SAN FRANCISCO | Projects: Under Construction, Approved, and Proposed

[sf_eddo]

Originally Posted by EastBayHardCore

300 Spear courtesy of Patrix on Flickr.

Seeing as how it's dark and you can see all the underground levels from that particular angle - Patrix either has access to the site or totally broke in at night and took some long-exposure photography. Either way, I'm jealous.

[EastBayHardCore]

In his comments on Flickr he mentioned this being stitched together. I guess it's conceivable that he was able to angle the lens between the links in the fence, but you're right, either way the pics are amazingly detailed.

[The_Analyst]

Definitely a unique night time construction shot. I am surprised at how well lit up it is. They must be working extra shifts. Kind of Sci-Fi looking, actually, like George Lukas' scene of them building a new Death Star!

The Fed Building is shaping up nicely. The Mission Street side reminds me a bit of NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building at Cape Canaveral--like a giant door will slide open and the shuttle will be rolled out. The Market Street side looks awesome, though.

It seems, with the possible exception of the Transamerica Pyramid, that most of large scale architecture from the 70's to the 90's in SF has been rather "safe" and dull. With the DeYoung Museum and now the Federal Building (and perhaps the new east side of the Bay Bridge when that is completed in like 2050) we seem to have entered an era when it is okay to do something more daring. The result is architecture that may not necessarily delight everyone but it is at least worth talking about.

[FourOneFive]

new sexy pictures of the proposed 1177 market courtesy of Arquitectonica:

[fflint]

^Well that's different!

[StevenW]

very nice, indeed!

[The_Analyst]

Hmmm...the jury is still out on this one. I like the boldness of taking out chunks of the buildings. But, I am not sold on the facade design. Looks a bit like a Holiday Inn. Maybe real life will look better.

[sf_eddo]

Im just glad the renderings don't show more stinkin Palm trees.

And wow, it's massive. Yet playful. I likes.

[fflint]

Originally Posted by The_Analyst

Hmmm...the jury is still out on this one. I like the boldness of taking out chunks of the buildings. But, I am not sold on the facade design. Looks a bit like a Holiday Inn. Maybe real life will look better.

Agreed. The form is great, especially the playfully punched-out portions, but I'm not sold on the facadist pastiche.

[Austinlee]

I love that new federal building! And imagine the sense of pride I felt as a Pittsburgher when I read that a local Pittsburgh company is involved with the construction management on that building.... Wonderful!

[J Church]

Hell has just frozen over.

Proposed SoMa tower could be tallest building on West Coast
- John King, Chronicle Urban Design Writer
Thursday, May 25, 2006

If you've ever wanted to look down on the Transamerica Pyramid, stick around San Francisco for a few years and you might get your chance: City planners say it's time to make room for a new tower of at least 1,000 feet that could be the West Coast's tallest building.

The proposal was presented this morning to the Transbay Joint Powers Authority, a city agency that seeks to build a new transit terminal south of Market Street. Planners want to raise heights near the terminal site to allow two towers as tall as the 853-foot Transamerica Pyramid -- and a third that would rise at least another 150 feet.

The high-rises would also generate money for the transit terminal, with revenue from land sales and property taxes being steered to the transit terminal.

City planners say that with new residential towers being built between Mission Street and the Bay Bridge, there's a new spot for a few extra-tall towers to finish the picture and create a distinctive peak on the skyline.

"We're looking at a trio of towers around the Transbay center that would mark a new center of downtown," said David Alumbaugh, a senior urban planner at the San Francisco Planning Department.

Officials stressed that today's presentation is only a starting point for discussion. A formal planning study and a full environmental impact report would be needed before any zoning changes could occur.

"We want to start the discussion of changing the rules," city Planning Director Dean Macris told the Transbay board. "We want to stretch and raise the imagination of the public."

At present, the tallest building on the West Coast is the U.S. Bank Tower in Los Angeles, at 1,018 feet.

