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

[viewguysf]

This is an older shot I neglected to post, showing where Levi's flagship store was removed in preparation for Apple's flagship store construction. The interesting part is that it is on top of underground levels of the Grand Hyatt Union Square; not only challenging weight wise, but also because the hotel's service/loading dock entrance (the long structure along the right side) remains in use.

The Levi's store had extensively renovated the triangular wing that was originally part of the hotel, featuring their very large Plaza Restaurant (named after the Plaza Hotel that had once occupied the site). Apple obviously removed the entire super structure in order to build a completely new one--what a great lease for the Hyatt's owners! Construction of the Union Square Station for the Central Subway is on Stockton Street in the background.

[IMG]Preparation for Apple Store by Jim Bolinger, on Flickr[/IMG]

[peanut gallery]

Some news on 30 Van Ness from the SF Business Times:

The Mid-Market real estate gold mine where city offices now sit will soon be sold for at least $87 million to one of four residential developers who are finalists to build a 600-unit project.

The San Francisco Department of Real Estate is nearing a deal to sell the coveted 30 Van Ness Ave. property, now a five-story building housing the Department of Public Works that can be demolished in 2019, to give way to a 400-foot residential highrise. The city expects the project to include one-third of the units as affordable by using money from other public building sales.

The property had been marketed by brokerage Newmark Cornish & Carey as a potential office tower because it can slide under the city’s office space cap. City real estate director John Updike told the Business Times on Friday that “as we continued the process to the final rounds, residential proposals were most favored by the city.”

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The intersection of Market Street and Van Ness Avenue has big development dollars gyrating on every corner.

Residential towers with 2,000 housing units in all are getting built by developers Build Inc., Crescent Heights, Emerald Fund and Related California on top of donut shops, car dealerships, parking lots and a Goodwill. The headquarters of Twitter and Uber are a couple blocks away, and the sites are ripe for high-rises because of the 2008 Market-Octavia zoning plan. The sites could get even taller if the city gets its way. More than 7,000 housing units are under construction, approved or planned for Mid-Market in all, according to Newmark Cornish & Carey.

So, they are going residential, not office, and expect to get a premium from one of the 4 developers making bids. All good news.

[peanut gallery]

Remember this one from a couple of years ago?:



According to Socketsite, they have finally filed their application with Planning.

This will replace the building that houses the Canton Seafood Restaurant at the corner of Folsom and Hawthorne. Not many details, other than:

The development as proposed includes 35 two-bedrooms, 37 one-bedrooms and 12 studios. A variance to for the requested 54 parking spaces will be required as the City’s Planning Code only allows for 0.25 spaces per residential unit at this site.

In addition to the 655 Folsom project, plans for another 13-story building with 240 units to wrap around the Canton site, covering the parcels at 667 Folsom and 120-126 Hawthorne, are in the works as well but a little farther behind, with that project’s Preliminary Assessment currently under review.

Plus it will have 2000 sq ft of commercial space.

[mdsayh1]

Such an exciting time in San Francisco. It feels like the entire core of the city is under construction.

[viewguysf]

There was graffiti in multiple places, so they've had visitors.

[IMG]2198 Market @ Sanchez, 1 by Jim Bolinger, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]2198 Market @ Sanchez, 2 by Jim Bolinger, on Flickr[/IMG]

[jbm]

It looks like work has started on what I think is 520 9th st. and I believe it's residential. It's likely only notable for the fact that it is between the Muji store and a freeway offramp. If I recall, there was some controversy over whether or not they should even build residential there in the first place.

[peanut gallery]

A new piece of infill may be coming soon to Union Square. From Socketsite:

Highgate Hotels has purchased the parking lot at 72 Ellis Street and intends to break ground for an upscale 11-story hotel with 156 guest rooms “as soon as possible.”

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With the third extension of the original approval for the project set to expire on August 15 of this year, Highgate has engaged Handel Architects to refine and update the proposed design.

