Table Of Content

D REF 711 .4097 J27d Aug. 1 SpAlNaFnRAnNCiInSCgO department K«S£SSAN FRANIVf;ll3SbfHO JORAGPAANNIZTIONWGNCOMMITTEE 2013 : ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS COtJ^ Mayor Board ofSupervisors Edwin M. Lee David Chiu, President London Breed, District5 Supervisor John Avalos David Campos Malia Cohen Mark Farrell Jane Kim Eric Mar KatyTang ScottWiener Norman Yee Planning Commission Rodney Fong, President CindyWu, Vice-President Michael Antonini Gwyneth Borden Rich Hillis Kathrin Moore Hisashi Sugaya HistoricPreservation Commission Karl Hasz, President AndrewWolfram, Vice-President Aaron Jon Hyland Ellen Johnck Richard Johns Diane Matsuda Jonathan Pearlman PlanningDepartment (SFPlanning) san francisco PLANNING DEPARTMENT John Rahaim, Planning Director Jose Campos, DirectorofCitywide Planning JoshuaSwitzky, Manager, CommunityPlanning SteveWertheim, ProjectManager Tim Frye, Preservation Coordinator Shelley Caltagirone, Historic Preservation Manager Sarah Jones, ActingEnvironmentalReviewOfficer Monica Pereira, EnvironmentalReview Gary Chen, Graphic Design andLayout MikeWebster, G/S Mapping Paul Lord, FormerProjectManager Rosie Dudley, FormerProjectManager K£ Office ofEconomic and Workforce Development SAN FRANCISCO Todd Rufo, Director §2|gOfficeofEconomicandworkforceDevelopment Amy Cohen, DirectorofNeighborhoodBusiness Development Jordan Klein, SeniorProjectManager, Investin Neighborhoods Diana Poncede Leon, ProjectManager, Investin Neighborhoods Japantoun Organizing Committee KoAsakura Tak Matsuba Bernie Choden Richard Matsuno Seiko Fujimoto Sandy Mori Hiroshi Fukuda Glynis Nakahara Bob Hamaguchi Steve Nakajo Richard Hashimoto Diane Onizuka Rose Hillson Paul Osaki With thefollowing Seiji Horibuchi Jon Osaki consultants to the GregoryJohnson Kathy Reyes PlanningDepartment Stephen Jordan Robert Rusky Donna Graves Karen Kai Robert Sakai Ken Kaji Clint Taura Japantown Task Force Ryan Kimura Rosalyn Tonai Page &Turnbull Ben Kobashigawa Arnold Townsend San Francisco Heritage Bette Landis Paul Wermer Seifel, Inc. H — o as a Q W > es Coverphotoscourtes\oj'buemookuhandDavid Yu.BackcoverphotocourtesyofToddLappin. 02013SanFranciscoPlanningDepartment 1650MissionStreet.Suite400 SanFrancisco,CA94103-3114 www.stptanntng.org 3 1223 10056 0607 r 7 CONTENTS Chapters 1. INTRODUCTION 01 2. HISTORIC OVERVIEWOFJAPANTOWN 07 3. CULTURAL HERITAGE OVERVIEW & METHODOLOGY 1 4. EXISTING CONDITIONS 29 RECOMMENDATIONS 49 5. Figures Figure 1.1 OverviewofJapantown's Cultural Heritage Resources 02 Figure 3.1 Japantown's Cultural Resources: Buildings & Structures 20 Figure 3.2Japantown's Cultural Resources: Organizations & Institutions 22 Figure 3.3 Japantown's Cultural Resources: Businesses 24 Figure 3.4 Japantown's Cultural Resources: Cultural Activities & Events 26 Figure 4.1 Japantown Land Uses 32 Figure 4.2 Japantown Zoning Districts 33 Figure4.3Japantown Height Limits 34 MatrixA; Applying Tools toAddress Concerns 72 MatrixB: Applying Tools to Fulfill Goals and Objectives 74 SUMMARY EXECUTIVE VISION, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES AREAS OF CONCERN The Japantown Cultural Heritage and The JCHESS includes an assessment ofthe Economic Sustainability Strategy (JCHESS) is existing conditions in Japantown, and identifies the first document in San Francisco to focus particular "areas ofconcern" with regard to specifically on how to preserve and promote cultural heritage and economic sustainability, as a neighborhood's cultural heritage. The follows: Japantown Cultural Heritage and Economic Sustainability Strategy's (JCHESS) vision is AREAS OF CONCERN RELATED TOJAPANTOWN'S that Japantown will thrive as a culturally rich, PEOPLE: authentic, and economically vibrant neighborhood, which will serve as the cultural heart of • It is difficult to maintain Japantown's critical the Japanese and Japanese American com- mass as a community hub munities for generations to come. Specifically, • Not all age groups have an equal stake in the the JCHESS seeks to provide a strategy to: community • Lack ofcollaboration for cultural preservation • Secure Japantown's future as the historical and cultural heart ofthe Japanese and AREAS OFCONCERN RELATED TOJAPANTOWN'S Japanese American Community LAND: • Secure Japantown's future as a thriving • Utilization ofdevelopable parcels commercial and retail district • Secure Japantown's future as a home to AREAS OFCONCERN RELATED TOJAPANTOWN'S residents and community-based institutions BUILDINGS: • Compatibility ofarchitectural style • Secure Japantown's future as a physically • Lack ofpedestrian scale attractive and vibrant environment • Preservation ofhistoric buildings and structures AREAS OF CONCERN RELATED TOJAPANTOWN'S ORGANIZATIONSAND INSTITUTIONS: • Capacity challenges for community-serving organizations and institutions • Lack ofpermanent space for existing organizations AREAS OF CONCERN RELATED TO JAPANTOWN'S BUSINESSES: • Business viability • Business ownership transitions • Finding and attracting culturally relevant The recommendations ofthe JCHESS are listed