By Ida Mojadad : sfexaminer – excerpt
The famed San Francisco Flower Mart’s new home in Potrero Hill was approved Thursday after a contentious path to relocation.
The Planning Commission unanimously approved construction of a new wholesale flower market between 16th and 17th streets at Mississippi Street, across Interstate 280 from Mission Bay medical facilities.
Vendors at the nearly 100-year-old Flower Mart initially opted to return to their site at Sixth and Brannan streets after developer Kilroy Realty Group converted it into an approved mixed-use development. But, in between clashes over its temporary relocation, concerns emerged over the impact of traffic on the wholesale hub, which relies on truck and vehicle access…(more)
SFMTA has created a traffic nightmare downtown for businesses that rely on parking and deliveries to operate. Many are leaving town taking jobs with them. The Potrero neighborhood is able to accommodate the Flower Mart with easy freeway access and parking, so those jobs will be saved. Reuse of existing buildings will cut costs and limit the environmental impact. This is project is a good solution to a number of problems.