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

[tech12]

Originally Posted by RST500

The heights are a little awkward. The two supertalls make the others look small in comparison. Is that the final skyline or is there still space for more?

I kind of agree. Of course there is room for more, including another site zoned for 700' (to the roof, not including crown/spire), which has no proposal yet, so isn't included in the rendering. It would be directly south of the transbay terminal. Unfortunately, every spot zoned above 600' is right next to the transbay terminal, which is cool in terms of density, but does make the overall skyline a bit more awkward than if those taller buildings were spread out more, IMO.

The reason it was planned like that was to appease NIMBYs who may have otherwise flipped out about blocked views of the bay/east bay hills, and/or shadow impact on nearby plazas, no matter how minimal. To risk really pissing of the wealthy NIMBYs who care about that is to risk some stupid height limit/construction limit stuff getting passed, as has been proven multiple times in the past...most recently just a year ago, when said NIMBYs ran a giant anti-development propaganda campaign in order to get a tiny 11 story building killed at the ballot, because it would have blocked some of their views and would have replaced their precious tennis club (never mind that half the NIMBY view-complainers live in highrises themselves, or in the case of Boston Properties, own multiple highrises in SF, including the city's new tallest tower...it was mostly about preserving a few views and some property value). They got their way through a combination of voter apathy, and by confusing many of those who did vote with claims of fighting evil developers and saving our parks and waterfront or whatever, and now any waterfront height increase needs a city-wide vote (so it's never going to happen). SF is in a situation where NIMBYism is way less strong than it was 20 or 30 years ago, as is proven by all the new highrise construction that hasn't been opposed as horrible "manhattanization", but there are still plenty of NIMBYs who are just waiting to go apeshit the second the shadow allowance on Union Square gets exceeded by 0.00001%.

edit: though it still is an awesome skyline. 10 years ago, I never would have thought all of that would get built.

[Jerry of San Fran]

101 Polk is at the halfway point of construction. Most of the mural is now hidden. A black shroud is covering what will be left to seen. Tenants will have a nice piece of art work to view from their apartments and the patio.
The view is from the 14th floor of the Essex Fox Plaza.

101 Polk Street

[mt_climber13]

Originally Posted by edluva

man, SF's urbanism is an LA wet dream. it's so hard to get excited about LA's gentrification "boom" when I put into perspective how far behind it is relative to so many cities much smaller than LA. not to mention the quality of LA's gentrification falls way short. we're easily several decades behind in urbanism. it's mind boggling how many quality projects going up in SF.

You have the beaches, the weather, the world status, the gorgeous people, the money, the media and cultural capital of the country.. what more do you want??

[fflint]

Originally Posted by Folks3000

#Boomtown

This rendering is epic. Love it.

[botoxic]

Originally Posted by fimiak

181 Fremont looks underrepresented in that render. It's going to be the second tallest in the city for a few years months until 50 First Salesforce Tower is built.

Corrected!

As for additions to the amazingly detailed rendering above, for some reason, 340 Fremont (440', under construction) isn't shown (you can see the dirt lot and equipment). And the extremely preliminary renderings for the complex at Fifth and Howard (three buildings 470', 430', and 380') aren't represented behind the Intercontinental. We've also seen a rough sketch for 555 Howard, which would be on the South side of Howard near the elevated roadway ("mini Bay Bridge") leading to Transbay. I believe that side of the street is zoned for 350', so the narrow 555 could climb to 385' including mechanical. The potential 510' (and currently tied up in litigation) Mexican Museum and condo tower at Third and Mission is not shown.

There are four significant Transbay height upgrades for which the City has not yet sought/received proposals.

The most exciting is the space behind 524 Howard and before the mini Bay Bridge. Zoned for 750', whatever is built here will be allowed to soar to 825' with mechanical and crown and has definite potential to become one of the jewels of the Transbay plan.

On the north side of Mission, across from 535, is an area rezoned to 700' (770' to crown). It may take some work for a developer to put this site together, so it might be one of the last to be filled.

Just south of Transbay Block 5 (and north of the future park) is a block zoned for 450' (495' to crown). It is currently part of the temporary Transbay Terminal, and the Block 5 rendering shows it filled with low-rises, possibly because they didn't want to distract from Block 5.

Lastly (and somewhat randomly), the City Planning Department used the Transbay plan to up the height limits just off Market between Second and Third. This accommodated the plans of the Palace Hotel to add a tower at the intersection of Jessie and Annie alleys. The proposal has been quiet for quite a while but could be resurrected with the current building boom. The tower at this location can go up to 600', or 660' with mechanical and crown.

[mdsayh1]

It just blows my mind how massive 50 First looks even in this render. I really hope this gets built. For me it is by far one of the most exciting proposals in the entire US at this moment. Such an ambitious and inspiring project.

[AndrewK]

Originally Posted by botoxic

On the north side of Mission, across from 535, is an area rezoned to 700' (770' to crown). It may take some work for a developer to put this site together, so it might be one of the last to be filled.

Are you referring to the Golden Gate University site? I haven't heard anything about that plan to tear it down and build a skyscraper for quite some time. If you are referring to the current parking lot diagonally across from 535 Mission, that is already slated as the location of tower two of the 50 First St. project (at 605').

