>> good afternoon. i am here to represent gail and james, husband and wife team who owned vin debut and have become friends as well as clients over the years. procedurally, actually, i am not quite sure how we proceed. because commissioner antonini took it off the consent calendar. would it be proper form for you to speak first or should i state our case? >> we want you to state your case. thank you. >> ok. if you have not seen the premises, i am sorry, i did not expect to speak today, so i do not have photographs with me. but it is is very open place. it is not dark like a bar.

opposite the portal tunnel. and it is a place where people who love fine wines go to learn more about why in -- wine and an occasional bottle of fine beer. even my goddaughter works there part time, and i am thrilled she entertain me on easter with a delicious wines from vin debut. the only objection we had initially to what the planning department had recommended, and i must say that doug has been a super -- i realized when i first met him, he was new to the department, and he has been absolutely diligent and professional all along the way. james and gail f down from their customers that there is an option on thursdays where people ask if the business can be open until 2:00 a.m. does not always happen, but it

does sometimes. what was recommended, we're very comfortable with. this is something we considered it as getting to be removed from the consent calendar at this hearing, and then we were kind of in limbo up until the hearing began. so, with that, you already know that there is an extraordinary amount of support for this project. it is all about sustaining a small business. it is not about greed. it is not about taking over a neighborhood. it is totally about sustaining a business that needs to grow to remain a viable. with that, i do not know if james or gail -- would you like to add anything? >> thank you, commissioners. good afternoon. i do not know what i can add to what marcia --

>> state your name. >> and james robinson, owner of vin debut. the only thing i would like to add is we are seeking to have a little more flexibility. it does not happen very often, as she mentioned, but there are times throughout the year where a group of 10 will come in at last call and we are unable to serve them. frankly, it is a little strange for me to assure them out the door when they're kind enough to come in and give us their business. other than that, we have been there five years, four months . we have four caucuszero incidents -- we have had zero incidents or police reports. we firmly continue to do the same. >> [inaudible] >> i need you to speak into the microphone. >> i should know better by now.

above this is an orthodontist, my former orthodontist who owns the building. he was going to come today, but we did not think it would be necessary. so there is no residential above whatsoever. gail? >> hello, i am gail, also the owner of vin debut. to reiterate, it does put us in a strange in front -- situation when groups come in after a movie, they want to come into a quiet setting, and we have to turn them away. their only other option is a local tavern. thank you. >> is there any public comment on this item? >> get afternoon, commissioners. thank you for having us.

i would like to comment on it. i think we should be in favor of extending alcohol hours later in different regions, especially a spot like this so they do not conflict with any of the neighbors and they have not had any problems. in some of our neighborhoods, they have underground clubs that run at the bill late night and they do not have permits at all, let alone a liquor permit. so make sure we are putting permits along with the people that deserve it, and drinking until 2:00 a.m. is something allowed by the state of california, so let's make sure that we follow our state guidelines. i think i am totally in favor of going forward. >> thank you. >> hello. i am a west portal resident and patron of vin debut. i wanted to make a quick comment that vin debut offers a classy place for west portal residents

to come in and drink and enjoy themselves. james robinson has definitely brought a lot of class and is an integral part of the neighborhood. it has been great going there. that is it. >> thank you. >> hello, commissioners. i have to admit, i am a huge wine bar fan. i am in the business. my girlfriend lives in the west portal area, and she is a nurse. she gets off at 9:00 p.m., which limits our ability to go to a neighborhood establishment and enjoy ourselves. i am urging you to vote to approve the extension of hours. thank you. >> thank you. >> good afternoon, commissioners. i am a consultant to the project. i know the robinsons' very well. they have been there over five

years. they have become a fiber in the community. when they set out, they wanted to work harder. maybe that is in their iowa background. hard work will set you free. but you have to be smarter. you have to be open for your customers, when it is convenient for them to be opened. at this point in time, they're finding out they're losing sales, and with the high cost of doing business in the city, they're finding out they cannot afford to do that. the good news is that there is full support from the neighbors who live in the area, and those are the people who actually patronize the establishment of the business community is fully behind it. the code is the code, but at the same time, the hours are discretionary to you. although he has requested for 2:00 a.m. during the week, we think we could spell bad back to 1:45 a.m. and make it in --