businesses below. To see a matrix showingwhich recommenda- • Attractiveness ofthe shopping district tions are good candidates to address each ofthe areas • Potential business displacement ofconcern, see the end ofChapter 5. • The future ofthe Japan Center • The future ofthe Japan Center Parking Garage EXISTING STRATEGIES • Utilize tools for preservation ofhistoric buildings and structures AREAS OFCONCERN RELATED TOJAPANTOWN'S • Leverage the Japantown Special Use District to CULTURAL ACTIVITIESAND EVENTS: cultivate and attract new businesses appropriate to • Limited space for community activities Japantown • Acquiring permits for festivals • Utilize the City's Design Guidelines • Implement streetscape and pedestrian improvements per the Better Streets Plan AREAS OFCONCERN RELATED TO JAPANTOWN'S • Implement proposed transportation improvements PUBLIC REALM: • Market the neighborhood through SFTravel • Peace Plaza design • Buchanan Mall design PROPOSED STRATEGIES • Streetscape maintenance • Landscaping • Create a Japantown Community Development Corporation • Lighting • Create a Japantown Community Land Trust • Street furnishings • Implement Invest in Neighborhoods • Wayfinding signage • Negotiate community benefits agreements with major new developments • Create a Japantown Community Benefits District RECOMMENDATIONS • Implement a Japantown Mello-Roos Community Facilities District To address these areas ofconcern, the JCHESS • Utilize funds from the San Francisco Grants for the includes a series ofrecommendations that are Arts considered by the City and community as hav- • Utilize Japan Center Garages' Capital Improvement ing the best potential to fulfill the vision ofthe Funds JCHESS. Given the range ofconcerns, there is • Create a Japantown Neighborhood Commercial no single tool that could fulfill this vision. It is District more likely that a series ofrecommendations will • Create Japantown Design Guidelines need to be implemented in a complementary and • Implement improvements to Peace Plaza coordinated manner to ensure maximum benefit • Implement improvements to Buchanan Mall to Japantown, including a combination ofexisting • Develop a strategic plan for the Japan Center Malls tools and new strategies. 4Sk INTRODUCTION u ABOUT JAPANTOWN A. Japantown has been the cultural heart ofthe Japanese clustered around Post. Buchanan and Sutter Streets, as American community in San Francisco and much of well as found throughout the neighborhood (see Figure the Bay Area for over a century, serving a role that 1.1). A unique mix ofbusinesses offers Japanese. is unique to the city, region and country. The area Japanese American. Korean and other culturally known as Japantown today is considerably smaller specific services, wares and food products that can be than the neighborhood's previous boundaries, and found in only a few other places in the United States, future preservation cannot be taken for granted.1 As while cultural and community institutions continue one ofthree Japantowns remaining in the country, to draw people from around the Bay Area on a daily the area's cultural and historical resources are widely basis. The organizations serve a spectrum ofages from appreciated and play a significant role in the history of young to old. and range in their offerings from nutri- San Francisco and the region at large. Situated in the tional services, childcare and teen programs. Japanese middle ofthe city, between downtown and the City's cultural arts performances and instruction (e.g. flower western neighborhoods on the major transit corridor arranging, calligraphy, tea ceremonies, dance, taiko ofGeary Boulevard. Japantown attracts people from drumming). Japanese language and martial arts all over the Bay Area to participate in community schools and community-based long-term care services. events, watch cultural performances, conduct business, shop and receive services. Japanese and Japanese Japantown's cultural richness extends beyond the Americans throughout the Bay Area depend on Japanese American community to include Jews. San Francisco's Japantown as the focal point for com- African Americans. Filipinos. Koreans, and other munity gatherings. ethnic groups. The various heritages ofthese commu- nities were instrumental and intertwined in the history", Much ofwhat makes Japantown a culturally-rich and development, and current population ofJapantown. recognizable place are the Japanese American busi- Implementation ofthe recommendations ofthis docu- nesses and community-based organizations that are ment will necessarily seek to reflect this diversity. 1 JapantownasweknowittodayislocatednorthofEllisStreet,withthe Fillmore Districttothewest. WesternAdditiontothesouth,andCathedral Hilltotheeast. However,priortoWorldWarII.theJapantownneighborhood stretched easttowestfromGoughStreettoPresidioAvenueand northto southfromCaliforniaStreettoMcAllisterStreet.Thereducedsizeofthe neighborhoodisduetotheeffectsofbothInternmentduringWorldWarII andIrbanRenewallasdiscussedinChapter2). CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1 1