Mission Dispatch

When news was released to the press in mid-January about the sale of the Old Armory for 14.5 million, most of the upset seemed to center around the profession of the new owner, an adult film production company. Yet upon closer examination, it seems the community is really upset at the way the sale was done, low profile with no prior notice.

Valerie Tulier, from State Sen. Carole Migden's Office,
and Sam Ruiz, MNC's ED, lead the rally against Kink.com Feb. 8.
Photo: Jennifer Pickens

When Peter Acworth, the CEO of Kink.com was invited to attend the Mission Merchants Association meeting on Jan. 16, he got an earful of heated discussion from members.

The discussion at the monthly meeting was initially merchants voicing their concerns about the morality of Acworth’s profession. With the purchase of the Old Armory for his productions, Kink is essentially setting up shop only blocks away from an elementary school. Merchants wonder about the type of impact it will have.

While the debate on morality drawing a fine line between what is considered pornographic or erotic is important to note, most of the merchants saw the “quiet sale” to Acworth as yet another misstep by the City of San Francisco.

If this had been the sale of a simple lot or a set of flats there might not be much else to report. But the Old Armory is not just an empty lot or another building in the Mission District. It is a historical landmark, listed on the national registry of historical buildings. It is, over 200,000 square feet.

Despite its present appearance, with broken windows and spots of graffiti, it is difficult to ignore in an area of San Francisco that is rapidly reshaping and space has become more valuable.

The dusty-brick fortress at 1800 Mission Street was completed in 1914 and was the barracks and training facility for the National Guard of California. Upon the departure of the National Guard in 1971 it has been scarcely used.

The City of San Francisco since that time has been the over-seer of the property that is in desperate need of repair.

Various attempts to renovate the Moorish Revival-style structure have failed. A line of potential owners and practical-use ideas have preceded Acworth, they all faced opposition in one form or another.
Toby Levine and others know why. “I was part of a committee in 1980 that gathered together a thorough and extensive review of its potential re-use,” said Levine.

From her perspective as someone who has witnessed the process more than once, “The Planning Commission, the Landmarks Preservation Board and other agencies all have to work together to make a plan succeed,” said Levine.

Unfortunately as she explained the recent history, the Old Armory has not really been able to reach its full potential since the National Guard moved out. This is due to all the discord.

Respected and long-standing enterprises like the Delancey Street Foundation and August Coppola family, among others all approached with ideas.

At the peak of the boom, Eikon — a Dallas-based investment firm presented plans to use the building as a dot.com office complex. That idea met with protest cries of “gentrification.” Now a dreaded word to the ears of Mission residents, the firm was defeated.

Levine explained that what protestors feared was that “outside people would move in just to make money.”

According to a SF Business Times article, Bar-K Inc. took possession of the Old Armory in 2003 from F & F Mission Technology Center as their contract with Eikon to make the site into a telecommunications center went into foreclosure. SF Business Times reported that the unpaid debt with interests and costs on public record totaled $15 million.

Bar-K then made plans to convert the Old Armory interior into market-rate housing. Twelve percent of that conversion would have been designated to affordable housing status as required by city law.
But regardless of the feasibility this and other previous plans, all fell apart amid local opposition in one form or another.

Acworth explained to the merchants at the weekly meeting that Bar-K wanted the sale to proceed without any public debate so to avoid more financial liability.

Levine can understand why Bar-K wanted to sell so urgently. The work that went into putting the housing plans together to present to the Planning Commission was a real effort, according to Levine.

“The architectural firm of Page and Turnbill drew up the designs for the housing. They spent at least a year preparing,” said Levine.

Rich Sucre an architectural historian who works for Page and Turnbill confirmed, “our firm was responsible for that project as historical preservation consultants,” he said.

Sucre also said that Page and Turnbill worked on the effort from 2004 until 2006. Levine said she was thrilled that this was being done, especially with the help of such a respected architectural firm.

Yet, the Landmarks Preservation Board that advises the Planning Commission did not like the idea. “I was very sad that all that work the firm had done and the opportunity presented for the Old Armory was lost,” said Levine.

Levine as well as members of the Mission Merchants Association consider the Mission District to be over-looked a lot and not well treated by the City in many ways. Levine thinks the missed opportunity of much needed housing offered through Bar-K Inc is just one example.

And now, Acworth and Kink.com, his adult film production company will be presenting plans for the Old Armory. Levine speculated, “even if he only does the minimum of renovation, it would still take a lot of time and investment,” she said.

“There is so much involved, the roof needs to be repaired, the asbestos must be removed, the plumbing and water system must be upgraded,” she said. “And if they are a production company making films, then an entirely new electrical system must be installed,” said Levine.

All this of course, must be evaluated and meet approval by the City and other authorities.
Levine wonders if Acworth will be able to manage it. “I would not be surprised if he decides to throw in the towel,” she said.

Meanwhile the Old Armory sits still amid litter and graffiti with broken and boarded up windows.

E-mail Jonathan at jonathanfar@aol.com

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