scaled that back to 1:45 a.m. and make it in the spirit of closing. that might help. we do not see this impacting others. we want to get an option to people who do not necessarily want to go into a full bar or have spirits. coming into wine bars or -- coming into these wine bars or beer establishments, it is a different experience. it is quiet. we need to let west portal enjoys some of the benefits that other areas have. whereas right now, most people who want to go to a nice wine bar who live in that area have to go outside of their area to enjoy it. we hope you see the importance of granting or waving 1:45 a.m. closure. thank you. >> thank you. any further public comment? seeing none, public comment is closed. commissioner antonini. commissioner antonini: i would

agree with the testimony we have heard. we're only basically dealing with an extension from on sunday through thursday, from the 1:00 a.m. closing to either 1:45 a.m. or 2:00 a.m. at the sounds of a project sponsor would be fine with 1:45 a.m. there are four other traditional taverns on west portal, and as is the case with any on sell liquor establishment, they are permitted to be open, as a right, until 2:00 a.m. to serve all. and as has been pointed out, it is a little different. there's nothing wrong with the four taverns' there. it is a little different atmosphere. you do not have tv's. you do not have sports on. you have a different atmosphere that some people prefer. and non-traditional schedules is another thing that was pointed out by one of the speakers. people do not always work from 8 to 5. the work schedules or they may

be getting off, and a lot of people in the restaurant industry did not get off until maybe 11:00 p.m. at night or midnight, and then they might want to go somewhere to relax in the neighborhood. i think it makes good sense to allow this, which is what is allowed for the other more traditional taverns. so i would move to grant conditional use with all the same conditions with the changes being that the closing time from sunday through thursday would be 1:45 a.m. >> second. commissioner miguel: i have a slightly different take on in it. the bar as a wine bar has done very well and has the support of the neighborhood. i understand the restrictions on the business for the early closing. i am a firm believer in areas

have been staggered closing times. i do not know whether commissioner antonini would accept it, but i would just go for 1:45 a.m. seven nights a week. >> project sponsor? could i get the project sponsor to confirm that that is acceptable? it would technically be a 15- minute earlier close on the others. commissioner antonini: looking at staggered closings straight through. >> the project sponsor, i think, will accept that, because that is proving effective city-wide. white buck the trend that it is working? i think that is more than fair. >> so why will amend my motion

to make the closing time 1:45 a.m. to 7 nights a week. >> and i will second that. commissioner wu: call the question. >> thank you. the motion on the floor is for approval as amended to have the closing time at 1:45 a.m. to 7 nights a week. on that motion, -- commissioner antonini: aye. commissioner sugaya: no. commissioner wu: aye. commissioner moore: aye. >> that passes 5-1, with commissioner sugaya against. thank you, commissioners. item number 10, 2004.1004, 12 018 street.

>> good afternoon. i am here for staff. the case is a proposal to demolish the existing single story building on the state, to construct two adjoined mixed use of buildings. it is 58-feet tall structure containing ground-floor retail and dwelling units above. the adjoining eighth street building is a 68-feet tall structurae with retail and pdr. the new buildings share a basement level garage with 14 residential parking spaces and eight commercial parking spaces interconnected by a central staircase and elevator. please note that the plans you have in front of you are incorrect in show 15 residential parking spaces and seven commercial parking spaces. however, 14 residents of parking spaces is the maximum permitted for the project. that will be reflected on the final plan.

