SAN FRANCISCO | 631 Folsom Street | 209 FT / 64 M | 21 FLOORS

[Reminiscence]

While this project may not be as significant, it still deserves its own thread I guess.

631 Folsom Street, 209', and 21 Floors, is currently under what looks to be preliminary construction phases.

Renderings:

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/381/sftower5ws7.jpg

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/5332/sftower6da7.jpg

[AK47KC]

I mentioned this in another thread, but I will do it again......

Current status is that there is a fence around it, some excavators, bulldozers, and still dirt.

[Reminiscence]

All the "big" building in SF are getting all the attention, we seem to have forgotten those buildings who, sadly, cannot reach as high into the heavens (or fog). Thus, it is my duty to make them known to the general public :) :)

[BTinSF]

More renderings from http://www.handelarchitects.com/main.html#1.0.1.2

http://www.handelarchitects.com/mediatedspaces/images_uploaded/38777.6714997917exterior2.jpg

A sample unit:

http://www.handelarchitects.com/mediatedspaces/images_uploaded/38777.6716153588floorplan.jpg

Building description from the architect (which happens to be the same firm that also is doing 301 Mission):

Size: 205,000 SF
Cost: $60 Million
Status: Under Construction

The design for 631 Folsom Street incorporates goals established in the Rincon Place, the Transbay Plan, and the General Plan for downtown San Francisco by creating a high-density project that preserves sunlight and air, provides open space, and enhances the development of the area.

The project consists of a 21-story residential tower over a single-story podium containing retail space and a residential lobby along. The storefront facade is setback to align with the existing street-wall. Further enhancing the pedestrian street life will be the new open space park between 633 and 631 Folsom.

The massing is tall and slender to maintain view corridors, provide sunlight and air at street level, and give units natural light. The light-colored pre-cast concrete, the bluish glass, and metal curtain wall give the facades an expression of lightness and transparency.

[Reminiscence]

Hmm, even though its not that big, I seem to like those units. Not a bad addition! :)

[AK47KC]

All the "big" building in SF are getting all the attention, we seem to have forgotten those buildings who, sadly, cannot reach as high into the heavens (or fog). Thus, it is my duty to make them known to the general public :) :)

There's like 4 more smaller projects at the Civic Center and outside of downtown, Argenta, Symphony Tower I, Fillmore Heritage, and Arterra. These are all below 20 stories (17, 13,14, and 17 respectively), but there is a 19 story thread here on a building in Sacramento.

[Reminiscence]

Hahaha, how low can we go huh. Well I dont know, I created 4 new threads today (or yesterday) and hopefully gained more spotlight for SF among the cities of the world. Plus, Sacramento, isnt known too well for highrises (until now that is :)), so It would seem that 19 stories is deserving of a thread for them.

[AK47KC]

^^^Well, a lot of the threads on the first page now are SAN FRANCISCO. I'm sure as long as there are new posts here, many people will see SF's building boom documented here.

[Reminiscence]

And with good reason too. There seems to be more activity here than in most other places. However, if those other 4 projects were to be added, we may see only SF projects on the first page. :)

[AK47KC]

Hahahahahaha, SF is hogging the first page now.

[Reminiscence]

Preety soon, people will have no choice but to click on one of these threads. A testiment to the SF highrise boom, heh. :awesome:

[zuelas]

Is it me or is it kinda obnoxious to post in every SF thread in a matter of a half hour even if you really don't have much to add???

[Reminiscence]

Its just you (I'm just kidding, heh). These 4 threads are actually SF projects that never really recieved too much attention here in the threads, and are soon to begin, or have already begun construction. That, and it is also an effort to make the general public more aware of the growing rank of SF in terms of highrise construction. Since most of these have just begun construction, information will soon become more available and we can begin to post it on here.

[AK47KC]

Then I guess I will be responsible for posting construction pictures for each and every construction site in SF. The 300 Spear thread has probably 60 pictures from me taken from June-September when I used to work at downtown SF. I guess the 555 Mission thread has gone on too long without a construction picture, it seems, so there will be one there tomorrow, thanks to my stupid erratic internet, which prevented me from doing so today.

