Pneumatic Ping Pong Ball Gun

The pneumatic ping pong ball gun can scare away the undesirables or change them into more playful Mid-Market characters.

Too often the police use force to stop force. In Mid-Market if we begin to meet force and threatening behavior with ping pong balls gentrification will quickly occur.

For Daily Use.

For Occasional Battles.

Back Up Balls

Marshmallow Version.

Glow In The Dark Version

The Gentrification Gate

The Gentrification Gate should be set up in UN Plaza so gathered onlookers can judge how the gentrified Mid-Market locals should look and act. As they walk through it with attempts at the proper style they are cheered or jeered.

The gate could be a temporary sculpture in the image of the Arc de Triomphe.

Sense of Humor

Using a sense of humor to deal with gentrification will work better than approaching the Mid-Market locals with fear. In the blighted area so close to Civic Center it can't get much worse, so using comic methods of dealing with stress and fear regarding change will be worthwhile.

The Gentrification Gate will give locals and passersby a chance to laugh as they act out the right type of person for the neighborhood.

Statues of Obama leading the local ducklings will bring a national portrait of a parent to these kids who won't grow up.

And other comic methods should lead to the right kind of gentrification.

A Mid-Market Police Horse

China As A Model For Change

The Chinese government has used eminent domain for large scale urban renewal projects to house it's hundreds of millions of new urban dwellers. San Francisco has much fewer people to worry about, but large scale change is in order for the Tenderloin and SOMA.

To change our view of China might be best for then we may accept some of their methods. A liberal city like San Francisco would surely do a better job after eminent domain evicts long term owners from their property.

San Francisco is so liberal it's conservative in it's city planning. A revolutionary concept is to take away the rights of property owners in the corridors of development and then emphasize rights in the new developments. Liberalism goes through cycles. It's time to get rid of what's in the way.

May Mayor Gavin Newsom use his power to bring change through Eminent Domain.

A Hutong in Beijing, China.

Beijing 2010

Undeveloped Shanghai - 1990's

Shanghai 2010

Traveler's Row in the Mid-Market Tenderloin

One or more streets in The Tenderloin could become the Khaosan Road of San Francisco.

Wikipedia Excerpt:

"Khaosan Road in Bangkok has developed into a world famous "backpacker ghetto". It offers cheap accommodation, ranging from 'mattress in a box' style hotels to reasonably priced 3-star hotels."

By subsidizing the education of locals in travel-related services they might then support Traveler's Row with souvenir shops, noodle shops and tours etc. This might inspire some people to raise themselves out of the Tenderloin cycle of downward spiral.

By developing a Traveler's Row with the community, tourists and locals will benefit.

Khaosan Road, Bangkok

Housing and Motels in The Tenderloin

Single Room Occupancy Hotels can be ugly and support ugly lifestyles.

Eminent Domain and New Zoning Laws should be used to consolidate the presence of single room occupancy hotels where live many of the transients and drug addicts who bring blight to the community.

Motels in the Tenderloin should be removed to build housing and businesses more suitable for the Civic Center and Mid-Market area.

Single Occupancy Hotels can be turned into youth hostels. A safe and cultural rich travelers row should be developed.

Many single occupancy hotels should be razed to end the tradition of illegal and skid row type living.

The spirit of the endeavor should include a sense of humor and an impression that the structure of the Tenderloin creates much of the problem and many locals will be gentrified by the changes.

Market Street Spanning Building

A building spanning Market Street could be an architectural wonder that redefines the area. Architect Frank Gehry and Rem Koolhaas come to mind.

For parades the viewing stand could be prominent over the flow of marchers. A cafe and restaurant could be put up there over the MUNI lines. Imagine the shape of this building compared to what is there today. Expedite this proposal to a billionaire who can make it happen!

Walt Disney Concert Hall designed by Frank Gehry.

Rem Koolhaas CCTV building in Beijing