It feels as if the monumental Mission branch of the San Francisco Public Library has been closed ... forever. Even before the pandemic, plans for closing and renovation were discussed in
public meetings. Then came the civic shut down in 2020 and the massive
Carnegie building never reopened. SFPL provided a "temporary" branch on Valencia -- but what's with the library?
Yesterday the powers-that-be, headlined by local city supervisor Hillary Ronen, announced that construction would begin on the massive empty hulk. She's a library user too.
Mission artist Juana Alicia spoke for our neighborhood's endurance. Her mural, which has been commissioned for the restored main stairwell, will feature images of the
nopal, the Mexican cactcus. This prickly fruit serves as an
"emblem of resilience and national identity."The library project was then blessed by the neighborhood Aztec dancers.
At each stage of the renovation project, we've been assured that construction will take 2 years. Will the remodeling be completed by mid-decade? This is San Francisco. I expect delays ...
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