On 2010-05-22 12:53, JenTiki wrote:

On 2010-05-20 23:33, Otto wrote:
let's start an unofficial Tonga Room Tiki night!

...

I propose the second Wednesday of EVERY month be our Tonga Room day.
Monday is too early in the week, Tuesday is TC night at Smuggler's Cove, Thur/Fri are party nights in SF and it might be crowded and we might not stand out as much, SECOND Wed because I have a FIRST Wed of the month DJ gig at Forbidden Island.

We could kick it off June 9?
July 14, Aug 11, Sep 8, Oct 13, Nov 10, Dec 8, Jan 12, etc

All those in favor say "Aye!"

Aye!

Its about the here and now. Life changes. Before there was no Forbidden Island, but now!!
Lets enjoy the Tonga Room while we still have it!

It doesn't all sound promising. I would love to join in a Tiki night! Even though I live on the wrong coast.
(From my birthday on May 16)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/05/24/ED471DIOU9.DTL letter to the editor was published:

On 2010-05-20 23:33, Otto wrote:
let's start an unofficial Tonga Room Tiki night!

I'll start it off easy - one night a month when Tiki Centralites and Tiki fans converge on the Tonga Room wearing your finest Aloha wear and imbibe and take pictures to share with the world

Once we agree on the night of the month and the opening night, I will start a separate thread for this.

Let's also determine goals and wishes for the event

I would like the Tonga Room management to add a sign in book like they have at hotels, gallery exhibits, weddings so that visitors to the Tonga Room can sign in and post their grief over this situation since we are not getting quoted in the paper like Robert Varni.

I would like to see individual nights sponsored by groups or businesses so that every Tiki guest who shows up that night receives something such as a discount coupon or free Tiki Farm swizzle stick (hint Holden!)

I would like people from Tiki Central who may not have met other Tiki Centralites to have one more opportunity to bond with their fellow Tiki fans

I would like my last memories of the Tonga Room to be memories filled with meeting friends there!

I propose the second Wednesday of EVERY month be our Tonga Room day.
Monday is too early in the week, Tuesday is TC night at Smuggler's Cove, Thur/Fri are party nights in SF and it might be crowded and we might not stand out as much, SECOND Wed because I have a FIRST Wed of the month DJ gig at Forbidden Island.

We could kick it off June 9?
July 14, Aug 11, Sep 8, Oct 13, Nov 10, Dec 8, Jan 12, etc

All those in favor say "Aye!"

AYE!!! June 9th, I'm there!

Looks like my husband and I are going to make a pilgrimage to the Tonga Room in July (can't swing it earlier). i think we are going to fry up, stay at the Fairmont and make a weekend getaway out of it. I am totally unfamiliar with SF so if anyone has any tips for another (cheaper) place to stay that is walking distance from Tonga, please PM me.

catmomma -

Stay at the Fairmont. Period.

Reserve a room up in the "Tower" overlooking the bay - the view alone is worth the price of admission - you will not regret it.

The Fairmont building interior is stunning - a time capsule of elegance...the Nob Hill location is stunning - the Fairmont is at the top... North/South and East/West cable car routes directly accessible from Fairmont's sidewalks...The Tonga Room is an extra "bonus" readily accessible.

Be sure to book reservations for dinner in advance at the Tonga Room. That way you will be seated at your designated time and you will not have to stand in line. There was a line just to have drinks in the bar area constantly my whole stay at the hotel.

Save the money, spend the money and do it right. It will be an experience you will NEVER forget!! I hope this helps. Cheers! G

Thanks TikiG. I stayed at a Fairmont In Vancouver last year and it was a wonderful place. The rates at the SF one really are not that bad for it's location and history. Plus being in the same building at the Tonga room is just too handy. Thanks for the tip and I will be booking it asap.

Let me hear a lot more "AYEs" for June 9th people! Tiki Centralites represent!!!

Just booked my trip. Expedia had a deal on airfare and a weekend at the Fairmont. Looks like I will finally get to see the Tonga room on July 10th!

Yay!!

OK, let's party at the Tonga Room this Wednesday, June 9, 6 - 8pm! (some people will want to leave by 8 because of the band and cover fee?)
I will get there around 6:30

In my first post I listed some goals/wishes, one is:
I would like to see individual nights sponsored by groups or businesses so that every Tiki guest who shows up that night receives something such as a discount coupon or free Tiki Farm swizzle stick (hint Holden!)

I will sponsor the first gathering by offering Tiki Oasis matches to everyone in a Hawaiian shirt OR who says they are from Tiki Central

thought I better move this thread over to Calif Events

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=36733&forum=17&0

this thread should remain as the historical tracking of the demise of the Tonga Room, the thread above can be used for tracking of our gatherings there and our new memories we make!

