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News Release
Jan. 28, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Whitney Hall (Presidio Historical Assn) 707/778-6975, whit...@comcast.net
David Bancroft (Save The Presidio) 415/706-8779, dban...@sideman.com
Gary Widman (Presidio Historical Assn) 415/435-0360, gwi...@mindspring.com
www.presidioassociation.org // www.savepresidio.blogspot.com
www.savethepresidio.org//
Groups Support Supervisors’ Bid to Locate Fisher Art Museum in San Francisco
Critics of Gap founder Donald Fisher’s plans to build a large, contemporary
art museum on the Main Post of the Presidio applauded the San Francisco Board
of Supervisor’s 9-2 vote last night approving a Resolution urging Fisher to
locate the museum within the City limits rather than in the Presidio, a
historic national park.
The Resolution, sponsored by San Francisco Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier,
states that “...the Fisher Art collection would be a valuable public addition
to the civic well-being of San Francisco,” and urges the city government to
“work with the Fisher family to evaluate alternative locations for the museum
within the City.”
“The Presidio Historical Association fully supports Mr. Fisher’s art museum
being located in the City of San Francisco, and would work with the City to
make that happen,” said Gary Widman, the group’s President. “Placing the
museum in the City removes the threat to the Presidio’s historic integrity.”
The Historical Association has strongly opposed building the art museum on
the Presidio’s historic Main Post. The Presidio was founded as a
military garrison by Spanish explorers in 1786. It is home to one the
the largest military cemeteries in the country, and is a designated National
Historic Landmark district within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area
(GGNRA).
Neighborhood groups who oppose placing the museum in the Presidio, charging
it will overwhelm public transit and create traffic and parking burdens,
praised the Supervisors’ action.
Lori Brooke, President of the Cow Hollow Association, said her group is very
pleased with the Board of Supervisors' Resolution. "This
Resolution shows the Supervisors have heard and responded to their
constituents, who have voiced many concerns about the Fisher museum being
built in the Presidio. We agree that the museum belongs in the City,
near other cultural institutions already served by MUNI, BART and
ferries."
Margot Parke of the Pacific Heights Residents Association, said, “We applaud
Sup. Alioto-Pier’s Resolution to locate the Fisher museum in the City, where
it can be easily accessed by public transit. We strongly support this
suggestion.”
The Marina Community Association has also expressed support for locating the
museum within San Francisco city limits.
David Bancroft, a founder of the advocacy group Save The Presidio, said his
organization also welcomed the Board of Supervisors’ resolution. “We ask the
City to quickly form a task force to identify first-class sites for the
Fisher art museum, sites within the City limits that are free of the
design constraints required to build on the Presidio,” said Bancroft. “We
look forward to working together to cut through red tape, expediting the
construction of this facility within the City of San Francisco,” he said.
The full text of the Resolution is available through San Francisco Sup.
Alioto-Pier’s office.
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