[SFView]

Other cities in the United States and the rest of the world can just as easily dominate the first page of the highrise section just as well or even more. As many of us know, there are highrise booms happening in many cities all over the world. Yes, San Francisco does have many new projects to be excited about after many years of little or nothing, but try not to appear too egocentric. Imagine if some small town you might not really care about puts up 10 or 12 posts for every one of its 10 to 15 story new projects here in the Highrise section within just a few weeks time? I would rather have the relatively minor San Francisco projects appear in the California section instead. If some of you feel otherwise, you still may have the right to continue, but I am concerned about others. I am also concerned about San Francisco.

[FourOneFive]

i do believe all these posts regarding EVERY san francisco project is excessive. 1160 mission? 631 folsom? come on now. these projects aren't even architectually significant. and 535 mission really isn't even a project because it's being reworked. 340 fremont and 375 fremont shouldn't be here till they actually begin construction next year. i say lock a majority of these threads and concentrate your discussions of the smaller projects to either the california forum or the rundown thread in the city compilations page.

[munkyman]

you guys are really taking this overboard. This is a 200' building - if someone from Dubai put up a separate thread for all of their uc buildings over 200' tall, they might have over 500 in the highrise section alone. This has got to be the shortest building in the highrise section here. Let's not make this excessive. And it sort of makes us look silly when you have 5 or 6 posters continually posting every 10 minutes on every SF highrise, fretting about whether the building is actually 2 feet taller than what Emporis says or what the project's website says. Clearly there is some excitement about these buildings, but relax people!!

[EastBayHardCore]

i do believe all these posts regarding EVERY san francisco project is excessive. 1160 mission? 631 folsom? come on now. these projects aren't even architectually significant. and 535 mission really isn't even a project because it's being reworked. 340 fremont and 375 fremont shouldn't be here till they actually begin construction next year. i say lock a majority of these threads and concentrate your discussions of the smaller projects to either the california forum or the rundown thread in the city compilations page.

Thank You! Most of the threads are rife with speculation, pie in the sky ideas, or mindless discussion (see: broken window @ 300 Spear. OH NOES!!!!). Someone had to say it.

[WonderlandPark]

There has been a thread about some 22 story tower in Delaware for over a year here. Just as I thought that was a bit silly for its own thread, this one is, too. Just my opinion, just not enough room here for the smaller stuff.

[BTinSF]

One thing I find frustrating about SSP from time to time is that there are rules but they seem to be made to be broken--but only by SOME people. In this case, if you bother to read the rules of this particular part of the forum, they say: "*To be in this forum, the aforementioned 'highrise' must also be at least 15 stories or 200ft (61m) tall."

I may be mistaken, but I think each of the projects posted meets that and the other required criteria so if the person or persons starting the threads want to discuss them at length it seems better to do it in a separate thread rather than to hijack existing "tidbits" threads or whatever.

That was my feeling when they were started last night and it remains so. It isn't a question of who has more threads or a contest to dominate the board.

On the other hand, I do think it's a mistake to post rank speculation or inane chatter.

[FourOneFive]

On the other hand, I do think it's a mistake to post rank speculation or inane chatter.

that was my primary complaint. i am not saying each one of these projects don't qualify for having their own individual threads. i just found the postings within each of these threads redundant. (one poster continually mentions "SF's highrise boom!" and "how excited they are!") i wholeheartedly encourage people to post. just post something of substance. personally, i feel we should collapse all of the rincon hill projects into one thread (with the exception of one rincon hill and the infinity towers).

[munkyman]

personally, i feel we should collapse all of the rincon hill projects into one thread (with the exception of one rincon hill and the infinity towers).

I wholeheartedly agree with that. I saw a post earlier about "90, 71, and 50 story buildings in place of MSG," or something to that effect. But they didn't break it up into a new thread for each building separately. I think the same should go for Rincon Hill.

I also agree with East Bay Hardcore - everyone was fretting about tape on the window of 300 Spear - it's not gonna doom the freakin project into non-existence. It's probably just left over tape from installation. And even if it's not, is it really that important?

