Special Dispatch from the Corner of Haight and Ashbury

We have big news today about one of our historic properties!

After an extensive Request for Proposal process, SF Heritage is excited to announce that we are exploring a partnership with public broadcaster KEXP and Blue Bear School of Music to create a new cultural center at the historic Doolan-Larson House and Storefronts on the corner of Haight and Ashbury streets.

The KEXP/ Blue Bear idea creates a welcoming “third space” for year-round daily activation, a rooftop venue for live music and community celebrations, radio broadcast facilities, and a full floor dedicated to individual and group music lessons.

“SF Heritage is the steward of a historic property at the most famous intersection in the world,” said Woody LaBounty, San Francisco Heritage President and CEO. “With KEXP and Blue Bear School of Music, we see an exciting future of preserving the integrity of the Doolan-Larson building, honoring the spirit of the counterculture, and ensuring the Haight Ashbury community thrives both economically and culturally.”

SF Heritage will finalize the adaptive reuse plan with KEXP and Blue Bear over the coming months, soliciting community input and determining feasibility for construction and project financing.

The historic Doolan-Larson House is a landmark of the counterculture and a symbol of San Francisco’s ongoing role as a nexus of cultural and political change. San Francisco Heritage has stewarded the property since 2017 after it was donated by longtime resident and owner Norm Larson. His gift marked the beginning of a years-long, inclusive public process to identify partners for the adaptive reuse and activation of the property. Three teams submitted excellent full proposals in June, and this final selection was made by the SF Heritage board in August.

Any changes made to the building will comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and specific stipulations listed as part of Norm Larson’s gift to SF Heritage.

Read the San Francisco Chronicle article on the announcement

Much more information to come over the next months. There will be many opportunities for public input, questions, and conversation as this exciting project comes together, so stay tuned!

Haight Ashbury Street Fair this Sunday

This Sunday, September 20, is the 47th annual Haight-Ashbury Street Fair, which brings thousands of people to blocks of Haight Street between Stanyan and Masonic to experience live music, art, food, and community.

KEXP and Blue Bear School of Music will be there to share more about their proposal at the Doolan-Larson project, so drop by their booth near the corner of Haight and Ashbury.