Jazz coming to Fillmore District

A new Yoshi's club and a jazz heritage museum are coming to Fillmore and Eddy streets along with condos, restaurants and parking. There is an interview and article with developer Michael Johnson who broke ground on the long awaited project last week in today's San Francisco Chronicle's Real Estate section. Article here.

When completed in 2007, the $68 million development at Fillmore and Eddy streets will have 80 condominiums, a new Yoshi's music club, a jazz heritage museum, a new restaurant and two parking garages for more than 200 cars...

Peter Fitzsimmons, who will run the 6,000-square-foot heritage museum, said the neighborhood's jazz history will thrive in the new center.

"The Fillmore was an amazing stage for the kids of our city, including my dad," said Fitzsimmons, the son of Smith and late community activist Pat Nacey. "They would meet and play and jam with the greats, and sometimes get their careers launched."

Old-timers especially remember the years after World War II, when San Francisco was still a segregated city, and traveling jazz bands would congregate after hours at Fillmore hot spots like the Havana Club, Elsie's Breakfast Club and Jimbo's Bop City.