[Dougall5505]

^amen. for portland we have a thread for the south waterfront where 7 or 8 towers are u/c are being planned why not do this for the rincon hill projects

[J Church]

You know if I'm getting tired of hearing about San Francisco highrises, then it's probably getting to be a bit much.

[EastBayHardCore]

I also agree with East Bay Hardcore - everyone was fretting about tape on the window of 300 Spear - it's not gonna doom the freakin project into non-existence.

I know what you're trying to say but I just have to make it clear, it's not everyone. There are a few people who just go round and round all day long about absolutely nothing. It almost seems like their only goal is to make sure that the SF project threads are on the first page of the highrise section.

[fflint]

I agree with those who are speaking out against the recent avalanche of pointless spamming going on in all the SF threads in this subforum. It really does need to stop. This isn't a chat room.

[Reminiscence]

To all those complaining recently: sorry about posting somewhat pointless threads, I thought people might be intrested, but that doesnt seem to be the case. I take all responsibilty for the rescent accusations. Would anyone know if there is a way I can delete them from the forum?

[fflint]

It's not so much the threads' existence that is so troublesome, as it is all the inane and pointless chit-chat within them, each post building off the other until the entire conversation loses all grounding in reality.

For example, a chain of nonsense regarding a fantasy expansion of some hotel chain or other into San Francisco became a nonsensical but fervent discussion of how tall the unplanned tower for the unplanned expansion would be--with one forumer confidently predicting the non-tower for the non-expansion would be "over 700 feet." The forum is a reality-based community. These threads in the Highrise subforum are about what is really happening on the ground in our cities, places for information and photographs and upcoming meetings and articles--not fantasy games.

[Reminiscence]

Right, well, whatever seems to be annoying people, thats what I'm appologizing to and taking responsibilty for. However, if there is a way to delete these threads to avoid future annoyance, then I will do that. Otherwise we could always let them sink to the bottom of the forum itself.

[AK47KC]

Let's move on and forget about the spam, anyway, here is the first construction pic, nothing much to see yet:
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/AK47KC/DSCN7473.jpg

[botoxic]

631 is emerging from the ground!

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2012-30/S4010037.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2012-30/S4010034.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2012-30/S4010032.jpg

[botoxic]

A little further along:
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2001-28/S4010013.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2001-28/S4010017.jpg

[botoxic]

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2002-04/S4010012.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2002-04/S4010013.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2002-04/S4010015.jpg

[botoxic]

We've got a crane with no boom:

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2002-17/S4010011.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2002-17/S4010013.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2002-17/S4010014.jpg

And what's with the building to the left? Please tell me it just looks like there are no windows from the outside, and the people inside can really see out...

[BTinSF]

And what's with the building to the left? Please tell me it just looks like there are no windows from the outside, and the people inside can really see out...

It's another utility substation (can't remember if it's PG&E or ATT/SBC) and there are few if any people inside there. You've got the same sort of thing at 8th & Mission and also, I believe, next to the new Intercontinental Hotel.

[botoxic]

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2003-03/IMG_0283.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2003-03/IMG_0286.jpg

[botoxic]

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2003-25/S4010007.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2003-25/S4010008.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2003-25/S4010009.jpg

[FourOneFive]

thanks for the pictures, botoxic. it's great to see this project start to rise out of the ground. i assume this project will take roughly the same amount of time at 1160 mission/ soma grand to top off. maybe we'll see this thing top off in november?

[botoxic]

Rising relatively quickly:
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2004-15/IMG_0722.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2004-15/IMG_0723.jpg

[BTinSF]

^^^Wow. A floor a week (or close to it). And they are big floors.

Thanx botoxic. Your photos of these projects are a big asset of SSP. :worship:

[FourOneFive]

is it just me or do the floor to ceiling heights look small for this building? looks like its less than the standard 10'. maybe we'll just need to take a shot of a construction worker on one of the floors to give us a better perspective.

[tyler82]

I absoluetly love the SBC building next to this one. I wish we had a supertall tower with that kind of facade.

