SAN FRANCISCO | Oceanwide Center | 910 & 636 FT | 61 & 54 Floors | ON HOLD

[San Frangelino]

A Trio Of SOM Towers At 50 First Street As Proposed

http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2....html#comments







via: http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2....html#comments

The project site, comprising seven parcels, and portions of Elim Alley and Jessie Street, is approximately 56,860 square feet in size. All lots are within Block 3708 and include 50 First Street, 62 First Street, 76‐78 First Street, 88 First Street, 512 Mission Street, 516 Mission Street, and 526 Mission Street; the three parcels with addresses on Mission Street are currently vacant.

The three proposed towers would accommodate a mix of office (approximately 1.25 million square feet), residential (about 182 dwelling units), retail (approximately 43,000 square feet), and hotel (about 266 rooms) use, along with a 15,000‐square‐foot entertainment venue (performance theater), five levels of below grade parking (about 310 spaces), off‐street loading spaces, and publicly accessible open space.

Tower One would front on First Street and would span the portion of Jessie Street that runs through the project site. The 64‐story building would be 850 feet tall to the roof (915 feet tall to the top of the parapet and solar/wind energy collection features), and would include an 83‐foot tall base that would also have frontage on Stevenson Street, where the proposed performance theater would be located. The building would contain approximately 43,000 square feet of retail and the 15,000 sf performance theater on levels one through three. Mechanical space would occupy the topmost story. The remaining 60 stories would provide approximately 1.25 million square feet of office space. The tower would span the easternmost portion of Jessie Street, which would be closed to vehicular traffic and converted into a 20‐foot‐tall public pedestrian passageway (Jessie Street Galleria) flanked by retail space and lobbies serving the office use. The First Street frontage, moving from north to south, would include the theater entrance, office lobby, entrance to the Jessie Street Galleria, second office lobby and a retail store. The Stevenson Street frontage would include retail space and a garage/loading dock driveway separated by an open pedestrian entry to the interior passageway linking Stevenson Street, Mission Street and First Street via the proposed Jessie Street Galleria. An approximately 5,100‐square‐foot publicly accessible roof terrace would be developed atop the 83‐foot tall theater, fronting on Stevenson Street.

Tower Two would front Mission Street and Ecker Place. The 56-story building (605 feet to the roof, 640 feet to the top of the parapet) would include residential and hotel uses above the ground-floor entrances and two levels of hotel service space. Approximately 266 hotel rooms would be located on floors four through 22 and approximately 160 residential units would occupy levels 23 through 55. A mechanical level would occupy floor 56. The ground floor would include a hotel entrance, a residential lobby on Ecker Place, and a retail space at the corner of Mission and Ecker. The hotel lobby would be on the second floor, and hotel function space would occupy level 3. Publicly accessible open space would occupy the set back area between Tower Two and the Mission Street and Ecker Place property lines.

Tower Three would be located at the northwest corner of Mission and First Streets. This 15-story, 174-foot tall building (184 feet tall to the top of the parapet), would include retail space and a residential lobby on the ground floor and 22 residential units on the upper levels. Tower Three would be separated from the rest of the proposed project by a “T” shaped parcel (84 First Street) that is not under the control of the project sponsor and not included in the project site.

The project as proposed would either require approval of the proposed Transit Center District Plan and accompanying rezoning with respect to increased height limits or a site-specific amendment of the Planning Code and General Plan height maps by way of the Board of Supervisors upon recommendation from the Planning Commission.

Next step, the preparation of an environmental impact report (EIR).

[Coldrsx]

This has some great potential, but is the demand there yet?

[Dale]

Whuh ? Huh ? Didn't see this coming.

[John Martin]

Looks neato.

[brantw]

WhooooHoooo!!!

[botoxic]

This proposal has potential. Boxy at the ground level, turning curvy as they shoot skyward. They may not be as visually arresting as Piano's bamboo shoots, but the mass may wind up having just as much impact on the skyline. Tower 1 takes full advantage of the proposed 850' height limit, but Tower 2 falls a little shy of its 700'. And Tower 3 is much shorter than 550', but I guess that's to be expected as long as the adjacent properties refuse to sell.


image courtesy of SocketSite (http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2...rict_plan.html)

[SD_Phil]

Has this just popped out of nowhere? Where is this in relation to the transbay towers? I haven't been keeping up with news on SF so excuse my ignorance

edit

Assuming that map above answers the Transbay question...which would be the 1000ft parcel yes?

