Hi All,
Chris VerPlanck here of SOS Tonga. Although it should be no surprise, this article in the Chron was complete puff piece submitted by the developer full of their talking points against the Tonga. I wrote this letter to the editor today after reading the article. I also wrote a piece for the Open Forum section. Had to keep it brief, at 200 words, which is tough to do given the complexity of the battle at this point.
Editor, SF Chronicle
I realize that our efforts to designate the Tonga Room are controversial, but I object to the tone of Mr. Wildermuth's article in the May 20th edition.
Mr. Wildermuth fails to acknowledge that the Planning Department recognizes that the Tonga Room is a historic resource. None of the historic preservation commissioners disputed this in the hearing on Wednesday.
Second, Mr. Wildermuth fails to mention that the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) contains two viable preservation alternatives, the superior of which would move the Tonga Room to the new podium structure on Powell Street, at the cost of 18 parking spaces!
Third, Mr. Wildermuth clearly has no understanding of contemporary Bay Area night life. In contrast to what he and the Fairmont developers say, Polynesian Pop/Tiki bars have been experiencing a revival over the last decade. Take it from the Fairmont's own public relations department: “Today, The Tonga Room is riding the wave of the tiki revival and recently has been recognized as one of the nation’s hottest bars…”
The Tonga Room is the best-preserved and most elaborate Polynesian Pop-themed restaurant/lounge spaces left in the United States. Why displace it for more high-end parking? For more, see SOSTonga.com
Sincerely,
Chris VerPlanck
Anyway, the good news is that the Planning Department and most of the Historic Preservation Commissioners agree that the Tonga Room is a historic resource and that boxing it up and storing it is not an appropriate treatment. There is an alternative in the EIR that would preserve the Tonga Room by moving it into the new structure: same size and with the pool and band boat. Of course, the developers don't want to do this because the Tonga Room does not match their concept of a "Classist Modern" 5-star hotel.
These goons don't even know what they have. If they ran it even slightly better than it is now, we would see that place packed every night with locals and turistas.
MOre soon. I am in the process of moving my business, so reports are a little spotty.
Chris V.
On 2010-05-20 17:12, abstractiki wrote:
Here is the article in case the link dies someday we will have a record of what these idiots said.
Is Tonga Room tiki bar in S.F. worth saving?
John Wildermuth, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, May 20, 2010
"(05-20) 10:51 PDT San Francisco -- The future grew a bit dimmer for the Fairmont Hotel's landmark Tonga Room Wednesday as members of San Francisco's Historic Preservation Commission couldn't agree on whether the aging tiki bar was worth saving.
"I'm not hearing any consensus on whether the Tonga Room is significant or not," commission Vice President Courtney Damkroger said. The commission was reviewing the environmental impact report on a Fairmont construction project that could spell the end for the lava walls, ersatz lagoon and twice-an-hour rainstorms that have been part of the tropical-themed room for decades.
The owners of the Fairmont have plans to demolish a 28-story hotel tower and podium built in 1961 and replace it with a 31-story condominium tower and podium. The plans also include remodeling and upgrading the original 1906 Fairmont Hotel building.
That hotel's new plan doesn't include a home for the Tonga Room.
The theme restaurant, which was considered an over-the-top design even in its heyday in the '60s and '70s, would have "no visual, programmatic, or qualitative connection with the classic Beaux Arts building" that makes up the original hotel, the project architect told city planners.
Moving the Tonga Room elsewhere in the hotel also doesn't work, according to the environmental impact report, because it would have to displace such historic spots as the Venetian Room, the Gold Room or the Terrace Room, which all better fit the upscale, five-star hotel image the remodel is designed to invoke.
All might be forgiven if the Tonga Room was making money, but, as the hotel owners told planners, the restaurant "has varied success and an inconsistent attraction mostly on weekends to transient hotel guests and some narrow local constituencies."
That's no surprise to Robert Varni, who lives near the Fairmont and wants to see it upgraded. San Francisco's old tropical-themed restaurants and bars, like Trader Vic's and Zanzibar, had their day and disappeared, he said.
"Tiki bars are no longer where it's at," Varni told the commission. The Fairmont's owners "want to create a five-star hotel and five-star hotels don't have tiki bars."
One possibility would be to disassemble the Tonga Room and see if there are any interested buyers, said Damkroger, who said she sees the restaurant as a potential historic resource for the city.
"I haven't heard anyone making a statement that it has to stay where it is," she said.
But other commissioners worried that fighting to save a hotel bar was moving far afield for people in the historic preservation business.
"We're moving into dangerous territory to tell someone when they have to stay in business," said Commissioner Alan Martinez.
If places like the Tonga Room become a concern of the commission, where does it end? asked Commissioner Karl Hasz.
"The first steak house in the city can never be touched?" he asked. "We're going too far."
The commission had other concerns about the Fairmont project, noting that the new tower would mar the look of the historic hotel, even as the 1961 tower did.
The existing tower doesn't meet current historic preservation standards, "but why is it OK to put something back that doesn't meet those standards either?" asked Commissioner Andrew Wolfram.
The commission agreed to send a letter to the Planning Commission, listing their concerns about the Fairmont project and its environmental impact report.
A public hearing on the report, which will include any concerns about the Tonga Room, is scheduled for the Planning Commission's June 10 meeting."
