"Manhattanization"
Modern San Francisco is the product of what many deem a “Manhattanization” period that took place post-World War II up through the early 1980s. The city’s response to the post-war rapid suburbanization was a series of redevelopment strategies aimed at revitalizing downtown with high-rise construction that would attract businessmen and tourists alike [14]. A general pro-growth, pro-market climate supported these city efforts for several decades. However, by the 70s, progressive San Franciscans were questioning this unregulated commercial development. Their arguments took root, and were answered with a 1972 Urban Design code and 1984 Master Plan—both which imposed strict height regulations and tower design specifications [18]. These conservative zoning and design codes have prevented high-density affordable development, and promoted less-dense gentrification [20]. Overall, this post-war period transformed San Francisco’s skyline and urban fabric, and in doing so, greatly advanced some of their major economic industries like finance and tourism.
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The Question of Growth
As Richard Hu argues in his article “To Grow or Control, That is the Question,” San Francisco leaders have faced tough growth questions in the late 20th century and into the 21st. While the early 80s brought great growth and development, the recession of the late 80s proved to be a humbling reality check. The city boomed again in the 90s with the dot-com bubble, only to slow again as nearby cities outpaced San Francisco in technological innovation. Vacant office space became a particularly acute reminder of the city’s short-lived booms, and of the increasing competitiveness of the surrounding region [14]. To tackle rapidly changing economies and burgeoning regional development, the city shifted from a laissez-faire planning approach to a more interventionist one in the 1990s [14]. Therefore, critical points defining the city from the 80s onward are all closely tied to planning policies or debates.