Table Of ContentD
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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.
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Coverphotoscourtes\oj'buemookuhandDavid Yu.BackcoverphotocourtesyofToddLappin.
02013SanFranciscoPlanningDepartment
1650MissionStreet.Suite400
SanFrancisco,CA94103-3114
www.stptanntng.org
3 1223 10056 0607
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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 neighbor-
hood, 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 improve-
ments 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
