Apple's new Union Square store will not even reach fountain of controversy

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 58
    I think the fountain will look better with less stairway surrounding it. The closeup photos of the fountain are interesting, the long view much less so.
  • Reply 42 of 58
    icoco3icoco3 Posts: 1,474member


    If the fountain is so great, why is it hidden behind the buildings.  Just move it out into Union Square where it belongs....if it is so great. image

  • Reply 43 of 58
    onhkaonhka Posts: 1,025member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by hill60 View Post


    Drawing on my skills as a Photoshop Pixelmator drawing guy and past experience as a boy scout, I have prepared a diagram showing the fountain and stuff:-


     


     




     


    And as stated in this article, "As originally reported by Apple retail watchdog IFOAppleStore, the outline of the new store (shown in the city assessor?s map of the block, below) would actually return considerably more space to the plaza area than it would take back."


     


    Just an idea, perhaps Apple should consider turning their proposed plan 90°, there by, chopping of the corner and reducing the storefront on Post Street, and running it back towards the side of the Grand Hyatt. In fact, connecting the two buildings, would be a win-win for both enterprises. The fountain would be better exposed, as well as both the Hyatt Hotel and the  Apple Store from a different angle. I would even suggest going a little further, i.e., put a roof-top garden/bar/garden on the Apple Store.


     


     


     


     


                 


     


     


              


     


     


      

  • Reply 44 of 58
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Apple's building two stores within two blocks of each other.


     


    And yet I can't get a store closer than two and a half hours' drive from here.


     


    Never mind poor Ireland, which is the center of European operations and doesn't even have its own store.


     



    Originally Posted by djones34 View Post

    …there is going to be this monolithic aluminum-looking, harsh, wall on Stockton. It will completely change the character there and won't fit in with the rest of the surrounding architecture.


     


    Right; it's going to take the area from "butt-ugly hideous fountain" to "sleek, gorgeous, futuristic building".






    The people who live and work in this area are the real experts and they (we) are upset.



     


    No, you're not.

  • Reply 45 of 58

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by isaidso View Post



    Not a single one of those pictures helps me orient how I'm looking at what.

    I don't know wat I'm lookin' at.


     


    It helps to have been there (I was there just last week on business; my hotel room was down Powell a bit, so it was easy to orient.)


     


    Basically, the hack/critic was whining about a fountain that you can't even see from Union Square (that big green patch in the middle of the image - the Levi's store is off the upper-RH corner of it).


     


    Funny enough? Playing tourist there, I never even saw the fountain they're talking about... because I never bothered walking uphill along Stockton past that corner of the Square. Few others do either (as DED mentioned - it's shaded most of the day - unless it's a very hot day, why go look at stuff in the shade?)


     


    IMHO, and from personal experience, they need to replace the Levi's Store anyway... there's nothing to draw the eye (let alone the body and pocketbook) up in that direction. Given the plethora of panhandlers in the Square anyway, walking up that way doesn't look very safe at all to the untrained/unfamiliar visitor. Park something big, glassy, and (most importantly) busy up there, and I bet the corner gets a lot more attention.

  • Reply 46 of 58


    The plaza location is in almost complete shadow and is a complete waste of space. Nobody hardly even goes there with the nearby and more inviting Union Square around the corner. That entire plaza should be scrapped and rethought. Move the fountain somewhere else.

  • Reply 47 of 58
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Onhka View Post


    Just an idea, perhaps Apple should consider turning their proposed plan 90°, there by, chopping of the corner and reducing the storefront on Post Street, and running it back towards the side of the Grand Hyatt. In fact, connecting the two buildings, would be a win-win for both enterprises. The fountain would be better exposed, as well as both the Hyatt Hotel and the  Apple Store from a different angle. I would even suggest going a little further, i.e., put a roof-top garden/bar/garden on the Apple Store.



