Joe Cassidy

To back up a bit: Last month members of Northern California Carpenters Union Local 22 picketed an excavation job conducted by Granite Excavation & Demolition Inc., a company owned by Joe Cassidy, who is treasurer of O'Donoghue's Residential Builders Association.Rather than hiring carpenters for the job, which consisted of removing earth and building wooden supports to keep the basement of a local Catholic church from caving in, Cassidy had hired members of Laborer's International Union Local 261.

At some point during the picket, the carpenters are said to have shouted some unpleasant words to passers-by -- a teacher, perhaps some kids, a parishioner or two.They also may have slashed a teacher's tires; the facts are in dispute.The Rev. Michael Healy, pastor of St. Philip the Apostle Church in Noe Valley, where Cassidy is a parishioner, wrote a letter to his congregation criticizing the carpenters.And that's when O'Donoghue -- who's recently backed Cassidy in a couple of high-profile feuds, including the aforementioned live-work apartment permit dispute, and in an effort to sic building inspectors on RBA critic Michael Hannon -- extended the fray.

"My engineer says it's the biggest piece of crap he's ever seen," said owner Joe Cassidy, a prominent San Francisco real estate developer of the Residential Builders Association.
...
Cassidy says it's about 650 square feet, with extra rooms tunneled into the ground or added with lean-tos.
...
Landmarking 900 Innes does not prevent Cassidy from building on the rest of the land, nor does it require him to maintain 900 Innes other than complying with building codes.In addition, landmark status only covers the exterior of the building.
...
As evidence, Cassidy pointed to newspapers used to insulate the walls -- copies of the San Francisco Examiner from April 1926 containing headlines such as "City Camp Hetch Hetchy to Open in June."

The Anderson and Cristofani shipyard occupied the property until it was destroyed in a 1978 fire.Over the next 25 years, the shipyard -- and 900 Innes -- degenerated into a homeless camp, meth lab, toxic dump and stolen- car chop shop.The Environmental Protection Agency cleaned up the site in the mid-1990s, and Cassidy bought it in a foreclosure sale in 2003.

Cassidy also said the building is a hodge-podge of structural oddities such as walls built of 1-inch boards, Plexiglas windows nailed directly to the window frames, a lack of floor joists and a chimney held up by an old door.
...
Since the shipyard closed, homeless people have lived there and, until recently, a family lived there for security purposes, Cassidy said.

To back up a bit: Last month members of Northern California Carpenters Union Local 22 picketed an excavation job conducted by Granite Excavation & Demolition Inc., a company owned by Joe Cassidy, who is treasurer of O'Donoghue's Residential Builders Association.Rather than hiring carpenters for the job, which consisted of removing earth and building wooden supports to keep the basement of a local Catholic church from caving in, Cassidy had hired members of Laborer's International Union Local 261.

At some point during the picket, the carpenters are said to have shouted some unpleasant words to passers-by -- a teacher, perhaps some kids, a parishioner or two.They also may have slashed a teacher's tires; the facts are in dispute.The Rev. Michael Healy, pastor of St. Philip the Apostle Church in Noe Valley, where Cassidy is a parishioner, wrote a letter to his congregation criticizing the carpenters.And that's when O'Donoghue -- who's recently backed Cassidy in a couple of high-profile feuds, including the aforementioned live-work apartment permit dispute, and in an effort to sic building inspectors on RBA critic Michael Hannon -- extended the fray.

Joe Cassidy, a member of the Residential Builders Association, is sitting on an approval to build 172 live/work lofts on the site, which would be about 50 feet high with a massive underground garage and some retail space.The site is zoned for affordable housing only, but live/work had been an exception to that rule and no affordable units are required.

...
Cassidy gets a density bonus and saves on excavation costs, and The City gets cheap housing.

Things have moved slowly.

The planning process stalled when the Planning Department required an extension on a review of Daly's legislation to make all this happen.Then the Planning Commission dissolved under a law passed by the voters in March.

"Goodness and justice prevailed over the forces of darkness and evil," said Hamman, a remodeling contractor who insists inspectors targeted him because of his criticism of Joe O'Donoghue, president of the Residential Buildings Association, and Joe Cassidy, treasurer of the association.
...
Cassidy is the one who appealed city zoning administrator Larry Badiner's opinion that Hamman's 2,400-square-foot apartment in the former ship-making shop could be considered a legal use.

"Goodness and justice prevailed over the forces of darkness and evil," said Hamman, a remodeling contractor who insists inspectors targeted him because of his criticism of Joe O'Donoghue, president of the Residential Buildings Association, and Joe Cassidy, treasurer of the association.
...
Cassidy is the one who appealed city zoning administrator Larry Badiner's opinion that Hamman's 2,400-square-foot apartment in the former ship-making shop could be considered a legal use.