On 2010-06-08 00:07, Otto wrote:
thought I better move this thread over to Calif Events

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=36733&forum=17&0

this thread should remain as the historical tracking of the demise of the Tonga Room, the thread above can be used for tracking of our gatherings there and our new memories we make!

Not so fast! SOS Tonga has successfully convinced the City that the Tonga Room is a "historic resource" whose demolition can not be mitigated through taking a few photos and sending the remains to a warehouse in Oakland. Its demise is not inevitable.

Anyway, I just wanted to post some info. about the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) and what you all can do to ensure that the Tonga Room is retained in the Fairmont Hotel project. This is a technical document that addresses many different topics, including cultural and historical resources (the Tonga Room now officially has this status).

Leaving aside legal nuance, the EIR contains language that would compel the developer to keep the Tonga Room as part of the new project.Avoiding much of the detail, we need you to write a letter to or email Devyani Jain, SF Planning Department, Major Environmental Analysis, 1650 Mission Street, Ste. 400, SF, CA 94103 (email [email protected]) saying that you agree with the basic findings of the Draft EIR that the Tonga Room is a cultural resource eligible for listing in the California Register, that its demolition can't be mitigated, and that it should be retained on site in the Fairmont Hotel, preferably where it is, but at the very least in the new podium structure as it is described in Alternative B2.

The deadline for sending your comments on the DEIR to Planning (see message below) is June 16 (next Wednesday). Also, there is a public hearing on the Fairmont Hotel at the Planning Commission tomorrow (Thursday, June 10) after 1:30 PM where you can submit your comments on the Fairmont Hotel DEIR in person.

We have posted SOS Tonga's letter on our website: sostonga.com

This is good news.

Keep up the good work, let's hope it can be saved!

Another Tonga Room article:

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/san_francisco&id=7488202

Thortiki

Does anyone know what happened at Thursday's planning commission meeting?

I just sent an email to the email address you listed. Hope it helps! Dare we have hope?

Any updates?

On 2010-07-01 09:08, TikiPug wrote:
Any updates?

Hi All,

Things have been a bit slow on the Save the Tonga Room front for a number of reasons, not least of which is that I finished up one business and started a new one (preservation architecture), and also because are in a bit of a lull with the conclusion of the comments period for the environmental impact report for the Fairmont Project.

So, next steps.....we are not awaiting the publication of the responses to comments on the adequacy of the EIR and a whole new round of hearings will commence once that occurs.

But, in the meantime Save the Tonga Room wants to organize a very civilized (or maybe not so civilized) drink-in/occupation of the Tonga Room some evening on the week of August 30-September 5. We obviously can not publicize this very far and wide because the Fairmont people monitor the Facebook page, so beside here, I am trying to do this word of mouth.

Anyhow, our concept for the event is very simple; we have a store on cafepress.com where you can buy a t-shirt for 15 dollars (trust me, we are not making a profit on these) a couple weeks in advance of the event. Here is the link to our store: http://www.cafepress.com/SOSTonga Then early during the week of the event, we will send out the exact day and time to begin assembling at the Tonga Room. We have to do this kinda underground style because the Fairmont goons will try to stop it if they find out about it.

So, this is how it works. Once you have the day to show up, come to the Tonga Room wearing your Save the Tonga Room t-shirt beneath a jacket, sweatshirt, or anything that conceals it from prying eyes. Ask for a table for your party, even if that means dinner (sorry!) and sit down and order drinks. Then at a pre-arranged time, everyone will remove their outer garment to show off their Save the Tonga Room t-shirts. Whatever happens after that is up to us. As long as we remain civilized, there is nothing that they can do.

I am working to get members of the press there to cover this protest. If it is a success, we will do it again and again.

Please help me and forward this information to people you know who might be interested!

Mahalo,

Chris VerPlanck

Make sure you let the local press know (at least those who can keep a secret)!

this info was posted elsewhere but wanted to capture it to this thread

To Whom It May Concern:

On behalf of the San Francisco Planning Department, below is a link to the 950 Mason Street – Fairmont Hotel Project Comments and Responses (C&R) document. You are receiving this notice because you submitted a comment via e-mail during the Draft EIR comment period for this project.

The C&R document is available online at:

http://www.sfplanning.org/index.aspx?page=1828

Please contact Devyani Jain at (415) 575-9051 or via e-mail at [email protected] with any questions or comments.

Susan Yogi
Associate | Environmental Planner
Design + Planning
D +1 415.955.2841
[email protected]

AECOM
150 Chestnut Street
San Francisco, CA 94111 USA
T +1 415.955.2800 F +1 415.788.4875
http://www.aecom.com

So is this a done deal then? Looks like they'd also have to store a lot of other historic features of the hotel (aside from the Tonga Room) if they are going ahead with the "revitalization." That doesn't seem very economical.