The updated project remains an 11-story building with 156 tourist guest rooms. The project would concentrate commercial retail use on the bottom two stories of the building, with a hotel entrance located in the far right bay of the façade.

The hotel is planned with a lobby and fitness area on the second floor. Floors 3—11 would contain hotel rooms with a rooftop viewing terrace above…[and] the project does not include any off-street parking.

As a condition of the project’s original approval, the hotel’s final design was subject to review. And according to Planning, “the final design of the updated project is appropriate for and consistent” with the Kearny‐Market-Mason‐Sutter Conservation District in which it is to be built and should soon rise.

It like it. Reminds me of the type of clean design you see on newer hotels in parts of Europe. Regarding the lack of parking, that's a 7-story garage to the right in the rendering.

[AndrewK]

A small Hayes Valley update:

I hadn't seen any updates on 450 Hayes in a while, but it is now topped out:

Here is the rendering:


Foundation is being dug for 588 Hayes:

[350Bush]

Its great to see that the old parking lot at 72 Ellis street will finally be developed. Its been a very very long time since i've heard about this project awakening. Can't wait to see what will happen soon.

[Jerry of San Fran]

For the first time I can now see the construction above ground from my apartment. It has been a very long time building the foundation.

Trinity Place III (reduced size)

[viewguysf]

Originally Posted by Jerry of San Fran

For the first time I can now see the construction above ground from my apartment. It has been a very long time building the foundation.

Didn't they build out the massive 1,400 car underground garage during that time?

[fimiak]

Originally Posted by viewguysf

Didn't they build out the massive 1,400 car underground garage during that time?

Not only that, but they are building two buildings, not just one. I just hope they don't wait too long to begin phase 4. This is huge for Civic Center.

[viewguysf]

I didn't realize they were this close to construction of the new hospital!

[IMG]Tower Crane Erection at St. Luke's Hospital by Jim Bolinger, on Flickr[/IMG]

[1977]

I found some new renderings of 555 Golden Gate by Stanley Saitowitz:





Source and more renderings

Also, I believe this is the final design for the public space just to the west of the PG&E Substation in Rincon Hill - Also, by Stanley Saitowitz. You can see it from the SF Tower webcam





Mockup:



Source and a lot more renderings

[david_h]

Regarding those PG&E renderings - Somehow I don't think the cool people will hang out by an electricity substation! Though it does give new meaning to an area having a buzz.

[viewguysf]

Originally Posted by david_h

Regarding those PG&E renderings - Somehow I don't think the cool people will hang out by an electricity substation! Though it does give new meaning to an area having a buzz.

I agree--that public space is going to be a mess.

If they would at least clean the older blockbuster building, it would at least be an improvement.

[a very long weekend]

the saitowitz rendering is cool but as usual his grade-level treatment is horrible. if someone from saitowitz is reading this, please inform your boss that the 1990s were a shit era in design and that he needs to hire someone in their 20s with a specific focus on how the building meets the street. to my knowledge saitowitz has never done a single sf building that works truly well at the street level.

[k1052]

Originally Posted by a very long weekend

the saitowitz rendering is cool but as usual his grade-level treatment is horrible. if someone from saitowitz is reading this, please inform your boss that the 1990s were a shit era in design and that he needs to hire someone in their 20s with a specific focus on how the building meets the street. to my knowledge saitowitz has never done a single sf building that works truly well at the street level.

I don't know, the futuristic semi-dystopian prison vibe may well come into vogue...

[AndrewK]

Progress at 1 Franklin:

(my apologies for the darkness of the photo, I happened to be walking by shortly after sundown)

[pseudolus]

Originally Posted by 1977

Also, I believe this is the final design for the public space just to the west of the PG&E Substation in Rincon Hill - Also, by Stanley Saitowitz. You can see it from the SF Tower webcam

With a few modifications, it could make a nice skate park