We are going to stay in San Francisco and talk about the South of Market District, which is better known as SoMa.
Through most of its history, SoMa was primarily an industrial area, serving the shipping industry and providing support services to the Financial District of the city.
SoMa's traditional focus on industry and service has changed dramatically over the past 25 to 30 years. Many single-room occupancy hotels, old apartment buildings, and industrial uses were supplanted by much higher-intensity office, residential, and live/work projects. Nightclubs, restaurants, and design/multimedia (business services) uses moved into the area.
By the end of the 1990s, SoMa had become one of San Francisco's most vibrant neighborhoods with the development of Class A office towers, hundreds of new live/work units, high-rise luxury condominiums and hotels, Yerba Buena Gardens, the Museum of Modern Art, an expansion of Moscone Center, and AT&T Park.
Definitions of the district boundaries vary, but South of Market generally is considered to include the corridor bound by Market Street to the northwest, San Francisco Bay to the northeast, Townsend Street to the southeast, and U.S. Highway 101 to the northwest. Within that broad area there are several sub districts.
The prime office section of SoMa is the South Financial District, which is bound by Market Street, the Embarcadero, Folsom Street, and New Montgomery Street. Other sub-sections of SoMa include South Beach, Rincon Hill, Yerba Buena, the Transbay Terminal area, Showplace Square, and the broad section (usually called Western SoMa) located west of Fourth Street.
Land uses within the sub-section include a mix of small industrial and commercial service buildings; commercial retail buildings focused mostly on home furnishings and design; offices; single-room occupancy hotels; a few motels; old multi-family residential buildings; and more recently-developed mixed-use, live/work, condominium, and loft projects.
Don't know this neighborhood, but had a great time in San Fran about 9 years ago. We went on a family trip there and it was cool to hit the tourist spots and then hit some of the neighborhoods. Always try to do a mix of tourist type things and then just go out and try to find things that aren't on any tourist map.
Was brought here as @zorank featured you in his entry to the Pay It Forward Curation Contest.
I love the contrasting architecture here. Very interesting, thanks :)
SoMa has really changed for the better over the years!
Great post! I was there about 8 years ago. Sadly, many of my photos were lost to Hard Drive corruption... and the backup I had... it's gone, too. :-(
Thanks for sharing.
PS: I've found you because @zorank featured you in his entry for the Pay It forward Contest
Great to meet you trincowski! Glad to hear the word is getting out!
Interesting place to explore @redwood419, it must be a busy place. But.. why there's no green corner? I mean a place where you can do picnic lunch or big tree to keep the air clean?
Hi Cicisaja! I agree with you about the lack of greenery in SoMa. Maybe in a future post I will talk about the Presidio and Golden Gate Park. Tons of greenery in those places!
whooaaaa, that'd would be nice. you know why I asked about the greenery corner at that modern place? I saw many campaigners talking about saving life and energy in other countries, support them to grow and take care of the wood, water resources, while in their own country.. they can't even grow a tree in every corner of the parking lot :D
I have not been there. Your writing skill is very good. Thanks @zorank for choosing this post for payitforward curation contest.
From the title of your post, I thought I am gonna read through crypto techie stuff but I was surprised that it was not.
With the fast industrialization these days, it is not a surprise to see tall buildings popping up here and there especially of course in cities. Based on your photos, I would say the urban planning is still very good in that area because of fairly enough open spaces. I say that is enough because ours here are crowded. Sometimes you have to elbow yourself around. 😃
Thanks for sharing your photos and giving us a quick tour of SoMa. I came across your article through @zorank who featured it on his post as an entry for Pay It Forward Curation Contest. The contest is open to everyone so you are welcome to join.
Wonderful post and fabulous pictures. It's been many years since I've visited San Fran.
I found you thanks to @zorank's entry to the Pay it Forward curation contest. Keep up the great work.
The city looks beautiful! You got some really nice pics. I especially like the older buildings.
I just found your post in the pifc feature by @zorank
Great posting @redwood419. It has been far too many years since I've been to SF. I've always had some part of my family that has lived there for most of my life. The center in the last picture reminds me a lot of one in San Diego. It was odd for that time, but I loved the setup. I think that is one thing I LOVE about California, constantly reinventing itself. In the area I grew up I watched it go from being vacant land to high-end shopping areas with theaters to being run down and now is something completely different. I hardly recognize anything anymore. Thankfully the main streets are still the same or I wouldn't be able to find my way around LOL.
As you know @zorank featured you in this week's @pifc's Pay It Forward Curation Contest. Take a look at the group. We'd love to see you participate at least time to time. I helps you be seen and helps others. Keep On Steemin'