Diamond Heights, San Francisco, California
Encyclopedia
Diamond Heights is a neighborhood in the middle part of San Francisco, California
, roughly bordered by Diamond Heights Boulevard and Noe Valley on the east side and Glen Canyon Park
on the west side.
, intended to use redevelopment
powers to use land on the hills in the center of the city to be developed with, rather than against, the topography. Few existing residents needed to be relocated for the redevelopment program, which included housing for a range of incomes, churches, schools, parks, and a commercial center.
This type of redevelopment came under the California Redevelopment Law, passed in 1951, a codified version of the California Redevelopment Act which had passed in 1941.
More than half a million dollars was appropriated by the Water Department just for a water system for the redevelopment.
The "Diamond Heights Redevelopment Project Area B-1" plan was debated between the Board of Supervisors and the Diamond Heights Property Owners' Association. In 1955 alternative proposals to the Supervisors' plan were presented in an effort to protect the property rights of existing property owners, and to give them preference to exchange their property for other sites. The motion to add these alternative plans to the legislation were rejected by the Board. The final plan was approved on October 24, 1955.
Some houses survived the redevelopment. A wood frame house with separate garage stands at 70 Gold Mine Drive, just downhill from Diamond Heights Boulevard. According to the San Francisco Office of the Assessor, this house was built in 1895.
's police academy
on Turquoise Way. George Christopher Playground is located behind the shopping center, and Walter Haas
Playground is at the intersection of Diamond Heights Boulevard and Addison Street. School of the Arts
high school and the San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department's Juvenile Justice Center are both just northwest of Diamond Heights, at the intersection of Portola and Woodside.
St. Nicholas Orthodox Christian Church is at the top of Diamond Heights Boulevard, at the corner of Duncan Street.
Public transportation in Diamond Heights is provided by Muni
's 35 Eureka, 48 Quintara, and 52 Excelsior lines. All connect to the Muni Metro
system; the 35 goes to Castro Street Station
, the 48 goes to West Portal Station
, and the 52 goes to Forest Hill Station. Additionally, the 52 connects to the Bay Area Rapid Transit
system at the Glen Park Station.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, roughly bordered by Diamond Heights Boulevard and Noe Valley on the east side and Glen Canyon Park
Glen Canyon Park
Glen Canyon Park is a city park in San Francisco, California. It occupies about along a deep canyon adjacent to the Glen Park, Diamond Heights, and neighborhoods...
on the west side.
History
Diamond Heights was the first project of the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research AssociationSan Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association
The San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association, or SPUR, is a non-profit research, education, and advocacy organization focused on issues of planning and governance. SPUR's history dates back to 1910, when a group of young city leaders came together to improve the quality of housing...
, intended to use redevelopment
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
powers to use land on the hills in the center of the city to be developed with, rather than against, the topography. Few existing residents needed to be relocated for the redevelopment program, which included housing for a range of incomes, churches, schools, parks, and a commercial center.
This type of redevelopment came under the California Redevelopment Law, passed in 1951, a codified version of the California Redevelopment Act which had passed in 1941.
More than half a million dollars was appropriated by the Water Department just for a water system for the redevelopment.
The "Diamond Heights Redevelopment Project Area B-1" plan was debated between the Board of Supervisors and the Diamond Heights Property Owners' Association. In 1955 alternative proposals to the Supervisors' plan were presented in an effort to protect the property rights of existing property owners, and to give them preference to exchange their property for other sites. The motion to add these alternative plans to the legislation were rejected by the Board. The final plan was approved on October 24, 1955.
Some houses survived the redevelopment. A wood frame house with separate garage stands at 70 Gold Mine Drive, just downhill from Diamond Heights Boulevard. According to the San Francisco Office of the Assessor, this house was built in 1895.
Attractions and characteristics
Notable features of Diamond Heights include Diamond Heights Shopping Center on Diamond Heights Boulevard between Duncan Street and Gold Mine Drive, and the San Francisco Police DepartmentSan Francisco Police Department
The San Francisco Police Department, also known as the SFPD and San Francisco Department Of Police, is the police department of the City and County of San Francisco, California...
's police academy
Police academy
A police academy is a training school for new police recruits, also known as a law enforcement academy.-Australia:Larger police departments usually run their own academies. States often run a centralised academy for training of personnel of law enforcement agencies within the state.Police...
on Turquoise Way. George Christopher Playground is located behind the shopping center, and Walter Haas
Walter A. Haas, Jr.
Walter A. Haas, Jr. was a president and CEO and chairman of Levi Strauss & Co, succeeding his father Walter A. Haas. He led the company in its growth from a regional manufacturer and wholesaler of work clothes to one of the world’s leading apparel companies...
Playground is at the intersection of Diamond Heights Boulevard and Addison Street. School of the Arts
School of the Arts High School (San Francisco)
Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts is a public high school in San Francisco, California, in the United States. S.O.T.A. ranked by Newsweek's Jay Mathews Challenge Index as the best high school in the United States in 2007....
high school and the San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department's Juvenile Justice Center are both just northwest of Diamond Heights, at the intersection of Portola and Woodside.
St. Nicholas Orthodox Christian Church is at the top of Diamond Heights Boulevard, at the corner of Duncan Street.
Public transportation in Diamond Heights is provided by Muni
San Francisco Municipal Railway
The San Francisco Municipal Railway is the public transit system for the city and county of San Francisco, California. In 2006, it served with an operating budget of about $700 million...
's 35 Eureka, 48 Quintara, and 52 Excelsior lines. All connect to the Muni Metro
Muni Metro
Muni Metro is a light rail system serving San Francisco, California, operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway , a division of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency...
system; the 35 goes to Castro Street Station
Castro Street Station
Castro Street Station is a Muni Metro station at the intersection of Market Street, Castro Street, and 17th Street in The Castro district of San Francisco, California...
, the 48 goes to West Portal Station
West Portal Station
West Portal Station is a Muni Metro station in the West Portal neighborhood in San Francisco, California. It is built around the entrance to the Twin Peaks Tunnel, which connects with the Market Street Subway and runs through the city to the Embarcadero...
, and the 52 goes to Forest Hill Station. Additionally, the 52 connects to the Bay Area Rapid Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area. The heavy-rail public transit and subway system connects San Francisco with cities in the East Bay and suburbs in northern San Mateo County. BART operates five lines on of track with 44 stations in four counties...
system at the Glen Park Station.