I read through it quickly and it does say the Tonga Room is a cultural historical resource and thus should not be demolished - which is good.

It proposed as a top alternative to do nothing - i.e. not do the project. The other 2 choices involve relocating the tonga room (including the lagoon) to another part of the fairmont, both of which would be a big pain in the ass to do and would not satisfy the goal of the project. I was pleased to note that the biggest issue SF now has with the Fairmont Project is the destruction of the Tonga Room. The Fairmont may decide to not do the project, or to revise the architectural drawings to renovate the Fairmont without touching the Tonga Room.

Is anyone going to the hearing on the 21st?

The analysis is pretty much exactly what we were hoping for...

Tonga Room
Impact CP-1b The proposed project would cause a substantial adverse change in the significance
the Tonga Room, an historic resource (Significant and Unavoidable Impact)
[Criterion D.a]
The Tonga Room is located in the existing podium structure proposed to be demolished as part of the
proposed project. The proposed demolition would remove all character-defining features of the Tonga
Room and this would constitute a substantial adverse change. Relocation of the Tonga Room is not part
of the proposed project.
The Tonga Room is not specifically included in the 2001 NRHP nomination of the Fairmont Hotel.
However, as previously discussed on p. IV.D-24, based on the HRE prepared by Knapp Architects and
the HRER prepared by the Planning Department57, the Tonga Room appears to be eligible for the CRHR.
The proposed demolition of the Tonga Room would therefore be considered a significant impact to a
historic resource under CEQA.
57 These documents are available for review at the Planning Department, 1650 Mission Street, Suite 400, as part of
Case No. 2008.0081E
IV. Environmental Setting, Impacts, and Mitigation
D. Cultural and Paleontological Resources
Draft EIR IV.D-37 950 Mason Street Fairmont Hotel
Case No. 2008.0081E Revitalization and Residential Tower Project
A survey and documentation for the Historic American Building Survey (HABS) (or similar level of
photo documentation) would preserve a record of the Tonga Room (See Mitigation Measure M-CP-1b,
pp. IV.D-37 to IV.D-39). However, this mitigation measure would not reduce the impact to a less-thansignificant
level. The proposed project would result in a significant and unavoidable impact to the Tonga
Room, even with the implementation of Mitigation Measure M-CP-1b.
Alternatives to the proposed project as they pertain to the Tonga Room are discussed in more detail in
Chapter VI, Alternatives.
M-CP-1b: HABS Level I Documentation,

I wish I were in the SF area, I would go to the hearing. Keep us posted.

New article:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/21/BAID1FVHF1.DTL

A compromise deal that could save the Fairmont Hotel's historic Tonga Room from demolition could be in place today when the City Planning Commission meets to decide the fate of the hotel's $130 million renovation and construction plan.

The hotel has a letter of intent "with a local successful restaurateur who will buy the Tonga Room and move it to a new, as-yet-undetermined site," said Sam Lauter, a consultant for the hotel.

Another on-line article today from SF Channel 7

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/san_francisco&id=7738561

The article indicates the "BAR" made be bought & moved to a new location by a local restaurant owner. So what happens to the rain effect, decor & the POOL etc. etc. IF this alternative happens???

Thortiki

Yeh, I'm wondering about that too. How can you move the Tonga Room and it still be the Tonga Room??
The Tonga Room has so many unique elements that make it so great. If they did an exact copy with the same layout and of course the rain, Lagoon, Huts, Long House and so on, then that would be perfect.
If they just dismantle all the decor and pieces and then put them in another place with a different set up, design, size, and different decor, it wouldn't be the same at all.

It would be just be a bar that has decor and pieces FROM The Tonga Room. We all know how most of these reno's or moves go. Alot of stuff would probably never make it to the new location. I guess it really depends on who does it and how they do it.

Don't get me wrong here, saving The Tonga Room or atleast just one piece from the Tonga Room is for sure worth it, it just sounds a little scary "moving" the Tonga Room. Sounds real scary without it existing though too.

TabooDan

On 2010-10-22 06:56, TabooDan wrote:
Yeh, I'm wondering about that too. How can you move the Tonga Room and it still be the Tonga Room??
The Tonga Room has so many unique elements that make it so great. If they did an exact copy with the same layout and of course the rain, Lagoon, Huts, Long House and so on, then that would be perfect.
If they just dismantle all the decor and pieces and then put them in another place with a different set up, design, size, and different decor, it wouldn't be the same at all.

It would be just be a bar that has decor and pieces FROM The Tonga Room. We all know how most of these reno's or moves go. Alot of stuff would probably never make it to the new location. I guess it really depends on who does it and how they do it.