[roadwarrior]

I walked by here yesterday and noticed that the development is now called Blu and the website is www.sfblu.com.

Its important to note that its saying there will be 108 units and only 6 per floor. In addition, there will be 6 two story penthouses.

I wonder what the price range for these developments will be. I counted that its up to about 8-9 floors, so I'd expect them to top off on this one by mid-late summer.

[botoxic]

Peeking over (viewed from Howard St)
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2004-15/DSC00028.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2004-15/DSC00029.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%2004-15/DSC00030.jpg

[botoxic]

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%20July%2007/DSC00063.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/btgibson/SF%20Buildings%20July%2007/DSC00064.jpg

[FourOneFive]

thanks for the update botoxic!

is it just me or is this tower rising slowly?

[peanut gallery]

Walked by this today. They're up to the decking of floor 19, so just a couple of floors to go. No glass, etc going up anywhere on it that I could see.

[Knightwing]

When is this scheduled to be complete?

[peanut gallery]

I took a couple of photos of this today (9/24). This one is from 3rd and Folsom. Those forms are on the 20th floor deck. Just one more to go.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1209/1436441386_e062fbc8fa_b.jpg


No glass yet (either on the building or anywhere onsite that I could see). But, some of the curtain wall is going on. Check out the concrete forms on the southwest side of the building:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1099/1436509214_3e2b13c925_b.jpg

Shouldn't be long before we start seeing some glass on this. Although I just noticed that there aren't even cleats (or whatever they're called) for mounting the glass yet.

[mchoey]

Took these pics from 77 Dow about 2 weeks ago? Sales office scheduled to open Oct 1...

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1253/1421830455_1d981fafa5.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1148/1421830321_3104189945.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1113/1422715804_eef7b46330.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1128/1422715696_3ec18b4e96.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1170/1421830029_9b0a6fbc98.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1160/1421829751_4aeadd2819.jpg?v=0

sorry - all the pics are pretty darn similar

go to the SF New Developments Flickr Pool (http://www.flickr.com/groups/sfnd/pool/)!

www.SFnewdevelopments.com

[peanut gallery]

Very cool. It looks like there will be lot's of glass on this side of the building. I haven't seen the backside on any of the renderings and didn't notice that. Should be nice, since it is southernly facing.

[tyler82]

This building is actually very visible from a lot of locations in SF- Twin Peaks, the Bay Bridge, 101 and 280 freeways, for being such a "small insignificant' project compared to the others. Should add a nice little detail to the beautiful developing downtown mound.

[hi123]

here is a new rendering of the building! I like it alot more now:

http://sfnewsletter.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/zum_blu01.jpg

[tyler82]

SOMA Grand #2,
it rises again!

[BTinSF]

^^^Expect a lot more of this sort of thing in SOMA. As I said about SG, it's as close as San Francisco is going to come to market rate "for sale" housing that real people (you know--couples both working and earning a combined $125 - $200 K) can afford.

And when we finally see Trinity Plaza, that's going to be the rental equivalent.

New York and Chicago have been building buildings like this since WW II. It's how you house middle class people in a dense downtown (while the wealthier--the single and coupled professionals and managers--live in the "deluxe apartments in the sky-y-y").

[peanut gallery]

I sure hope it looks better than SOMA Grand. Even if it doesn't, this one is wedged into an area of similarly scaled buildings so it wouldn't stick out quite so dramatically.

[tyler82]

Will the cool little park/ walkway area be public?

[roadwarrior]

I don't think its going to look much like SOMA grand. Those side profiles that you see are really not that visible, given the fact that comparable sized buildings are wedged on both sides. I'd imagine that this will have a sleeker look to the passer by, given the predominance of windows on the Folsom Street side.

[BTinSF]

^^^Don't forget that SOMA Grand will soon have a "comparably sized" (actually, much larger) neighbor to the west "soon" (he said optimistically).

[roadwarrior]

^^^^Yeah, I didn't forget about that and am looking forward to the development of that area. Unfortunately, "soon" in San Francisco often equals 5-10 years, whereas it was 1-2 years when I was in Phoenix.