the project site falls in the pdr 1d zoning district. but the building is subject to the eastern neighborhoods pipeline controls and the zoning of the property in the application filing date in 2004, which were m2 and 50x. the site affronts directly into the show plays trying applause a committee aide street right of way. the plaza currently functions as a temporary space with feature that can be easily removed. however, the department is currently working on the design and funding needed to adjust for the plaza into a permanent space. the department will work with the project sponsor to finalize improvements for the site and the plaza under the better streets plan to ensure that their sensitive to and coordinated with the plan or on the plaza. to that end, i would like to read a proposed update to

condition number 5 in the conditions of approval, after consulting with the city attorney. regarding required streetscape plan. the updated motion presented planning code section 138.1, the project sponsor shall submit a pedestrian and streetscape improvements plan to the planning department for review in consultation with the department of public works and the department of parking and traffic prior to building permits issuance. the planning department may require an approved alternative streetscape improvements other than the standard of performance required that are of equal or lesser cost and to meet the goals and objectives of the better streets plan. i would like to point out that while the sponsor is interested in cooperating on the work on the plaza, it is their preference of the language in this condition allow them to voluntarily provide alternatives streetscape improvements of equal or lesser value, instead

of allowing the department to acquire them. so that will be left to the discretion of the commission. regarding public comment on this project, since publication of the case report, the department received one phone call of support for the project. the commission and department received two letters of general support, although both raised concerns about the project's design and how may impact the adjacent plaza. for the project to proceed, the commission must grant conditional use authorization to allow drilling units on a property under m2 land use controls and to allow the proposed physical medications to an eastern and david -- neighborhoods pipeline project. the department recommends approval with conditions based on the fact that the project will create new residential units in an underused industrial area, as called for in the potrero hill plan area. it will create new ground for commercial space with a large floors, gracious ceiling heights, an attractive street

fretted design, as called for. it will convert an underused site into a productive makes use development with significant upgrades to the streetscape. of by rich mix of uses among a major transit and pedestrian corridor, 16th street. the project will provide two affordable dwelling units on site, and the project otherwise meets all applicable requirements for the planning code and is consistent with the area plan in general plan. that concludes my presentation. i am available for questions. commissioner wu: thank you. project sponsor? >> good afternoon, commissioners. i am here as project sponsor. we're pleased to here. i want to thank cory for his excellent work on this project. as mentioned, this is a pipeline project that has been in process for about eight years. and it has evolved along with

the city's goals for the showplace square area. the project started in 2004. it was an exclusively residential building on just a portion of the site. at the time, residential was allowed under zoning. the pdr building was at it later when the city identified pdr as the preferred use for this area. according to our a very unscientific survey, this will be the first new pdr building that is built under the eastern neighborhoods. as for residential units, the majority will be family-sized. four three-bedroom units, and two affordable units built on side. both will be a very good fit for what is soon going to be a mixed use neighborhood of five and six-story buildings. we expect this project to be completed at about the same time as the triangle resident of a project on the block to the east. as mentioned, we are very willing to work with the city on

improving the plaza in front of the site. we contributed to the original construction of its. but we have very little information available about what the plans are, how much they will cost, and so forth, and how the construction schedules for the plaza improvements and the project will line up. because there's a lot of uncertainty about exactly what the project will be and when it will happen, we ask that the condition be voluntary. on a final note, i wanted to draw your attention to the environmental cleanup that will happen as part of this project. historically this site was a bold field facility for standard oil, so there are some pretty serious legacy contamination that will be cleaned up before the buildings are built. with that, i will have tony walk you through the design, and i will be available for questions. thank you.

>> is it on yet? >> you need to introduce yourself. and it will come up. i have the other microphone on for you. >> my name is tony. mostly with the architects for the project. good afternoon. i would like to walk you through briefly little bit about the building. here we go. this is the view from 16th street and eighth street. essentially, two buildings on one single lot. the building to the left is the pdr building which is four stories tall. the building to the right is the mixed use residential building which is a five stories tall. the left building is 68 feet in

height. the wright building is 68 feet in height. this is the basement floor plan. of above, it shows parking for 22 cars, a single ramp down to the parking level, as well as some storage areas, things of that nature, and mechanical stations. on the ground floor, we located commercial retail space facing both -- all three streets. 16th street, the plaza, and eighth street, as well as erwin street. we want as many activities as we can on the street level. we hope to have outdoor dining. we hope to have the access cafe return back when the project is completed. this is the upper floors. again, the left is the pdr units. they range in size from 500 square feet to 1000 square feet.

