Stamen has been at the corner of 16th and Mission Streets since 2001, and we’ve seen our share of changes in the neighborhood and on the Plaza. In some ways things are better than they’ve ever been, and in some we still face significant challenges. There are few places anywhere that our current societal dilemmas, contradictions and opportunities are on such stark display. It’s one of the things that I most value about being here; it’s a front row seat to the conversation that San Francisco is having with itself about the future.
I was delighted today to visit in the Plaza this morning with Bevan Dufty, the BART Supervisor whose station 16th and Mission is. We had a good chat about the Plaza & BART and I learned a good bit about the history of the organization and how things are changing, and much to my surprise, when we were done talking, he rolled up his sleeves and got to work picking up trash in the Plaza himself!
Things are looking great out there today as a result. There’s a bigger conversation to be had, involving SFPD, the Pit Stop guys who run the public restroom in the Plaza, SEIU & others. But we’re off to a great start. Thanks Bevan!