[San Frangelino]

Originally Posted by SD_Phil

Assuming that map above answers the Transbay question...which would be the 1000ft parcel yes?

The 1000ft parcel is the Transbay. This project is at the opposite corner just northwest, where the 850' and 700' are circled.

Here it is on google. http://maps.google.com/maps?client=s...ed=0CBQQ8gEwAA

[Obey]

I just visited San Francisco. Where exactly is this?

[plinko]

The project as proposed would either require approval of the proposed Transit Center District Plan and accompanying rezoning with respect to increased height limits or a site-specific amendment of the Planning Code and General Plan height maps by way of the Board of Supervisors upon recommendation from the Planning Commission.

Next step, the preparation of an environmental impact report (EIR).

These are the most important statements in the entire write-up. Let the chopping begin! (sadly)

[fflint]

Yes, the 1000-ft. zone is the Transbay Tower parcel. These heights are not impossible, but regardless of eventual height the EIR is going to take forever.

[CyberEric]

Would these likely come after the Transbay tower or before? I know that is a difficult question, but I figured someone might have an idea.

[botoxic]

Originally Posted by spyguy

How is SF's office market right now?

The last I saw, SF's office vacancy rate was about 18%, the same as the national average. It would be difficult for this project and Transbay to come online at the same time. I'm curious to see if both hold off for a while, or if they race to see which one can finish first.

Originally Posted by CyberEric

Would these likely come after the Transbay tower or before? I know that is a difficult question, but I figured someone might have an idea.

Both projects have yet to go through the EIR process, but both are also at heights encouraged by the planning department - which may help navigate the notoriously difficult SF politics. At this point, if either project significantly stepped up to the plate, it could win this race. I think it would be cool to get a new tallest with 50 First, to be topped by Transbay shortly thereafter.

Also in the mix, though not in contention for tallest, is the ~750-footer at 181 Fremont.

[brickhugger]

Originally Posted by botoxic

The last I saw, SF's office vacancy rate was about 18%, the same as the national average. It would be difficult for this project and Transbay to come online at the same time. I'm curious to see if both hold off for a while, or if they race to see which one can finish first.


Both projects have yet to go through the EIR process, but both are also at heights encouraged by the planning department - which may help navigate the notoriously difficult SF politics. At this point, if either project significantly stepped up to the plate, it could win this race. I think it would be cool to get a new tallest with 50 First, to be topped by Transbay shortly thereafter.

Also in the mix, though not in contention for tallest, is the ~750-footer at 181 Fremont.

--These projects will take three years to complete at a minimum, at which point the market should be dramatically improved.

[SD_Phil]

Thanks for clearing things up San Frangelino and Fflint.

The design on this does look strangely reminiscent to the transbay tower also. Like a shorter slightly heavier twin.

[patriotizzy]

I'm crossing my fingers. Although I don't live in the city, I do live in the Bay Area so this would definitely be a great addition to our beautiful city

[SkyscrapersOfNewYork]

im really liking the shape

[peanut gallery]

Despite the reduced height, I'm more excited about this proposal than what we saw from Piano. Granted, a lot of that has to do with the minimal visuals we saw for the previous proposal. But I like the prospects of this and Pelli's tower playing off each other a little bit. Plus, SOM deserves a prominent tower in the plan after their brilliant proposal for the Transbay Tower itself.

When and if these two projects plus 350 Mission and of course the terminal get off the ground, the transformation of the neighborhood will be remarkable.

The project as proposed would either require approval of the proposed Transit Center District Plan and accompanying rezoning with respect to increased height limits or a site-specific amendment of the Planning Code and General Plan height maps by way of the Board of Supervisors upon recommendation from the Planning Commission.

If the Transbay Plan is anywhere near on schedule, then I would hope it will be approved in time for this project's timeline. The Transbay EIR is supposed to be finalized next Spring. I have no idea how long approval of that will take, but I think it might still be easier to wait for that as it should make approval of this much more straightforward. Either way, this needs to wait for the office market to get stronger, so I wouldn't think they're in any kind of rush.

[spyguy]

The towers look like they'll nicely complement Pelli's design, although I'm a bit surprised by how few units there are.

How is SF's office market right now?

[SanFran]

Oh man i love the design it needs to work baby