Pair of buildings that host beloved deli, seven housing units, readying for sale
“It’s very important that the marketing photos make the units look good,” tenants told in letter
The building on the corner of 22nd and Valencia Streets that houses Lucca Ravioli Co., the last commercial outpost of the Feno family, which has done business in San Francisco for nearly 100 years, appears to be readying for sale.
No, not the parking lot next door that already sold for around $3 million in October — the actual building where the ravioli magic has happened since 1925.
That’s not all: The six-unit apartment building next door at 1102-1106 Valencia, which the Feno family also owns, is apparently up for sale, too.
Residential tenants of both buildings received a letter in mid-December stating that representatives of the commercial real-estate firm NAI Northern California — along with Lucca’s owner, Michael Feno — would walk through their apartments for inspections and photos. Their places, the letter said, must be “clean without personal belongings strewn about.”
“These are marketing photos,” the letter reads. “It’s very important that the marketing photos make the units look good.”
The letter adds: “To help incentivize the tenants, we would like to offer those that do a gift-card.”
Of course, this raises questions over whether these tenants will be shooed out of their places to raise the value of the buildings. Tenants, who declined to be interviewed for this piece, are discussing their options.
A Lucca employee confirmed that the deli will close in spring 2019.
Feno, Lucca’s proprietor, did not return our inquiries. But he did tell us that, through his deli, he strove to “take care of the working class.”
Zillow estimates the Lucca building to be worth around $2.3 million, while the apartment building next door could go for upwards of $4 million, Zillow estimates.
Two doors down, plans are in the works to develop the parking lot into a five-story, 18-unit residential building, perhaps Valencia Street’s first “Ravioli Tower.”
By unloading all of its property on the block, the Feno family seems to be winding down a legacy started by their great-uncle, Francesco Stanghellini, 93 years ago. With San Francisco real estate being a seller’s market, some of the older owners are cashing in.
The family that started 24th Street’s celebrated La Victoria bakery in 1951 sold its building in November for around $3 million, sparking uproar and some controversy.
The building that housed Siegel’s Clothing Superstore near 19th and Mission streets was placed on the market for $6.5 million last September, and was eventually snapped up, precipitating the closure of the 91-year-old business.
Not long after, the longtime owners of the San Francisco Auto Works garage on Valencia between 21st and 22nd submitted plans to develop their property into a six-story, 25-unit building.
It’s getting very difficult justifying why I stay here. Little-by-little, the natural beauty of San Francisco is fading away. Lately, most who come to San Francisco are here for only the milk and honey. A transient neighborhood is never a good thing…
Hey Mission Local: is Mary right about this tension between local businesses being forced out because they want to make housing via SB50? I WANT local biz in the city, and don’t think anyone needs to stomp small biz owners to make people build housing – or is that where we’re at? It’s pretty expensive to run these small biz and finding good staff and keeping up with technology, so I hate to think we’re loading another burden on the cultural places we love (it’s already egregiously difficult/expensive to get the right permits for a small biz to build/open).
>>SB50 is working it’s way through the CA state legislature; it forces – yes, forces by use of eminent domain – all property owners to develop high density housing even if it closes small businesses. Local laws also require property owners to develop housing or face additional taxation for buildings that don’t meet new housing density standards.
Very little about Mary’s comment was correct. Tenant protections laws which make landlording a headache for all but the most committed probably explains the pressure to sell more than SB50.
SB50 simply makes it legal to build multi unit buildings, but most of the Valencia corridor is zoned as such already. Obviously, Prop 13 means property taxes can never meaningfully increase.
As a heuristic, you should ignore anything which cites 48Hills, as it’s not a particularly objective or reliable publication.
Weird. They’ve been running ads on Craigslist looking for help in the store.
Aside from the depressing loss of culture in the hood, fIve and six story “buildings” are WAY TOO HIGH, and will not only continue the destruction of Valencia and the Mission, but promote the sale and destruction of every VIctorian and vintage building on the street. For what? So we can cram more tech millionaires into the neighborhood, literally end sun shining on Valencia Street forever, create more gridlock. and permanently ruin the quality of life most of us moved here for. These are the worthy goals of the SF Planning Dept, who do not care about the citizens of San Francisco. Show up at hearings and make your voices heard. Vote for a mayor and supes who will stop the destruction of our city.
Why would anybody stay in business if they could cash out and live the life others only wish they could?
This is just sad. When I moved near this place oh gosh years ago, it was one of the first places I discovered. Decades later it was still there and I remember once standing in line to pick up items for a holiday. In the line were nuns and police officers (no, not costumed–actual nuns and police officers from the nearby church and station, buying things for their holiday meal). Sad to see its passing; another reminder that nothing lasts forever.
So, once again, the fabled “born and raised here” (I am one) sell out and basically screw the neighborhood. Basically, any “problems” with our City are not the result of the newcomers, but rest on the shoulders of the old timers who time and again seek the quick exit and buck.
Mike,
100 years of investment in a community is “selling out”? Look at this to see who is selling out the city: https://48hills.org/2019/03/could-sf-tax-new-ipo-wealth/
SB50 is working it’s way through the CA state legislature; it forces – yes, forces by use of eminent domain – all property owners to develop high density housing even if it closes small businesses. Local laws also require property owners to develop housing or face additional taxation for buildings that don’t meet new housing density standards. Rather than pay more for being a family business, a family finally surrenders to the financial reality of additional taxation on those least able to pay it and political pressure put on them by multi-billion dollar industries and the politicians they own.
All the newcomers are demanding established residents and businesses surrender their history and their work to people who’ve come to get rich. When they don’t, they’ll leave a legacy of empty apartments and a permanently damaged environment. But hey, we’ll have bike lanes.