Is San Francisco the New Chicago?

Seems some top politicans in SF would like to think so. Despite the fact that one can easily argue our quality of life is better (our: size and population are about one-fifth, income is higher, poverty is lower, residents with college degrees is higher, and we recycle over three times the rate of Shy-town). Well, that being said, who wouldn't want to follow Chicago's lead? huh. Yup our local San Francisco politicians are visiting The Windy City to glean ideas on how to improve our City By The Bay.

I always think about Chicago reversing the flow of their river, when I think of the city. Crazy northerners. I wonder if Oakland will follow our lead, and look to Chicago for inspiration? Maybe they'll reverse the flow of the Estuary, ha ha. Oh, but gosh, I don't think Oak-town has a major typhoid or cholera epidemic. Rud Hering and the City of Chicago could reverse the flow of the river in 13 years. We can't seem to build a new Bay Bridge span in less than a quarter century.

About said bridge... Originally, the new eastern span was estimated at $1.1 billion to build. The one and only bid in 2004 came in at $1.4 billion (while Cal-Train authorities had estimated a budget of $780 million). Governor Schwarzenegger stopped building at one point due to cost overruns. The FBI investigated allegations of faulty welds pulling 500 pound chunks of the bridge for inspection. The rise in the price of steel (and a few other factors) have caused the estimated build price to skyrocket to $6.3 billion. Opening is slated for 2013- 24 years after the Loma Prieta earthquake.

Did I mention that the new bridge design does NOT have more traffic lanes? But includes a bike lane that will go to Treasure Island? Oh, don't get me started on these things...

On another note in San Francisco, Trinity Plaza on Market Street looks like it will be 1,900 new apartments. That's as many as the total for new housing units added to the city in all but two of the last 15 years.

You think that's large? How about a new $1 billion office tower on the last remaining lot off Times Square in NYC? Yup, on 42nd Street between Seventh Ave and Eighth Ave on the 13-acre plot. Cheers.

image credits: Bay Bridge image from Caltrans on bridgepros.com, 1177 Market St proposed site from Arquitectonica on Archibase.net.