Don't get me wrong here, saving The Tonga Room or atleast just one piece from the Tonga Room is for sure worth it, it just sounds a little scary "moving" the Tonga Room. Sounds real scary without it existing though too.

I AGREE TabooDan!. Well the preservation group has just put off a final decision on the Tonga Room until LATE JANUARY 2011. They stated again they have this buy letter of intent from a mystery??? restaurant owner. IF the Tonga Room II comes about will it just be a name in another location??? A BIG part of its appeal is what it is where it is(Fairmount Hotel). Thortiki

Lots of talk in the press after a hearing last week

Please go to this blog and let Chris know that someone cares about the Tonga Room

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2010/10/tonga_room_execution_stayed_do.php

On 2010-10-23 07:52, Thortiki wrote:

I AGREE TabooDan!. Well the preservation group has just put off a final decision on the Tonga Room until LATE JANUARY 2011. They stated again they have this buy letter of intent from a mystery??? restaurant owner. IF the Tonga Room II comes about will it just be a name in another location??? A BIG part of its appeal is what it is where it is(Fairmount Hotel). Thortiki

And that is why everyone should go there now

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=36733&forum=17&hilite=tonga%20room

well I posted on Chris' blog. Seems like pretty many people weighed in. I didn't read all the replies so I wasn't sure what percentage were for the Tonga vs. against. But I saw alot of positive support for saving the Tonga.

No one has posted this yet but i found this article on SF Gate about the new owner

http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/paololucchesi/2010/10/22/peter-scully-is-the-mystery-man-in-line-to-take-over-the-tonga-room/

Cut and pasted from the website (just in case it disappears)

As an addendum to the earlier post about the Tonga Room, it should be noted that the mystery restaurateur and nightclub owner in question is none other than Peter Scully.

Scully is a partner in places like Bin 38 and The Republic in the Marina, as well as Broadway nightclub Apartment 24. He’s also the founder of 38 North, ” a nightlife promotions company with an unparalleled reputation for the best events in San Francisco.”

To recap: Scully has signed a letter of intent with the Fairmont to buy and move the Tonga Room to an undisclosed location. The final decision whether that will actually happen won’t take place until the Planning Commission meets again in January.

He says that if the deal does indeed go through, he’d want to reopen the Tonga Room in an offsite location with everything as closely intact to the original as possible.

“That’s the goal. If it’s the Tonga Room, I want to make it as exact or close to the same, and I sure as hell am gonna try to do that, 1000%,” he says, noting that ideally, it would include the pool, too, though it might not be as deep.

He doesn’t have a space in mind quite yet, since it’s not even a done deal yet, but even though the desire for a pool might limit the search, he says there are a lot of available spaces nowadays.

I wouldn't be surprised if I see all the Tonga shit on Ebay next year.

GO PAY YOUR RESPECTS TO THE TONGA NOW!

RIP TONGA!

(I'm guessing 3 months)

Disturbing news, Tonga Room fans. You know the "Paradise Is Just Around The Corner" sign?

(Tonga Room Sign on Powell Street by deanv41, on Flickr)

It appears to have been painted over. :(

(Noticed tonight while waiting across the street w/ the family for the Powell-Mason. Maybe it was just a trick of the light? Or my vision is going? Or they're repainting it in more vibrant colors? Yeah, that's it... sniff)

On 2010-10-23 07:52, Thortiki wrote:

On 2010-10-22 06:56, TabooDan wrote:
Yeh, I'm wondering about that too. How can you move the Tonga Room and it still be the Tonga Room??
The Tonga Room has so many unique elements that make it so great. If they did an exact copy with the same layout and of course the rain, Lagoon, Huts, Long House and so on, then that would be perfect.
If they just dismantle all the decor and pieces and then put them in another place with a different set up, design, size, and different decor, it wouldn't be the same at all.

It would be just be a bar that has decor and pieces FROM The Tonga Room. We all know how most of these reno's or moves go. Alot of stuff would probably never make it to the new location. I guess it really depends on who does it and how they do it.

Don't get me wrong here, saving The Tonga Room or atleast just one piece from the Tonga Room is for sure worth it, it just sounds a little scary "moving" the Tonga Room. Sounds real scary without it existing though too.

I AGREE TabooDan!. Well the preservation group has just put off a final decision on the Tonga Room until LATE JANUARY 2011. They stated again they have this buy letter of intent from a mystery??? restaurant owner. IF the Tonga Room II comes about will it just be a name in another location??? A BIG part of its appeal is what it is where it is(Fairmount Hotel). Thortiki

As dubious as it sounds, I this could be another lease on life for the Tonga Room. The Fairmont will demolish the Tonga Room for another conference room where they can hold weddings at $150.00 per head, so anyone who will invest in the future of the Tonga Room, is a White Knight!