[peanut gallery]

There's a bunch of glass sitting out front today. Looks like it was just delivered in the last few days. They've also completed much of the concrete-looking siding. I don't see any curtain wall attachments on the front of the building yet, so either that glass will be sitting around for while or it will be installed in the window holes in the siding (as seen in the rendering above).

[BTinSF]

^^^Given that I saw them (and posted photos) doing test borings for the pilings and/or soil analysis a month or so ago, I don't think "soon" will be that long in this case.

[northbay]

all photos here are by me (and a shit cellphone camera)

10.08.07

getting painted white. yes, weve had this discussion before, i know ;)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2308/1521122206_61284db55c_o.jpg

glass!!! - yes i know u cant tell from the photo, but its there i tell u!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2173/1521121428_cf8c106b16_b.jpg

[Downtown Dave]

Lunchtime 10/9.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-3654.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-3657.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-3670.jpg

[northbay]

niiice

looks real this time instead of all fuzzy

[tyler82]

This building is the high rise version of a ranch house.

Sorry, it really does nothing for me, and I think in a decade people will look back at this design and scream WHY??

[rocketman_95046]

This building is the high rise version of a ranch house.

Sorry, it really does nothing for me, and I think in a decade people will look back at this design and scream WHY??

Well i think this design was really dictated by the size and shape of the lot, the neighboring bunker buildings, and the allowable zoning... Given those restrictions this is the best we could hope for... a good infill project.:)

[viewguysf]

This building is the high rise version of a ranch house.

Sorry, it really does nothing for me, and I think in a decade people will look back at this design and scream WHY??

I agree with you Tyler--same old schlock, different decade. Once again, we were duped by much better renderings than what was built.

[tyler82]

I agree with you Tyler--same old schlock, different decade. Once again, we were duped by much better renderings than what was built.

No, not me, I always thought it looked pretty boring and unsightly, even from the first rendering. Actually, it's turning out better than I thought, but still, just very plaaaiiiiinnnnnnn

But, my philosophy is, we need projects of such an 'average' caliber, such as this one, to make the really good projects that will soon pop up in the area even more outstanding !

[BTinSF]

Well i think this design was really dictated by the size and shape of the lot, the neighboring bunker buildings, and the allowable zoning... Given those restrictions this is the best we could hope for... a good infill project.:)

Exactly. For a narrow infill lot, it's a pretty good try.

Also, the reason we need projects like this is because they are the closest we are going to get to market rate units that regular people can afford. The all-glass, famous architect-designed, highrise towers with views on premium lots simply cost too much for most people and there have to be lower-cost alternatives.

[viewguysf]

...the reason we need projects like this is because they are the closest we are going to get to market rate units that regular people can afford. The all-glass, famous architect-designed, highrise towers with views on premium lots simply cost too much for most people and there have to be lower-cost alternatives.

Right you are BT, but try to make it as attractive as possible at the same time. It can be done with a little care and innovation.

[BTinSF]

^^^Yes, and like I said, I think this is a pretty good try all in all.

[northbay]

^ i think the building was designed very well considering all the constraints. every building doesnt have to be a landmark/icon (oh no, im sounding like john king ;)). bt is right that there still needs to be housing for "the rest of us."

[tyler82]

I don't mind SOMA grand and this one, like I don't mind driving through the Sunset and viewing all of those funky Spanish/ Mexican knock off tract houses. Like I said, this is a high rise version of a ranch house, generic design and all, and the same philosophy really shines through, too. I'd probably much rather view this one than a ranch house anyday, anyway. I'm thinking Brady Bunch if they lived in downtown SF.

[BTinSF]

I don't mind driving through the Sunset and viewing all of those funky Spanish/ Mexican knock off tract houses

Not to be too harsh about this, but you're on the verge of winning some sort of elitist condecension award. You grew up in SF didn't you? Where--in a Pacific Heights Victorian or Italian Renaissance palazzo? Because most San Francisco homeowners live in those funky Spanish/Mexican knock off tract houses and they are the closest thing we have to middle class housing. In that sense, you are right about 631 Folsom.

