- Editor’s note: The following letter was sent via mass e-mail.Dear Editor: Despite months of promises to work with the Japantown community to find a buyer from within the community, Kintetsu Enterprises Co. of America dropped a bombshell by apparently selling the former Japantown Bowl property to a group of investors that includes John E. McInerney, III, local real estate investor and member of the S.F. Board of Appeals.
The Kuroyama Group, headed by local attorney George Yamasaki, Jr. appeared to be the only bidders at the table and had continued to dialogue with community groups regarding community benefits for the property’s continued use in Japantown.
No formal announcement has been made, but contact with McInerney confirmed that escrow has closed and title has transferred out of Kintetsu Enterprises Co. of America hands. No contingencies on the sale were made.
McInerney has been a member of the powerful Residential Builders Association, and apparently is well-connected in the San Francisco commercial development arena. He stated his initial plans are to demolish the popular, former bowling center, and build sublevel parking with high-end retail stores at street level and condominium housing above.
However, the 1790 Post Street property — in the heart of Japantown — sits under the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency’s Western Addition A-2 Redevelopment Project area and is zoned for Community/Commercial use. Any change of use must be approved by the agency, which has pledged to hold thorough community hearings before any new project would be considered for approval.
Japantown Bowl served 250,000 bowlers annually,