Part 6 – Eminent Domain From Nantucket to Niagara

This southerly oblique view from Mt. Davidson toward the San Bruno Mountains in the ca. 1961 timeframe reveals among other things, San Francisco City College, Balboa Park, and by that point in time, the abandoned portion of the Southern Pacific, SP, San Bruno Branch from Nantucket Ave. to Niagara Ave. Now to reveal the documentation of the eminent domain process followed by the Dept. of Public Works, Division of Highways, District IV leading to that abandonment.

L284-05-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1237, (Image 1 of 31)

The last update ended with Parcel 19876-2, property purchased after 1949 by the City of San Francisco after the SP abandoned it that year. This map shows the first active portion of the railroad starting at Nantucket Ave. and heading southwest, Parcel 18415-1.

L284-10-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 2 of 31)

The left panel lists District IV’s appraisal of the value of the SP parcels all the way to the San Mateo County border. The middle panel reveals that the SP was ready to abandon the rest of the branch line by 1954 should District IV condemn the land for Highway 280. The right panel provides a description of the first parcel to be considered, 18415-1, and continues in the next frame.

L284-15-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 3 of 31)

The continuation of a description of the first parcel to be considered, 18415-1, is shown on the left and center, top. The map, center bottom, shows the properties to be taken on the last City-owned parcel, 19876-2, as well as for 18415-1 up to the border with City College and Balboa Park at Havelock St. The right panel is a southwest oblique view from Mar. 31, 1953 from Santa Rosa Ave., lower right, to Havelock St., upper left in that image.

L284-20-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, left, 3326-16, right, (Image 4 of 31)

The impact of the removal of houses also changed the path of Circular Ave. as it approached Havelock St. The use of red dots, marking houses to the northwest of the railroad, 1938, top, and the new highway, 2022, bottom, and yellow dots to the southeast, allows the impact to be visualized. The addition of BART to the southeast rim of the highway removed in places at most one to two structures along this stretch based on comparison with an aerial from 1965.

L284-25-Courtesy Google Earth, Annotated by Stuart Swiedler, (Image 5 of 31)

Description, as written in the report District IV report, ca. 1956-1957: Southwesterly view showing S.P.R.R right-of-way immediately west of Nantucket Ave. Circular Ave. is on the right, Oloran Alley at left. Although not abandoned, the track had been removed from the right-of-way here as it served no customers and was not needed for storage.

L284-30-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 6 of 31)

Description: Northeasterly view from Circular Ave. easterly from Havelock St. Unimproved Oloran Alley is indicated by arrow.

L284-35-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 7 of 31)

Once reaching Havelock St. to the west, lower border, track used mainly for storage and as a team track is seen in the southwest view up to Ocean Ave. from Mar. 31, 1953, left. The map on the right shows that District IV would be removing land from the park and college, effectively placing the right-of-way to the southern portion of the planned highway.

L284-40-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, right, 3326-15, left, (Image 8 of 31)

Description: Southwesterly view from Havelock St. showing parcel as it extends through Balboa Park. City College is at right behind trees. Note extensive paving which is 40 feet wide from Havelock St. to Ocean Ave.

L284-45-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 9 of 31)

Description: Northwesterly view from Ocean Ave. Building at right is precinct Police Station.

L284-50-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 10 of 31)

Description: Southerly view. Municipal buses seen across Ocean Ave. Track belonged to SP right-of-way. Unlike the previous ground shots, this image was taken ca. 1961. What follows is a concise history of the area from the same report.

L284-55-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1237, (Image 11 of 31)

The information provided here outlines the complex and often contentious interactions between the SP and the city regarding the passage through the section once the railroad entered the paved road at Havelock St.

L284-60-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1297, (Image 12 of 31)

A bit more color of the valuation of the land to change hands is continued above. The right-of-way map is shown in more detail from an earlier time in the next set of panels.

L284-65-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1297, (Image 13 of 31)

This set of maps reveals how the right-of-way was surrounded by city land and the change in function contained within.

L284-70- Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1297, (Image 14 of 31)

Description, left panel: Westerly view across Ocean Ave. showing parcel at the corner of Tara St. Large building is California School of Mechanical Art. This parcel, designated 18505, right panel, was never owned by the railroad, but is adjacent to the right-of-way.