     


    Alternatively, what if they moved the Genius Bar and till areas to the joining wall with the Hyatt Hotel (as they would with your revolving idea), then had both the Post Street side and the plaza side as walls of glass.  That'd let loads of light through into the plaza, and could look pretty awesome to boot.

  • Reply 48 of 58
    mgablipmgablip Posts: 1member
    Certainly like the idea of apple moving spaces away from the unending construction and closer to the garage, but i will definately miss those steps if they tear them out.
    For many, many years that has been a place to have a seat and get away from the hordes of people in union square. it is a great little place to hide. every time I sit there I think to myself how nice the spot is with the fountain and partially shaded areas and can never quite believe it is not more crowded.

    if apple kept it, i think people would use it more. it would be full of people using their apple products. obviously, i understand that the triangle is half the space, but apple building another ugly glass box is lame. Not sure if i understand why other cities have these beautiful apple stores (especially oversees), and here in SF we get the strip mall version.

    whatever happened to the old diesel store on market and castro? that should be real convenient given all the parking options over there.

    btw. that is me sitting on the steps. and thanks for the tidbit on the garage being the first. i never knew that.

  • Reply 49 of 58
    brianbrian Posts: 7member
    Thank you. I see you as an actual journalist. You are one of the few tech writers who's name catches my eye.

    Have you any idea why all the other 'news' sources reported the fountain story without actually looking into it? This is a common problem in any area of reporting, not just tech. Politics and health issues come to mind. The whole industry reported on an unsubstantiated newspaper article as if it were meaningful. I I have no doubt they confuse mastubatory fantasies with actual sex, too.

    And the original thesis sounded just like a modern version of The Fountainhead, no less. Their BS meters didn't go off? They didn't care? They clearly shared the original attitudes of the original writer? Where were the editors?

    The fountain issue is small and not too important. The issue that is important is what is going on in journalism.

    Of course the city government fell for it too but I don't expect them to have any attachment to truth.

    [I also found your recent article on iOS 7 useful--including your well thought out criticisms/suggestions regarding Apple.]
  • Reply 50 of 58
    jfc1138jfc1138 Posts: 3,090member


    Love the current boarded up window theme.

  • Reply 51 of 58
    I like the fountain a lot -- SF native here -- but always thought it was oddly placed. When it was originally constructed, the controversy was that the plaza was awful, not the fountain. The fountain means a lot to locals because it was the vision of Ruth Asawa, a much-loved artist who started a tremendous art program in the city's schools. She was a gem, and a wonderful artist. She was an emblem of our city.

    Whether you like the artwork itself or not is irrelevant. What's important is that the fountain has local value and has been part of our landscape for years. I'd love to see the fountain moved, but I could have told you that the day it went in. That plaza is a dark, windy moonscape most days, devoid of people. ANYTHING would be an improvement.
  • Reply 52 of 58
    wrl1001wrl1001 Posts: 1member
    Homely? Do you mind if some disagree? For decades the Ruth Asawa fountain has been a destination for some of us, because of its uniqueness, its ties to San Francisco's people, and its creator.

    How many widely respected artists uniquely associated with San Francisco can you name? The creator of this fountain is one. Read more at http://www.ruthasawa.com/art/pub7.html.

    SF owes its greatness to the unending sights and stories that make it up--so many that we can't expect you or any writer to be aware of them. But how about a little respect for the things you don't know that may add to others' appreciation of what makes up this city?
  • Reply 53 of 58
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Originally Posted by WRL1001 View Post

    Homely? Do you mind if some disagree? For decades the Ruth Asawa fountain has been a destination for some of us, because of its uniqueness, its ties to San Francisco's people, and its creator.



    How many widely respected artists uniquely associated with San Francisco can you name? The creator of this fountain is one. Read more at http://www.ruthasawa.com/art/pub7.html.



    SF owes its greatness to the unending sights and stories that make it up--so many that we can't expect you or any writer to be aware of them. But how about a little respect for the things you don't know that may add to others' appreciation of what makes up this city?