[timbad]

I feel almost sheepish putting these two on here after that epic (great word for it) rendering and related discussion, but here goes, couple little guys...

this is what they're doing with the corner of 3rd and Folsom. underneath the bird's-nest-pattern cover, it does look like the ground floor is pulled back a little to ease up the constraint on sidewalk that had been there. can't put my finger on why I'm underwhelmed by this though



here is Dropbox on Brannan, taken from the back (Stanford Alley)

[timbad]

I think pics of this were already posted, but here is the newest project on upper Market, address I forget, think it's the intersection with 15th and Sanchez? in context. looks good to me, so nice to have the infill



and here is 55 Laguna, the massive rebuild of the former UC Berkeley Extension campus just west of Octavia/Hayes Valley. looking up Laguna



and looking west into what will be a sort of grand stair passage (no cars) mid-block where Waller would be if it were allowed

[simms3_redux]

Originally Posted by peanut gallery

It doesn't look like they've added any of those mid-Market proposals from the King article to their model. I do see Market Street Place though.

Here are a couple other pieces of infill they may be able to add in the near future. From the San Francisco Action Housing Coalition:



The two surface lots mentioned are at 351 Turk and 145 Leavenworth. The front will be covered with copper panels that will patina over time (much like the DeYoung in Golden Gate Park). The rendering is for 145 Leavenworth but I assume they both will look the same. Both lots are extremely thin, yet deep. The perspective of this rendering makes it look much wider than I think it will actually look.

Edit: Curbed has more details:

Lots of renderings compiled on that site. Some we haven't necessarily seen, such as the below:

1301 16th in Potrero Hill:


Source

The proposed development includes 234 homes, with a mix of units ranging from studios to three-bedrooms. The project is targeted at the growing workforce in the neighborhood and students.

or this interesting one at 1700 Market by Paragon (designed by Forum):


Source

This proposed development includes 43 homes, with a unit mix of 30 studios and 13 one-bedrooms. The project would be car-free and is within close proximity to transit, job centers and neighborhood amenities.

[a very long weekend]

^ is that a change (1700 market)? last i remember, it was supposed to be "microlofts" or whatever, like with communal kitchen and the rest. i'm pleased either way, especially because of the zero parking aspect, but i wonder if the shift represents some sort of shift in the market or whatever, ie. if the developer has found that the sro track isn't so viable.

thanks for pulling the renderings out, btw. will be cool if that one moves quickly because zero parking wood frame upper levels means it'll go up in no time at all.

[simms3_redux]

^^^I don't see that one being wood frame. 7 stories and a glass heavy facade. Market St corridor - going to be mostly market rate (and a high PSF given the 1 BR / Studio mix).

[Jerry of San Fran]

Originally Posted by a very long weekend

^ is that a change (1700 market)? last i remember, it was supposed to be "microlofts" or whatever, like with communal kitchen and the rest. i'm pleased either way, especially because of the zero parking aspect, but i wonder if the shift represents some sort of shift in the market or whatever, ie. if the developer has found that the sro track isn't so viable..

a very long weekend - you are thinking of 1600 Market St. which is a corner building and has already been built recently.

[RST500]

Originally Posted by fflint

This rendering is epic. Love it.

What's the deal with those short stumpy buildings south of the transbay terminal? Ate they new? They need to be replaced by 50 to 70 story towers.

[fflint]

There was a recent legal change that (if I recall correctly) would indeed allow the top five or six floors of that building to be wood frame.

In any case, that rendering is pretty slick!

[Jerry of San Fran]

I was surprised to see a lot of the foundation work has been done at 8th & Harrison Streets. My photo only shows half of the property. Those not familiar with this very large project can to this link for some drawings of the complex. 4terrainvestments.com/project/the-depot/


350 8th Street Apartments

[a very long weekend]

simms and jerry - yeah, it's definitely this project i was thinking of. and woodframe i think it will be. it's just that when it was first proposed, i'm sure that i remember that it was meant to be a market sro - that is, shared kitchen and that.

edit: found it on socketsite. http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2...rket_stre.html

[Jerry of San Fran]

Today I took a picture from the 23rd floor of the Essex Fox Plaza of the scaffolding going up at the back of 150 Van Ness Avenue in preparation for the demotion of the old automobile association building. You can the see the scaffolding on the right side. An apartment building 7 stories high will be built from Van Ness Ave. to Polk St. on Hayes St.

The Spanish revival building on Fell St., on the left, is being restored to it's original condition (with alterations) and will house a private school for children.


150 Van Ness

[1977]

Originally Posted by Jerry of San Fran

Today I took a picture from the 23rd floor of the Essex Fox Plaza of the scaffolding going up at the back of 150 Van Ness Avenue in preparation for the demotion of the old automobile association building. You can the see the scaffolding on the right side. An apartment building 7 stories high will be built from Van Ness Ave. to Polk St. on Hayes St.

The Spanish revival building on Fell St., on the left, is being restored to it's original condition (with alterations) and will house a private school for children.


150 Van Ness

Stretching a full city block, this should have a pretty big impact on the area. Thanks, Jerry.

And just to refresh:


Source: www.natadvisors.com

[mt_climber13]

^ Why is it shorter than the building it is replacing??

Well maybe not, if each window counts as 2 stories. The design is a little ambiguous.