L284-75-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 15 of 31)

The appraisal and description of the Parcel 18505 are presented here.

L284-80-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 16 of 31)

This map begins a review of three parcels between Ocean Ave. and Geneva Ave. The first is Parcel 18415-2, red arrow, the SP right-of-way shown here boxed in red between Ocean Ave. and the newly extended Geneva Ave. The second is Parcel 18500, green arrow, adjacent to the right-of-way, and Parcel 19876-3, purple arrow, the portion of SP right-of-way converted to a grade crossing over the extended Geneva Ave.

L284-85-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 17 of 31)

Description, left: Westerly view across Ocean Ave. showing this parcel. The Foster and Kleiser signboard is on the property. Parcel 18415-2 is the SP track enveloped on each flank by the San Francisco Glass Co. The summary on the right explains that by ca. 1957, this land had been leased to the San Francisco Glass Co. Note there is no mention of the spur to Muni or its painting facility, to be addressed shortly.

L284-90-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 18 of 31)

To understand the evolution of city-owned Parcels 18500 and 19876-3, this southwest directed aerial from Mar. 31 1953 taken just west of Ocean Ave. shows that Geneva Ave. did not pass across the SP track at this date. The yellow arrow points to a duplex, and the turquoise arrow to a shed that will be seen from the ground next.

L284-95-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3326-14, (Image 19 of 31)

Description: Easterly view along Tara St. from intersection of Geneva Ave. Note old duplex on property. This view shows the portion of the parcel which lies easterly of Geneva Ave.

L284-100-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 20 of 31)

Description: Southwesterly view across intersection of Tara St. and Geneva Ave. showing parcel as it lies westerly of Geneva Ave. Note by the time this picture was taken ca. 1957, the extension of Geneva was complete.

L284-105-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 21 of 31)

Description, left: Extension of Geneva Ave. looking from Tara St. Parcel 19876-3 is portion City purchased from S.P.R.R. Note adjacent parcel in foreground. The right panel provides details about the creation of the grade crossing.

L284-110-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 22 of 31)

For completeness, the paperwork on Parcel 18500 to reflect the cost of the land, left, and the details of the duplex, right …

L284-115-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 23 of 31)

… and the complete valuation of Parcel 18500.

L284-120-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 24 of 31)

Finally to details about Parcel 18415-3, the area bordered on either side by the San Francisco Glass Co. as described in L284-90 for the portion between Ocean Ave. and Geneva Ave, 18415-2. Having disclosed all the information on Parcel 18415-3 available in this folder, there is no mention whether the land occupied by Muni’s paint shop building would fall in the land needed for the highway, filled in by blue on the map on the left. It turns out that Muni would be dealt with somewhat later on the timeline, and will be presented in a separate update in the future.

L284-125-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1197, (Image 25 of 31)

To pick up on the last point, the left panel, a southwest view from Mar. 31, 1953, provides a general view of the area to be discussed next, the orange arrow pointing at the Muni paint shop. This update will conclude with a discussion of the houses marked in the map on the right ca. 1957.

L284-130-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3326-14, left, Folder 1164, right, (Image 26 of 31)

Presented here is information regarding the houses on the north side of the SP right-of-way.

L284-135-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1164, (Image 27 of 31)

Description: This is a neighborhood view from Tara St. looking toward downtown San Francisco.

L284-140-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1164, (Image 28 of 31)

Description: View of parcels no. 19912 to 19919 located on northwesterly side of Tara St., between Ocean Ave. and Geneva Ave.

L284-145-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1164, (Image 29 of 31)

Description: View of the northeast side of Niagara Ave. between San Jose Ave. and Tara St. The above residences are nos. 18495, 19499 included herein.

L284-150-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1164, (Image 30 of 31)

Description: View of the southeast side of Niagara Ave. and Geneva Ave. The above residences are parcels no. 18501-18504, 19910-11, and 19979 included herein. Next time, passing under San Jose Ave. and viewing the houses to be razed along its length. Appreciation to the San Francisco Planning Dept. and Preservation Planner Melanie Bishop for making the District IV files available.

L284-155-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 1164, (Image 31 of 31)