[tyler82]

Not to be too harsh about this, but you're on the verge of winning some sort of elitist condecension award. You grew up in SF didn't you? Where--in a Pacific Heights Victorian or Italian Renaissance palazzo? Because most San Francisco homeowners live in those funky Spanish/Mexican knock off tract houses and they are the closest thing we have to middle class housing. In that sense, you are right about 631 Folsom.

Did not grow up in the city, but yes, in the area. I grew up in a small, tiny ranch house that was overcrowded with family. So I don't know where the elitist award comes from, but I guess I can take it as a compliment of my "rising to riches" (even though I'm not rich !!)

I'm just saying that houses out in the Sunset and in the burbs are unsightly. I've lived in unsightly homes most of my life, it's the curse of being so "middle class." It's just not for me...

And I do believe it is primarily a middle class thing, because I really enjoy the vibrance and artistry of the poorest neighborhoods of the Bay Area, in SF and Oakland mostly. There's just something so unbecoming about being "stick in the middle" ..

[fflint]

There is no place in the Projects & Construction forum for namecalling and casting aspersions on the character of those who don't care for a particular architectural style or building type.

Stay on subject.

[Downtown Dave]

One really needs to consider the horrific bunkers next to this building when considering its own design:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-3731.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-3740.jpg

This object was being lowered to the ground as I passed this morning (10/13):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-3739.jpg

[CityKid]

Taken by me 10/18:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2110/1660971422_7e6e4cd5af_b.jpg

[peanut gallery]

Very nice! You have to post more shots from this angle once they get glass on it. Very different than my usual view from the street.

[BTinSF]

I'm just saying that houses out in the Sunset and in the burbs are unsightly.

They are "unsightly" for the same reason highrise buildings like 631 Folsom may be unsightly (if you consider it so)--they were relatively cheap to build and relatively cheap to own. The expensive finishes and fancy architecture that make pricier buildings more beautiful add to the cost of buying a home. There are plenty of people who can't afford granite countertops but can afford formica and the same goes for exterior finishes too.

It's one thing to say you don't care for buildings like this and if you can afford something nicer, great for you. But the city needs to house the people who can't afford fancier homes and so it needs to build more buildings like this and SOMA Grand and The Hayes (another building you have said you don't like). They are all what passes for low-end buildings in SF today and none of them is as attractive at The Infinity or One Rincon, but we need them even more. While The Infinity fills up with DINKs, empty nesters and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs needing pied-a-terres, 631 Folsom and its brethren will house San Franciscans needing places to live.

Bottom line: If you don't like this one, what sort of building would you have liked on this rather odd, narrow, pretty much viewless infill lot?

[tyler82]

They are "unsightly" for the same reason highrise buildings like 631 Folsom may be unsightly (if you consider it so)--they were relatively cheap to build and relatively cheap to own. The expensive finishes and fancy architecture that make pricier buildings more beautiful add to the cost of buying a home. There are plenty of people who can't afford granite countertops but can afford formica and the same goes for exterior finishes too.

It's one thing to say you don't care for buildings like this and if you can afford something nicer, great for you. But the city needs to house the people who can't afford fancier homes and so it needs to build more buildings like this and SOMA Grand and The Hayes (another building you have said you don't like). They are all what passes for low-end buildings in SF today and none of them is as attractive at The Infinity or One Rincon, but we need them even more. While The Infinity fills up with DINKs, empty nesters and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs needing pied-a-terres, 631 Folsom and its brethren will house San Franciscans needing places to live.

Bottom line: If you don't like this one, what sort of building would you have liked on this rather odd, narrow, pretty much viewless infill lot?

You are taking this in the completely wrong direction. I don't care for the design, did I say it shouldn't be built, that middle class people shouldn't have a place to live. It is so obvious that you are the one who is trying to be condescending and for that I give you the elitist of the year award!

Why don't you go to the Arizona boards?? I'm through with this argument, please don't bring it up anymore. If you want to speak about it send me a PM or something. OVER.

[Reminiscence]

Easy now guys, lets not get the moderators involved here.

