THE BAY AREA | Projects from San Francisco's Surrounding 8 Counties

[gillynova]

I miss the Bay. I'll be coming home for xmas but not sure if I'm able to take photos

[homebucket]

A nice aerial of Daly City from Bay Area Reddit:

[whitty]

There's a red one, and a blue one, and a green one, and a yellow one...

[Busy Bee]

LOL... I was just gearing up to type little boxes...

Nice shot though.

[edale]

One of the most beautiful, dramatic natural environments in the country, and that's the shit we built on it? What a shame...

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by edale

One of the most beautiful, dramatic natural environments in the country, and that's the shit we built on it? What a shame...

I wouldn't go that far. There's plenty of undeveloped land up and down the Northern California coast that isn't developed and remains in its natural state.

Here's the coastline just beyond the Golden Gate:



And to the South:


PC: homebucket

[homebucket]

Here's a good satellite image to illustrate just how little land is actually developed along the Northern California coast:

[Busy Bee]

That really paints a clear picture what a sprawling mess San Jose is compared to dense SF/Oakland/Berkeley

[obemearg]

I don't think this is what edale was referring to but I've always found it a bit surprising that a lot of the ocean front housing in Daly City is so... normal? A lot of the coastline in California (especially near major cities) that has been developed on is usually pretty high or is on its way to being that way. A lot of the homes don't even seem to take advantage of the ocean views:

[homebucket]

I actually don't mind the Daly City aesthetic. It has its own unique charm. It's certainly more interesting than your typical beige/tan/brown paletted subdivision.

[3rd&Brown]

Apparently there is a ban on street trees in Daly City?

What a depressing built form.

[homebucket]

I guess people don’t like different.

[edale]

Originally Posted by obemearg

I don't think this is what edale was referring to but I've always found it a bit surprising that a lot of the ocean front housing in Daly City is so... normal? A lot of the coastline in California (especially near major cities) that has been developed on is usually pretty high or is on its way to being that way. A lot of the homes don't even seem to take advantage of the ocean views:

Exactly. I wasn't trying to imply that the Bay Area has developed too much of its coastline. There's a remarkable amount of conservation there, and much of the coastline is pretty pristine and untouched, which is lovely. What I have issue with is the ticky-tack single family "Levittown" built right on the coastline in Daly City. Nondescript single family homes that really take no advantage of their special natural surroundings, almost no trees or landscaping, no multi-family...just tract housing plopped down on the stunning coastline. I've always found it odd.

[homebucket]

The area was almost nearly all sand dunes prior to development. There was an opportunity here which came out of necessity in the post war era as the need for both affordable and easy to build housing presented itself. Despite it being mostly single family housing, these houses are actually often multi family or multigenerational in function.

In fact, Daly City actually has higher population density than cities like Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Apparently there is a ban on street trees in Daly City?

What a depressing built form.

A lot of neighborhoods close to the coast are devoid of tree cover.

[homebucket]

The midcentury modern googie-esque aesthetic is also making a comeback. They are often seen as trendy these days.

[deanstirrat]

Daly City is boring and inaccessible. Desperately needs some multi-use construction to give people a reason to visit and allow other to rent/live there. Truly a waste.

[Busy Bee]

Seems like I read somewhere that Tim Burton used Daly City as inspiration for what the neighborhood in Edward Scissorhands would look like.

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by deanstirrat

Daly City is boring and inaccessible. Desperately needs some multi-use construction to give people a reason to visit and allow other to rent/live there. Truly a waste.

It's not that bad. Only 13 min via Bart from the heart of downtown SF (Powell St). I don't think too many people are visiting Daly City for entertainment in general though. The only thing I think it's really known for is Filipino food. And fog.

[unpermitted_variance]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Apparently there is a ban on street trees in Daly City?

What a depressing built form.

Not very much will grow in the fog zone. When the Westlake neighborhood was first built, every house had a New Zealand cabbage palm in the front yard, but they don't have a particularly long lifespan and few remain. Some Monterey Pines and Monterey Cypresses can be found around the city, and they do OK in the harsh coastal fog climate, but don't make for great street trees as they need more room, and tend to drop large limbs.

That being said, Daly City and its homeowners could definitely do more to beautify the city. there are plenty of coastal native plants that can survive, although most aren't going to grow very large or tall.


As someone who grew up in Daly City, it will always have a special charm to me. I like the retro modernist houses that homebucket points out, and the coastal areas are beautiful and feel wild and untamed. The culture is admittedly a bit lacking unless you're Filipino, and the architecture and urban design isn't for everyone. I think the city is well-positioned to grow a lot in the near future and become a more interesting place.