Mysterious LLC wants to turn Mission's old Social Security building into restaurant, bookstore and events space

"On Dec. 16, the building at 1098 Valencia St. on the corner with 22nd Street sold for $11 million to Alio Management Group, LLC. A week later, on Dec. 23, John Devlin, a real estate attorney representing the new owners, submitted an application with the Planning Department for a bookstore and restaurant on the ground floor, with a stage and event space on the second level. The proposal would require a rezoning."

"The project, which is being designed by a local architecture firm specializing in historic buildings, Page & Turnbull, would uncover the building's skylight and preserve a historical bank vault and door in the basement, as well as wall finishes in the building's lobby area that were built more than 100 years ago. The plan would also replace most of a street-level parking lot behind the building with an outdoor garden, with space for bicycle parking."

"In response to the proposal, the Planning Department asked the applicants for more information about the scope of the project, according to a department spokesperson. Eileen Rinaldi, president of the Valencia Merchants Association and owner of Ritual Coffee, which sits a block away from the site, described the proposal as "promising - unless it's formula retail." Valencia Street merchants have successfully fought off attempts by chain stores to open on the commercial corridor in the past."

The two-story, 14,773-square-foot Hibernia Bank building at 1098 Valencia St., designed in 1924 by architect Artur Brown Jr., was sold on Dec. 16 for $11 million to Alio Management Group, LLC. John Devlin filed an application on Dec. 23 with the Planning Department proposing a ground-floor bookstore and restaurant and an event stage on the second floor, which would require rezoning. Page & Turnbull is designing the project and plans to uncover the skylight, preserve a historic vault and door, and retain original lobby wall finishes. The plan would replace most of a street-level parking lot with an outdoor garden and bicycle parking. The Planning Department requested more information about the project's scope. Local merchants expressed conditional support if tenants are not formula retail.

Read at Mission Local