The San Francisco call., 1909-10-30
MANY ATTRACTIONS
IN THE RICHMOND
Rapid Growth in District Having
Special Advantages for Res
idence and Business

business district within the last few
years is comprised in what is known
as the Richmond. In this section ther,
are included $50 blocks. Richmond ex
tends from First avenue to the oceaI
and from Fulton street TO Lake
Bounded on the north and south by
large parked areas, it has necessarily
been found profitable for street railwa,
exploitation. AS a consequence it has
several direct lines to Golden Gate
park, two direct lines to the ocean, and
another one projected and practically
completed. but not yet operated, that
extends along the northern boundary
of Golden Gate park, being the Nc
AlIister street line and its extension ii
Fulton street.
MADE RAPID ADVANCE
With the conveyance OF many dimes
in the north side of Golden Gate park
the entire Richmond district has been
familiar TO tens of thousands of San
Francisco people each Sunday and holi-
day for a term of years. The Rich
mond district had a large start prior
TO the fire OF 1906. That disaster, by
q
habited areas Of the city from imme-
diate use, created an instant demand
for new building sites. Land doomed
in Richmond, many new blocks were
cut up. placed on the market and sold,
and then covered with buildings of
good class So a large patronage was
created for the neighbcrhood stores
that existed in Point Lobos avenue,
Clement street and California street.
The creation Of a new business sec
tion is always of large interest in any
city. Richmond is widely separated
from the downtown districts, and that
gave it, at a start, what might be
called neighborhood advantage. Pur-
chasers of small articles found that
they could buy satisfactorily near their
homes. The development of the dis
trict and the large growth OF popula-
ton in Richmond caused an increase
not only in the number of stores, but
also made it feasible to carry large
stocks Of goods of all sorts.
EXTENDS BUSINESS AREA
Richmond has now extended its busi-
ness area, with some small break on
three streets. continuously from First
avenue TO Twelfth avenue. In Clement
street farther out at Nineteenth ave-
nue., and again at Twenty fifth avenue,
there are stores which seemingly are
destined to be the nuclei of separate
business growths, but a part of the
general extension of business along
practically the entire length of Glenn
ent street.
The first street railway to penetrate
the Richmond district was the Geary
street line. which went out Point Lobos
avenue, turned into Fifth avenue and
then TO Golden Gate park A few years
later the line which runs around the
cliffs at Point LobOs was constructed.
Then as a result of the controversy
between the old Market street railway
and Adolph Sutro the line which runs
along Clement street to the ocean.
which originally connected with the
Sutter street road, was built.
INCREASING VALUES
The opening up Of so large a tract Of
land by the street railway necessarily
foreshadowed a large population in the
district. The price of lots jumped i'm
medistely upon the announcement that
the Geary street road would construct
its line to the park from its old ter
minal at the cemetery Each success
sive extension of railway has had the
effect of increasing values. In addition
10 the two large parks, the Preside
and Golden Gate park, that form its
pleasing margins respectively on the
north and south. picturesqueness is
lent to the section by the Preside
terrace. the finely improved Jordan
tract and the scenic settlement at
Bakers beach.
Clement street is the best developed
business street in the Richmond dis
trict UP to date Within the last few
months considerable activity has been
competent TO give to California street,
west of Sixth avenue. and to the east
of the same avenue for a short dis
tance. quite a promising business as
pect. Handsome stores have been
erected there, the street has been i'm
proved, and the entire neighborhood
has taken on favorable look for In
yestors in business properties. North
OF Golden Gate park four streets have
at different times had a number of
stores each. Fulton street. temporarily
eclipsed by the removal OF the chutes,
bids fair to be stimulated by the COM
pletion and operation of the Fulton
street electric railway line. Point
Lobos avenue. favorably situated for
business, has never enjoyed the advan-
tages Of street railway through 1t
farther west than Fifth avenue. ex-
cepting the lines that cross IL at Sixth
and Eighth avenues.
Clement street had the first start in
it's business development and 1t has
continued TO grow in Importance for
20 years. II is now to be compared
with what may be called neighborhood
business streets lying between First
avenue and Fillmore street Along it's
course are churches, branch postof-
fee, q branch bank, a Masonic temple
a hall for miscellaneous gatherings
and u blocks solidly built for the most
part with stores that line both sides
of the street. In these IL blocks there
are only two vacant lots.
ATTRACTION FOR INVESTORS
The growth of realty values, as in
dicated By the rents received for inn
provements. has been sufficiently
marked TO give Richmond great promi-
nence and consideration on the part of
brokers in realty and investors Be
tween Thirteenth and Fourteenth ave-
nues the district is crossed by the
boulevard, now in construction. which
VIII connect the splendid driveways OF
Golden Gate. park and the PresIdfo
The building up of Presidfo heights
took place after Richmond began to
develop. The class of construction
that chaSacterizes Preside heights has
extended into Richmond. Some of the
finest residences and much of the fin
est scenery in the city are Characters
tic of the region bordering on the
south OF the Preside wall. In the new
period OF school building construction.
Richmond has come in for some fine