“Can you believe this place was once a thriving flower farm?” The Greenhouse Project stands before you. A quiet oasis in a bustling city. It’s hard to imagine now but these dilapidated greenhouses once formed a vibrant hub. The Portola neighborhood in San Francisco was once home to nineteen nurseries. This area was a major flower producer for the city and state. Imagine the fragrant air filled with the scent of roses. Imagine recent Italian and Maltese immigrants building their businesses here. Their hard work created a flourishing flower district.
The Greenhouse Project began in 2002. Juan Carlos Cancino and David Gabriner discovered these forgotten structures. They fell in love with the greenhouses. They envisioned a new purpose for this space. They started to dream. They had big idealistic dreams. They even had to investigate the history of the bay area’s floriculture to find out who owned the land. Their investigation led them to the Garibaldi family. The Garibaldis had started University Mound Nursery in the 1920s. Their discovery started a journey. It was a quest to revitalize a lost piece of San Francisco history.
Finding the owners was an adventure in itself. The search involved numerous dead ends. Eventually they found Gerald Garibaldi. He shared memories of his family’s rose farm. His memories were as sharp as tacks. He provided a photograph. The photograph captured the greenhouses. It showed the lush fields of the surrounding streets. The image showed a time when this land flourished. He remembered the names of other families. These families also ran nurseries nearby. Sadly the Garibaldi family had no interest in saving the greenhouses.
Cancino and Gabriner then sought help from the community. They found a champion in Ruth Wallace. Ruth Wallace ran public greening projects. She was a key figure in the Portola garden tour. She had seen many gardens in the neighborhood. She understood the importance of the Greenhouse Project. She helped them. She helped to gather community support. The neighborhood association joined the cause. They were primed to dream with them.
The project faced a major hurdle. The greenhouse property was listed for sale. The price was $12 million. It seemed the land would become housing. However there was a twist. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission had plans to restore a nearby creek. The creek ran beneath the greenhouses. The proposed path led directly across from the greenhouses. It was a serendipitous event. The community input meeting had incredible results. The neighborhood rallied together. The neighbors saw the greenhouses as a valuable addition to the creek project. This unexpected support gave the Greenhouse Project renewed hope.
The Greenhouse Project is working with the PUC. They hope to co-purchase the land. They want to save this piece of history. Their goal is to preserve the greenhouses for community use. Their efforts highlight a powerful story. This story is of community spirit and the preservation of a unique piece of San Francisco. It is a story about more than just greenhouses. This is a story of love. It’s a story of a love affair that bloomed in a city. This love affair grew into something much larger. This became a love affair with an entire neighborhood. The Greenhouse Project. A legacy blooming in the heart of San Francisco.