SAN FRANCISCO | 555 Mission Street | 482 FT / 147 M | 33 FLOORS - Page 4

Reminiscence · #61 Posted **Oct 27, 2006, 5:14 PM**

Yeah, it did have an awkward but eye-catching design. The only part I wasent so sure about was the base, but it was still a good project.

AK47KC · #62 Posted **Oct 27, 2006, 6:03 PM**

^^^Let's hope a better, taller tower is proposed on the same site, but Sofitel was cool.

Reminiscence · #63 Posted **Oct 27, 2006, 9:40 PM**

Yeah, I want to see more towers like this. Towers that are architecturally different than the rest. After a while, you get bored of seeing the same shaped concrete towers. Maybe in the future they'll revive this project? Lets hope so ...

AK47KC · #64 Posted **Oct 29, 2006, 2:07 AM**

Drove by the site; there's lots of green fencing around it, some excavators, bulldozers, a sign with the rendering and a lot of dirt.

Reminiscence · #65 Posted **Oct 29, 2006, 2:24 AM**

Oh, it seems the preliminary construction phase in is progress. I guess this is good though, I dont recall any news of this project.

AK47KC · #66 Posted **Oct 29, 2006, 2:28 AM**

I don't think the tower will have a deep foundation like 300 Spear did, so it shouldn't be too long until the first bits and pieces of the foundation appear, but it's really hard to see with the green fence around the site.

Reminiscence · #67 Posted **Oct 29, 2006, 2:30 AM**

Yeah, unless someone has access to a window nearby that is taller than the green fence.

BTinSF · #68 Posted **Oct 29, 2006, 4:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FourOneFive

The Sofitel Hotel was supposed to go into that site:

Based on the proposed buildout, it seems as if the Planning Department is hoping that the site could accomodate a 550' - 600' tower on that site. I believe the current height limit is 500'.

The Sofitel site is closer to the First street corner in this rendering--pretty much where the gap is between the two buildings on the north side of the 500 block:

and I believe I read it would be part of the Piano-design building site (otherwise it would be right next door). That's why I say, I don't think there's another site on that side of that block. But we'll know when Piano produces his design.

Reminiscence · #69 Posted **Oct 29, 2006, 4:36 AM**

If Renzo's tower is to go here, then I'm glad they decided not to build this hotel here. But then again, Renzo better come up with something superb or we'll all be somewhat dissapointed. I think Sofitel should be revived but in a place closer to where projects like the Intercontinental Hotel Tower is going up. It would be a nice addition in that part of the city

BTinSF · #70 Posted **Oct 29, 2006, 4:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reminisence

If Renzo's tower is to go here, then I'm glad they decided not to build this hotel here. But then again, Renzo better come up with something superb or we'll all be somewhat dissapointed. I think Sofitel should be revived but in a place closer to where projects like the Intercontinental Hotel Tower is going up. It would be a nice addition in that part of the city

The developer that has hired Piano bought the three old buildings along First St. including the one on the corner to assemble the site but someone posted elsewhere that the vacant "Sofitel" lot was also part of the site as envisioned by the Transbay plan. That could be wrong, but if so the additional building would be right next door to Piano's design or else they could use only the western half of the site for a tower and put an "open space" between that tower and the Piano design more or less like the 555 building is putting a small plaza between itself and 201 2nd St.

AK47KC · #71 Posted **Oct 29, 2006, 4:55 AM**

delete this post.

Reminiscence · #72 Posted **Oct 29, 2006, 4:59 AM**

More confusion huh, this is turning all too regular in SF

Well, I would guess that what they put on the western site, would depend on how big the space is. If the space calls for another model of 555 Mission, then they should go ahead with that instead.

AK47KC · #73 Posted **Oct 30, 2006, 5:42 AM**

This thread has gone on too long without a construction picture.
Like 631 Folsom, not much to see yet.

AK47KC · #74 Posted **Nov 14, 2006, 2:43 AM**

Update: Passed by the site again, still nothing much to see except for a one story pit. It will probably be like this for a while.

botoxic · #75 Posted **Dec 31, 2006, 11:20 PM**

Still not a whole lot to see at 555: Condon Johnson, a construction firm specializing in foundations work, has several employees onsite. They appear to be concentrating mainly on shoring up the site perimeters.

Rincon rising in the background:

BTinSF · #76 Posted **Jan 1, 2007, 8:49 PM**

This is how foundations of buildings in sites with existing adjacent buildings are built--a careful process to avoid destabilizing the next door neighbor. The excavation can take as long as the later construction phase. From what I can see in your photos, things are proceeding apace.

botoxic · #77 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 11:54 PM**

The first excavator is removing wet, clay-like material from the pit, and the second excavator is replacing it with good dirt placed on fabric. The site is shored a good 30 feet deep; for a sense of scale, look for the geotech engineer standing on the hill between the excavators.

SFObserver · #78 Posted **Feb 2, 2007, 9:36 PM**

The landlord for our building on Market Street received notice on the 30th that pile driving is going to start on February 1st. It's scheduled to continue for about 5 weeks, subject to weather delays.

botoxic · #79 Posted **Feb 9, 2007, 2:05 AM**

Has piledriving begun? This weekend, the crane had been brought in but was not yet fully assembled, and there were no pile on site yet. I took a very crappy picture which turned out hella blurry, and I'm embarrassed to post it, but at least it shows the most recent changes at 555...

Reminiscence · #80 Posted **Feb 9, 2007, 3:25 AM**

Oh, they've dug pretty deep. Maybe they'll begin piledriving in about a month?