     


    Do you work for the San Francisco Department of Tourism or something? This reads like something out of a pamphlet.


     


    How about owing some of that greatness to the innovations that come out of the area, huh?

  • Reply 54 of 58

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by WRL1001 View Post



    Homely? Do you mind if some disagree? For decades the Ruth Asawa fountain has been a destination for some of us, because of its uniqueness, its ties to San Francisco's people, and its creator.



    How many widely respected artists uniquely associated with San Francisco can you name? The creator of this fountain is one. Read more at http://www.ruthasawa.com/art/pub7.html.



    SF owes its greatness to the unending sights and stories that make it up--so many that we can't expect you or any writer to be aware of them. But how about a little respect for the things you don't know that may add to others' appreciation of what makes up this city?


     


    Ye Gods, dude... Are you a descendant or something? 


     


    IMHO, if you want that fountain to get the credit which you think it deserves, then maybe moving it to where folks can see it without stumbling on it? 

  • Reply 55 of 58
    hill60hill60 Posts: 6,992member
    wrl1001 wrote: »
    Homely? Do you mind if some disagree? For decades the Ruth Asawa fountain has been a destination for some of us, because of its uniqueness, its ties to San Francisco's people, and its creator.

    How many widely respected artists uniquely associated with San Francisco can you name? The creator of this fountain is one. Read more at http://www.ruthasawa.com/art/pub7.html.

    SF owes its greatness to the unending sights and stories that make it up--so many that we can't expect you or any writer to be aware of them. But how about a little respect for the things you don't know that may add to others' appreciation of what makes up this city?

    All I can think of is Harry Callahan.

    Now a fountain with him would be way cooler.

    "Go ahead, make my day".
  • Reply 56 of 58
    sunspot42sunspot42 Posts: 93member


    I live in the city.  I walk past that fountain pretty much every day, going to and/or coming from work.  And I usually hit Union Square on the weekends.


     


    It's a freaking eyesore, and the plaza it's in is a dark, barren, windswept pit even the homeless won't enter.


     


    I'm actually surprised the Hyatt hasn't had the fountain drained and removed already, because it's a huge drowning risk for small children.  The lip on it is quite low and it would be easy for a little kid to climb up on it, trip, and fall straight into the water.  The Hyatt Regency had a kid drown in one of its fountains just a few years back, and they're harder to get into than this thing is.


     


    The criticisms of Apple's building are just idiotic.  The glass wall that has so many idiots' panties in wad faces south.  It'll get little direct sun in the summertime, while providing free heating for the building in the winter.  Not that direct sun in the summertime is a big problem here in San Francisco, where it rarely cracks 75 degrees Fahrenheit on even warm summer days, and where nights routinely get down into the windy mid-50's.  The electronics and customers inside the store will almost certainly be throwing off more heat than the sun will provide.


     


    As for the aesthetics of the thing, it certainly looks better than that hideous Levis building, and it's a far-better use of space.  It's actually less imposing and since it's shorter than the existing structure it will probably open up the Hyatt plaza to receive more sun in the wintertime, which will be welcome.  Maybe it'll prompt the Hyatt to open a cafe or something in the plaza, making use of a currently useless space right in the heart of the city.


     


    I'm not surprised the usual suspects are throwing a fit over it, though.  It's what the politically correct idiots in this city do best.  I'd like to see them all assigned to cleanup duty around the city, to make themselves useful for the first time in their lives.  They could start by shoveling the mountains of human excrement building up on our sidewalks, thanks to the incompetent city government we've got.  It's unfortunately more concerned with idiocy like preserving this hideous fountain than providing basic city services to taxpaying citizens.

  • Reply 58 of 58
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member

    Heh, looks like they might have been listening when I said they should make the plaza side a glass wall too.  Good improvement, and that waterfall is really nice.

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