McMansions for Ansel's Boyhood Stomping Grounds?

If you saw the Ric Burns documentary about photographer Ansel Adams, then you might remember that young Ansel grew up in the wild, outer reaches of San Francisco -- a landscape of wind-whipped dunes, fog, and an un-bridged Golden Gate. In fact, his boyhood home, along with another house that he later built and occupied as an adult, still stands, virtually across the street from the Golden Gate National Recreation Area's Baker Beach. Today, however, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission will auction off two vacant lots next door to Ansel's boyhood home over the objections of neighbors who'd like to see it turned into a permanent memorial to the artist. The sticking point: No one seems willing to pay for such a tribute.