Now: The Hayes Valley commercial sector doesn't have the historic feel that many older neighborhoods have - it's young in age, but adult in style. As a destination, it serves theater and symphony patrons as well as high-end fashion and decor shoppers.

Then: Prior to the 1989 earthquake, this area's proximity to the freeway off-ramp made it an undesirable area. After the damaged section of freeway was removed, it cleared the way in the 1990s for growth.