Committee forwards San Francisco Eagle Bar landmark initiation after unanimous recommendation

The Land Use and Transportation Committee voted unanimously to forward a resolution initiating Article 10 landmark designation for the San Francisco Eagle Bar at 396–398 Twelfth Street. The item was introduced on behalf of Supervisor Matt Haney; Honey Mahogany spoke for Haney’s office and described the Eagle’s place in SoMa’s leather and LGBTQ history and its role in Folsom Street events.

Frances McMillan of the Planning Department presented the Historic Preservation Commission’s unanimous recommendation for designation and noted the period of significance of 1981–2020. McMillan said the Eagle had been a de facto community center for the neighborhood, hosting fundraising, cultural, and political events, and that designation would make the property one of seven San Francisco landmarks associated with LGBTQ history.

Multiple callers spoke in support; the bar owner (identified in the transcript as Lehi Monteo) urged the committee to approve the designation. One caller opposed on moral grounds. After public comment the committee voted 3–0 to recommend the initiation of landmark designation to the full board.

If the Board approves landmark status, the Eagle would be the first LGBT landmark in SoMa and — if affirmed through the process — the first leather-oriented LGBT landmark in the country, supporters said.