each unit will have a small bathroom and a mezzanine floor with 16-foot ceiling heights. the residential side has, on each floor, there is a 3-bedroom unit, two-bedroom unit, and two 1-bedroom units, except for the upper for changes a little bit. in terms of the exterior design for the building, we wanted to provide emphasis at the corner. it is not a traditional 90 degree corner that we're used to having in san francisco. because of the unusual angle, we wanted to put more emphasis on the corner. we raised the concrete columns of to the second floor at the corner. we provided some nice a bay windows, decks, and we tried to articulate the facade as much as we could. to the left at the residential building is the elevator core,

which is sort of a centrally located right off of the eighth street plaza to the left is the pdr building. this is the view looking straight at the building from 16th street. with the new zoning, we were able to add 8 feet in height to the building, which all went to commercial space. last, on the corner of erwin and eighth street, the pdr building, we tried to do a simple and straightforward design, not to elaborate. we have some small bays projecting some decks, and we carried some of the materials from the residential building over to the pdr building. again, lastly, we have worked with cory and the urban design team to refine the design over the last few months. we also will meet the green

building code for the dbi, so we will be a green building. if you have any questions, we're happy than -- we're more than happy to answer them. i would like to present the project sponsor. >> thank you, tony. commissioners, my brother and i have owned this property for many, many years. it has been a long and winding road to get us to this point today. hopefully we have arrived. more than anything, i would like to publicly thank your planning department for the excellent work that they have done in working with us. they have been absolutely tremendous in helping us put this project together, and it has been very difficult because of the mixed use and because of the rezoning, all of these issues we have had to deal with. they were right there with us.

without them, i am sure it would not have happened. i would like to remind you that you're very, very fortunate to have people like this representing you. thank you very much. commissioner wu: thank you. we can take public comment on this item. i have one card. david. >> good afternoon, commissioners. i am and architecture and urban design educators here in san francisco at the california college of the arts, cca, which is a neighboring property to this project. we are here to support the project but have two suggestions. we recently spoke with sergio, our neighbor and good friend,

about his desire to move this project along. he and his family's businesses have been an integral part of the evolution of our neighborhood for many years, and we're happy to help support this next incremental change with the goal of increasing the areas innovative culture and emerging livability. with all changes come challenges, and we hope that this first project under the new pdr zoning can rise to those challenges and become a prototype of how to make a project that is appropriately pdr-ish. we will like to highlight two opportunities for the project that we think can still be achieved going forward. first is about open space, which you have heard a little bit about. the project will remove one of the few wind-protected sunny outdoor gathering spaces in the neighborhood. the access cafe's back garden, and not replace it. this type of open space is rare

in our district, and we hope that the new project might work to create a similar quality space in front of the site by helping to convert the currently wind-swept hardscape pavement site that is there now. second issue is about architectural language. ours is a neighborhood of simple, honest industrial buildings without a lot of hussiness. this is the strength and character of the pdr district and what makes the neighborhood distinct. we would not want to lose this quality by introducing projects that seem out of place. while the proposed projects use seems to be a very good fit, especially the orientation of the pdr building and a mixed use building, the architectural language seems entirely foreign to us. it looks as if it is designed as a market rate housing project for a residential area like

hayes valley, rather than as an innovative live-workspace. [bell rings] we feel it could be designed just by looking around the neighborhood -- great examples, 301 rhode island, even 888 seventh street. they have simple administration. this is what we feel fits well. we believe this project can be a positive addition to the neighborhood. we support its approval, and we look forward to seeing it realized. thank you. commissioner wu: thank you. next. >> thank you, commissioners. i am actually owner of the business that runs in that space, and i am here today just to help you understand that as a business, it is strange for me

to come in and say that we're going to be displaced or whatever, but actually, i wanted to alleviate you in the sense that sergio and larry did say upfront that this was on the table. so we had that agreement. i can honestly say that the brothers have been great additions to the community, and they have been very fair with access cafe. we employ several staff, and we do not know where it will go from there, but i know they are great additions to the community. they have been very gracious and generous with us. that is all i would like to say. commissioner wu: thank you. any further public comment on this item? >> hello. i am with sf made. i work wi