, 1953 provides landmarks for the next Division IV image of Parcel 19876-1. The service station in question of the two present is marked by the green arrow. The large trees to the west of the station would have to go as well.

L283-80-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3326-16, (Image 16 of 28)

Description: Westerly view across intersection of San Jose Ave. and Diamond St. Service station encroaches on subject parcel.

L283-85-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 17 of 28)

A small detour at this point is provided to document the types of houses that had lined San Jose Ave. pre-highway. The District IV- associated numbers, right panel, will be used for identification rather than street addresses. The red circle marks the intersection of San Jose Ave. and Gorham St. to aid in lining up the map with the southeast aerial view from Mar. 31, 1953, left panel.

L283-90-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3326-16, left, Folder 1197, right, (Image 18 of 28)

Description, left: South side San Jose Ave., looking west between Gorham and Tingley. Description, center:  South side San Jose Ave., looking west between Tingley and Theresa. Description, right: South side San Jose Ave., looking east between Theresa and Tingley. These are examples of houses on the south side of San Jose Ave. in 1956. The report from which this material was derived was Folder 1179, Supplemental Appraisal Report no. 28, Feb. 28, 1957.

L283-95-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 19 of 28)

Description, left: North side San Jose Ave., looking east at Parcels 18798, 18799, 18800, and 18801, left to right. Description, right: Rear of Parcels 18801, 18800, 18799, 18798, left to right, and in lower right corner, rear of 18897. These are examples of houses on the north side of San Jose Ave. across from Cotter St. in 1956.

L283-100-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1179, (Image 20 of 28)

On the left is a general discussion of the houses shown in the last two sets of images. On the right is an appraisal for the one lot that was right up against the former railroad berm, Parcel 18897. Note the age of the house was 64 years in 1956.

L283-105-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1179, (Image 21 of 28)

Images of Parcel 18897 in 1956 are of interest in terms of the presence of the former railroad berm. On the left, an east view from the berm toward the parcel in question. On the right, a southeast view from the berm right alongside the parcel with a panoramic view of the city.

L283-110-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1179, (Image 22 of 28)

Still on Parcel 18897 in 1956, further southwest on the berm, a southeast view on the left. On the right, a view northwest from the parcel toward the berm. Imagine what it must have been like to have experienced the double- and triple-headed steam-driven trains passing earlier in the century from this property.

L283-115-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1179, (Image 23 of 28)

Still on the topic of the berm, the next map, left, shows the southwest section of Parcel 19876-1 along Circular Ave. up to Santa Rosa Ave. on the left edge. Although the map shows houses earmarked for removal on the north side of Circular Ave., that did not occur. Just reviewed Parcel 18797 is marked by the red arrow. On the right, a southwest aerial view of the same area from Mar. 31, 1953, Santa Rosa Ave. now along the top edge.

L283-120-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3326-16, right, Folder 1197, left, (Image 24 of 28)

Description: Westerly view along Circular Ave. from a point immediately west of Monterey Blvd. Note elevation affording view lots.

L283-125-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 25 of 28)

Description: Easterly view from Santa Rosa Ave. Note excellent level building sites. Santa Rosa Ave. is Parcel 19876-5. Recall that the SP right-of-way was overhead at this point during its operation. As documented earlier, the City received 1 dollar for the loss of this street, but District IV would make it up to them with an overpass of the highway at Baden St.

L283-130-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 26 of 28)

The next map is oriented differently from the previous ones shown, with the top being southwest, the direction this update has followed. Shown here is the next City-owned parcel, no. 19876-2, and the beginning of the northern boundary of the active SP branch, Parcel 18415-1.

L283-135-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 27 of 28)

Description: Westerly view along Circular Ave. from intersection of Santa Rosa Ave. Note adjacent parcel 18415-1, part of the active SP. Next time, the taking of the active SP San Bruno Branch. Appreciation to the San Francisco Planning Dept. and Preservation Planner Melanie Bishop for making the District IV files available.

L283-140-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 28 of 28)