the walk, pt 1
the walk … part one:
still being new to working in the financial district, I remain in teh ‘absorbtion’ phase of getting to know the area. Block by block, I learn where the sandwich shops, ATMs, magazine stands and cafes are located. Slowly, also, I’ve begun to aquaint myself with the resident sidewalk population: the tower employees, service people, street trawlers and junk peddlers. All in all, a tidy bunch, not too-frequently stirred by vagrants or homeless people - at least in the heart of the financial district.
Yesterday, however, due to chance and the fact that I’ve yet to rent an apartment, I gained a new perspective on downtown SF and the Market Street corridor. I had been expecting Rachel to pick me up from work, so I scheduled a couple of apartment viewings, in SOMA and North Beach, respectively, for just after work. When it turned out that Rachel was delayed by about 1/2 an hour, I figured I’d hoof it to 6th and Natoma.
Thus began my 1.2 mile journey through the 10 worlds. Leaving the elegant confines of 525 Market I headed west on Market Street. Though not concious of it at the time, I knew I was leaving the Financial District. Up Market I went towards the San Francisco Center, an area between 4rd and 5th Streets I associate with shopping. Indeed, there were many tourists and shoppers in the area (the Cable Car station is just across the street). But also, I noticed the increased presence of vagrants and people who appeared to be locals, but (unlike FD inhabitants) they looked like they were doing nothing besides loitering.
Good enough, but then came the next block. Between 5th and 6th, another shift in environment manifested. Where 10 minutes earlier I was surrounded by 30-something professionals clad in designer leather jackets and shoes hustling from work to gym (or bar), this block had a distinctly different flavor. Mostly black (and some latino) adults now populated the sidewalks, some walking, some just standing around. The frequency of shuttered or vacant storefronts increased considerably, and the stores that remained open were, let’s say, low-end retailers.