[EastBayHardCore]

What a bombshell that was. Here's the link to the BizJournal article, it has a bit more info.

http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/rc/304...tml?from_rss=1

[J Church]

[colemonkee]

Great news. Now somebody put a giant NIMBY magnet on a barge in the bay, sail it around the city, out to the ocean, and sink it.

[craeg]

^bump

[The_Analyst]

The potential for this area is quite exciting. Reading the 2-cents comments in the Chron was interesting, though. A lot of folks decried big buildings and said they either wanted more open space or more affordable housing. In order to pay for those things you need a vibrant and growing business base paying taxes. And you can't grow business if there is no office space available. You would think the proposal was to build these towers in Golden Gate park. I can't think of a better area to grow upward than SOMA, especially if the designs are cutting edge or at least attractive. Unfortunately, the timeline of these kinds of projects seems to be about 20 years from concept to completion so I won't be holding my breath.

I do like the orange color scheme on the towers in the renderings. Very distinctive. Ok, I am just kidding, I know those were just illustrations of the height. But, we do need something other than beige or gray.

[sf_eddo]

^ Seriously, we're not building in the traditional neighborhoods, people. We're building near a Transit Center (next door to the fourth tallest building in the city, by the way, and another one under construction that will be the 3rd tallest, i think) and in a freeway loop/exit. over an abandoned parking lot nonetheless.

if height should be anywhere, it should be here. but these people are opposed to height for height's sake, I suppose. Immediate reaction among San Franciscans: don't change a thing! my housing is worth too much as it is!

[tech12]

Originally Posted by sf_eddo

^ Seriously, we're not building in the traditional neighborhoods, people. We're building near a Transit Center (next door to the fourth tallest building in the city, by the way, and another one under construction that will be the 3rd tallest, i think)

The fourth tallest is going to be 301 mission, but what is this 3rd tallest you speak of? I thought that was 345 California Center?

[sf_eddo]

Originally Posted by tech12

The fourth tallest is going to be 301 mission, but what is this 3rd tallest you speak of? I thought that was 345 California Center?

You're right, I got carried away. Too excitable, I suppose.

I was talking about the current 4th tallest being 50 Fremont, and then the third tallest to be 301 Mission. BUT I forgot rather simple logic.

Thougt I'd throw in some visuals:

Below is a google maps visual of the planned Transbay Redevelopment Area.

The Transbay Center (1000+ ft) is the big grey box in the middle with the bus lines running to and from it. First and Mission (850+ ft) has a marker on it, and I believe the Howard & 1st parcel is the parking lot above the word 'Tehama' near First. (FYI - 301 Mission (Millennium) is at the corner of Fremont and Mission, right where the 't' in "50 Fremont Center" is, 300 Spear (Infinity) is at Spear/Folsom/Main, One Rincon Hill is at at the bottom of the picture at 1st & Harrison)



We've seen the Transbay Terminal before, so it wasn't really exciting to capture the parcel, but here are what I believe are the two 850+ ft. towers that are being discussed.

The first one is at the Northwest corner of 1st and Mission, and its footprint will extend to the parking lot. This is the view from Local Live looking East, I believe. The white lowrise building is the one being talked about, and the adjacent abandoned parking lot above it (which by the way smells offensively like human feces everytime the sun comes out).



The Howard/1st parcel, I think is this one. I cannot see where else they would be able to easily build, unless they are tearing down the building. My opinion is, if the parking lot goes, I'm for it, whatever it is! This is the view from Local Live looking south. From memory, I believe the building in the lower right corner is part of the Foundry Square complex, and is also the corporate headquarters of Gymboree.



Hope this sheds light for those who had difficulty imagining the actual sites on the city grid.

(sorry for those who've seen this before...)

[tech12]

Originally Posted by sf_eddo

You're right, I got carried away. Too excitable, I suppose.

I was talking about the current 4th tallest being 50 Fremont, and then the third tallest to be 301 Mission. BUT I forgot rather simple logic.

oh, ok, gotcha. I thought i had missed something