Sure the design is not great, but it serves a common good in an effort to provide housing for the middle class, those of us not being able to afford luxury at ORH or Infinity. Say what you want about the building, I think its much better than what was there before, even more so because of the limited amount of space available to build there.

[peanut gallery]

It looks like they're preparing to install glass. I took some other shots of this. But nothing has changed much, so I'm just posting this one, which show a guy (blue helmet) working on what look like flanges where the glass will attach to the concrete. They're also coating all the concrete surfaces on the first several floors. Hopefully, it won't be long.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2141/1739068500_2e3e3c11fd_b.jpg

[Downtown Dave]

Minor updates (10/28)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-3939.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-4019.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-4006.jpg

[peanut gallery]

They've finally begun installing the glass. Unfortunately, it's not in the front where the floor-to-ceiling glass will be. There is one pane installed in one of the window cutouts on the fifth floor on the west side. It's very lightly tinted, which is giving it a very slight blue color today. It seems to be chosen to just read as windows, not make any kind of a color statement. I really want to see its effect in the front, where it will create a wall of glass.

I don't have a camera with me today, but it's been installed where you see the column of twin cut-outs center-right in this photo I took in late September, and only on the fifth floor. You would miss it walking by unless you were specifically looking for it.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1099/1436509214_3e2b13c925_b.jpg

[Downtown Dave]

I missed it today myself... :doh:

[Downtown Dave]

And I still couldn't see it today, even know that it is there. One can see panes of glass lying on the floor on various floors, however:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-5574.jpg

[peanut gallery]

It's on the other side of the building more toward the middle of the southwest face. It would be behind the tree in the shot I posted above. You didn't miss much, by the way. It will be a lot more interesting when they start installing it on the front.

[Downtown Dave]

You were right, I didn't miss much. :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-0139.jpg

[Downtown Dave]

Finally we see some significant progress with the glass. The glass is filthy dirty, but still manages to reflect well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-1386.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-1375.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-1369.jpg

Progress on the building's side:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-1376.jpg

[Downtown Dave]

Full steam ahead for the glass installers:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-1485.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-1483.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-1490.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-1493.jpg

The glass is covered in grime; I'll be interested to see how it looks when cleaned:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-1496.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-1498.jpg

I suppose it is obvious why the building is called "sfBLU"...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-1506.jpg

[peanut gallery]

Finally! Now I have a reason to walk over that way again. Thanks Dave.

[Downtown Dave]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-1748.jpg

[Downtown Dave]

I hope this isn't a standard bathroom fixture being installed. :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-2449.jpg

Slow progress on the glass:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-2468.jpg

[peanut gallery]

Some shots from the seldom seen backside.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2191/2090437416_8932729293_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2314/2090437422_4295d463bb_b.jpg

Parking entrance. It appears there will be car access from both Folsom and Third.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2014/2090450032_b68741e86d_b.jpg

I'm not sure what this structure will be, but it is adjacent to a plaza/patio area that sits above the parking seen in the previous shot and is level with the driveway behind the big windowless AT&T building.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2221/2090450036_1f389898aa_b.jpg

Yes, the glass installation on this building is very slow. It's a totally different technique from the other buildings I've been watching go up. No cleats and seems to be much more labor intensive.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2143/2090450040_e72bb783b0_b.jpg

[Downtown Dave]

Glass slowly creeps upward:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-2928.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-2924.jpg

[peanut gallery]

It's been over a week and still not that much progress:
http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/9624/img9924vh4.jpg

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/1691/img9925uj5.jpg

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/8749/img9926rx8.jpg

And the backside:
http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/8415/img9927lq2.jpg

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/5825/img9928fm2.jpg

[Downtown Dave]

Slow progress:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-4089.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-4092.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-4100.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-4111.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-4116.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/631%20Folsom/631Folsom-4240.jpg

[peanut gallery]

Actually, it seems they're moving a little faster now. They've basically doubled the glass coverage in two weeks. That's definitely on improvement on the pace of the first couple of floors. I was surprised to see how much they had done while I was on vacation.