Russian Hill residents have fought off multiple attempts over the years to develop the reservoir at Hyde and Francisco streets, just up from Ghirardelli Square. They – along with Supervisor Farrell – want the Recreation and Parks Department to pay fair market value for this large tract of surplus property so it can be turned into useable open space rather than housing. “Fair market value” for a full city block on Russian Hill could easily devour the majority of Recreation and Parks’ annual budget. Of course, Farrell is happy to support unwanted market-rate residential development in relatively impoverished and disenfranchised neighborhoods that are not in his district, insisting that building more luxury housing is the only way to reduce housing costs in San Francisco, so it is entirely nonsensical to “save” this large area from development, especially given the cost.