'national historic landmark district'

Fisher Museum Proposal Deficient

Last night the Presidio Trust held a meeting to discuss interim results of their Section 106 process regarding the proposed Main Post contemporary art museum, lodge and theater addition.

In an interesting “cooking channel” overhead video-style presentation, a Trust representative effectively demonstrated how the proposed museum at the head of the Main Post did not meet the Secretary of the Interior’s standards for rehabilitating historic buildings. Even though the Trust selected only 5 of the 10 Secretary’s standards as being applicable to their Main Post rehabilitation project, it was an important initial public discussion of how the Secretary of the Interior’s standards were relevant and applicable to the Presidio, a national park and National Historic Landmark District. Many audience members expressed their appreciation to the Trust for the presentation.

Trust representatives were unapologetic, however, about the time, money and effort spent on promoting the proposed action. Representatives went on the say that no one should have interpreted that the proposed Fisher museum was actually the Trust’s preferred action.

The Trust did not explain their decision to choose rehabilitation as a treatment approach for historic buildings, given that the National Park Service has defined four different possible approaches: preservation, rehabilitation, restoration and reconstruction. A careful read of these approaches suggests that large scale new construction is not the intent of the Secretary’s standards for the treatment of historic buildings. Instead, the standards do seem to contemplate “related new construction” that “will not destroy historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property.”

There are also extensive Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Archeological and Historic Preservation. These standards, while relevant to the Presidio and the Main Post, were not discussed at the meeting.

–Doug Kern

Tags: , , , , , ,

Tags: Conflict, New Construction by Doug
No Comments »

Update on Presidio History

I wanted to clarify a point made on my Presidio History post. I noted that in 1906, Funston took command of the city. I did understand that martial law was not declared and that the things he did at that time, the city did ask him to do. I have modified my post to now read “1906 Funston, in command of the Presidio, provides leadership when 1906 earthquake hits.”

I am happy to make this clarification and appreciate the comment.

–Doug Kern

Tags: , ,

Tags: History by Doug
No Comments »

Presidio Historic Context

In bullet* form:

  • Pre 1776         Ohlone stewardship of Presidio
  • 1776-1792     Spanish occupation, 1st European settlement site within San Francisco
  • 1792-1845     Spanish/Mexican occupation. The colony took on a more permanent character by 1812. With Mexico declaring independence from Spain in 1821 Presidio became a Mexican colony. All later development based on the grid established by the 1812 quadrangle.
  • 1846-1860     Army claims California for United States, takes possession of Presidio.
  • 1849               Gold discovered.
  • 1861-1870     Presidio secures California and gold shipments for United States.
  • 1870-1891     Post Civil War, Army expands Presidio to be a more imposing presence.
  • 1891-1908     Presidio becomes nationally prominent military base.
  • 1898               Spanish American war. Presidio is command center for the Pacific Theater.
  • 1898               First general hospital established (Letterman)
  • 1902               African American units of US Army stationed at the Presidio to patrol California’s national parks before the establishment of the National Park Service.
  • 1906               Funston, in command of the Presidio, provides leadership when 1906 earthquake hits. Presidio is a refugee center after the 1906 earthquake.   
  • 1914-1918     World War I Command center for US Army in the Pacific during World War I.
  • 1915               Symbolizing San Francisco’s rebirth after the earthquake, Presidio is part of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition
  • 1921-1940     Peace and restoration. Army became smaller, post active for training. Doyle Drive constructed to connect with Golden Gate Bridge.
  • 1941-1945     World War II.  Command for Pacific Theater. Major construction period.
  • 1945-1989     Cold War. Korean War. Vietnam. Main Post was the command for Sixth Army. 
  • 1995               Presidio becomes a national park, at that time thought to be dedicated to addressing the world’s most critical environmental, social and cultural challenges.
  • 1996               Presidio Trust Act
  • 2005               Lucas Digital Arts Center opens.
  • 2008               Trust proposes Contemporary Modern Art Museum be built at the head of the main parade ground.
sources: Presidio General Management Plan Amendment, July 1994, PTMP Draft SEIS, June 2008
–Doug Kern

 

Tags: , ,

Tags: History, New Construction by Doug
No Comments »

A Step Back From Main Post SEIS

Many of you are in summer holiday mode…I know that’s where I’ve been since my teaching closed down for the summer. Now with some time off under my belt, I’m focusing on the Main Post SEIS, and the Presidio Trust’s proposed alternative of a contemporary art museum, lodge and theater. How to dig into this weighty and complex set of proposals? First, a step back…

  • I don’t doubt at all that, given its location and importance to our country, history will continue to be made at the Presidio. To best understand how we will all “make history” at the Presidio I’d like to take a brief look at the arc of Presidio history and its relationship to our nation and the world. A simplified version will be enough.
  • Where is our country going? Where would we like it to go?  I’ll list some of the critical issues for current society. Highlighting the Presidio’s history and listing the major challenges we face as a country create the larger context for decision-making at this National Historic Landmark District. What we will see is that the Presidio is, and has always been, a place where concerned people respond to the critical needs of the day.
  • I’d then like to examine goals we might set for our country and the Presidio. Which of these goals are appropriate to tackle in a national park and the Presidio specifically? If we citizens can achieve consensus around these goals, the Presidio’s caretakers will have their mission. The objectives and tasks needed to complete the mission will follow from the goals. Because, after all, we citizens own the national parks. What happens here needs to make sense to us.
  • In that light we might, after very careful consideration, agree to undertake a project in the very heart of the Presidio.  As national park stewards we carry a substantial burden to preserve and protect a national park’s natural and cultural resources for future generations without impairment.
  • Perhaps we’ve done this before, you ask, this visioning process, once or twice over the years? Yes, I know. But, some of us may have lost sight of that vision as new, and potentially distracting, opportunities appear. It is necessary to revisit the vision from time to time to remind ourselves of what we set out to do, the agreements we made with each other and the trust we placed in each other to accomplish our goals.
–Doug Kern
Tags: , , , , ,

Tags: New Construction by Doug
No Comments »