Tonga Room SF (Not) to be demolished? - General Tiki

N Norcal_Kahuna Tiki Centralite San Francisco Joined: Sep 08, 2009 Posts: 19	N Norcal_Kahuna Posted posted on Mon, Mar 22, 2010 1:37 PM On 2010-03-12 11:09, martiki wrote: Folks, I understand your concern. Yes, of course it makes sense to have the event at the Tonga. EXCEPT: The management of the Tonga DOES NOT SUPPORT the effort to save it. So while it's certainly important for all of us to support the Tonga by drinking there, they do not want a preservationist standing up in the middle of the bar and saying, "Hi Fairmont- I'm the guy who has fucked up your plans and cost you thousands in delays in your scheme to turn this bar into luxury apartments for the super rich." Do you see why the Fairmont might not want to be on board with that? I have friends who have talked with the developers - they are NOT pleased about this situation. Make sense? Martin, I am with you on this. As the person responsible for organizing this event I have been subjected to pressure to back down, with the developer evening threatening my business. There have been plenty of drink-ins at the Tonga Room. It is great to give the Tonga Room business but what we are trying to do is to get it landmarked, which is going to completely turn the tables on the developer. Having the event at Smugglers Cove will allow us to gather the signatures that we need to do this without the interference of the management. Martin has generously allowed us to use his bar for this event and for that I will be eternally grateful. Furthermore, addressing John-O: SOS Tonga has enjoyed great publicity up in the Bay Area with spots on KQED's Forum with Michael Krasny, as well as two columns (one by John King and the other by John Carroll) in the San Francisco Chronicle, one in the San Francisco Examiner, postings on dozens of widely read blogs like SF Grubstreet, Curbed SF, etc. The latest is a write up in the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Preservation Magazine coming out in April, which will take the story nationally. This is a volunteer effort. Everyone involved in this has other things going on in their lives. Based on what else is going on in our lives, I think we have garnered a lot of publicity, nearly all of it positive. In addition, we are actually doing something that may, just maybe, stop the demolition of the Tonga Room and get it recognized as a local landmark. As a reminder, please remember to come out tomorrow night (March 23rd) to Smugglers Cove from 5-7 to sign some petitions and enjoy some cocktails.

On 2010-03-12 11:09, martiki wrote:
Folks, I understand your concern. Yes, of course it makes sense to have the event at the Tonga. EXCEPT: The management of the Tonga DOES NOT SUPPORT the effort to save it. So while it's certainly important for all of us to support the Tonga by drinking there, they do not want a preservationist standing up in the middle of the bar and saying, "Hi Fairmont- I'm the guy who has fucked up your plans and cost you thousands in delays in your scheme to turn this bar into luxury apartments for the super rich." Do you see why the Fairmont might not want to be on board with that? I have friends who have talked with the developers - they are NOT pleased about this situation.

Make sense?

Martin, I am with you on this. As the person responsible for organizing this event I have been subjected to pressure to back down, with the developer evening threatening my business. There have been plenty of drink-ins at the Tonga Room. It is great to give the Tonga Room business but what we are trying to do is to get it landmarked, which is going to completely turn the tables on the developer. Having the event at Smugglers Cove will allow us to gather the signatures that we need to do this without the interference of the management. Martin has generously allowed us to use his bar for this event and for that I will be eternally grateful.

Furthermore, addressing John-O: SOS Tonga has enjoyed great publicity up in the Bay Area with spots on KQED's Forum with Michael Krasny, as well as two columns (one by John King and the other by John Carroll) in the San Francisco Chronicle, one in the San Francisco Examiner, postings on dozens of widely read blogs like SF Grubstreet, Curbed SF, etc. The latest is a write up in the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Preservation Magazine coming out in April, which will take the story nationally. This is a volunteer effort. Everyone involved in this has other things going on in their lives. Based on what else is going on in our lives, I think we have garnered a lot of publicity, nearly all of it positive. In addition, we are actually doing something that may, just maybe, stop the demolition of the Tonga Room and get it recognized as a local landmark.

As a reminder, please remember to come out tomorrow night (March 23rd) to Smugglers Cove from 5-7 to sign some petitions and enjoy some cocktails.

Post #519131 by Norcal_Kahuna on Mon, Mar 22, 2010 1:37 PM