SAN FRANCISCO | Lumina (201 Folsom) | 400 ft - 43 floors | 350 ft - 38 floors

peanut gallery · #1 Posted **Feb 7, 2012, 11:17 PM**

This proposal has been around for years but I guess we never created a thread for it.

Back in 2009, Tishman Speyer received a 3-year extension to start construction. That latest deadline is up later this year and I'm hopeful they will not need another one. Also, there have been some recent changes to certain aspects of the development. From SocketSite:

Quote:

The two towers at 201 Folsom will still rise 38 and 43 stories over an 80 foot full-lot podium, but instead of 725 units with a mix of 161 studios, 466 one-bedrooms and 98 two-bedrooms, the current plans call for 671 units with 12 studios, 234 one-bedrooms, 333 two-bedrooms and 92 threes.

The number of parking spaces over which the building will be built has been reduced from 1,010 to 701 as 272 parking spaces which were originally included to accommodate the Post Office at 390 Main Street are no longer needed (the Metropolitan Transportation Commission purchased 390 Main).

And the best news of all:

Quote:

In terms of design, Arquitectonica has replaced Heller Manus as the architects of record, stay tuned for the revised rendering scoop.

YESSSS!!!! Just like Infinity! And that came out great. I must say, HM's latest design for this isn't the worst thing in the world:

Source: SocketSite.

And here's an older version:

Source: SocketSite.

Imagine what Arquitectonica will come up with. They'll certainly want to do even better than they did with Infinity. I can't wait to see it.

EDIT: Wait no longer, here they are:

Source: www.socketsite.com

Source: www.socketsite.com[/QUOTE]

CyberEric · #2 Posted **Feb 7, 2012, 11:35 PM**

Yeah that seems like good news. Thanks.

1977 · #3 Posted **Feb 7, 2012, 11:44 PM**

Yes!! I hope September of this year is a reality.

From www.socketsite.com:

Quote:

First approved for development in 2003 but subsequently granted an extension to start construction by September 2012...

peanut gallery · #4 Posted **Feb 8, 2012, 1:51 AM**

I just noticed that SocketSite lined out the bit about a single 80-foot podium below both towers. Infinity originally had that same approach, but Arquitectonica redesigned it into two separate towers with matching townhouse structures attached to the bases. I wonder if someone at the architect already let them know that the same change will take place here. Hmmmm.

1977 · #5 Posted **Feb 8, 2012, 4:21 PM**

New renderings! I'm not quite sure how I feel about them yet but I do like the 2 smaller buildings. What do you guys think?

Quote:

Arquitectonica blows the 725 doors off the old Heller Manus design for Tishman Speyer’s development at 201 Folsom. And as promised, we’ve got the rendering and design scoop.

The 80 foot full-lot podium is gone, instead two podium buildings topped with park-like outdoor areas for residents rise on the northeast (Folsom and Main) and southwest corners of the site while the two towers rise on the northwest (Folsom and Beale) and southeast corners with pathways and green space between.

Source and article: www.socketsite.com

Source: www.socketsite.com

Zapatan · #6 Posted **Feb 8, 2012, 5:21 PM**

wooooah I love it!

Get the transbay tower and that othwer 900 footer built and SF skyline will be a knockout!

peanut gallery · #7 Posted **Feb 8, 2012, 5:22 PM**

I, too, really like the townhouses (assuming that's what the smaller buildings will be). I kind of wish the towers tapered a little more toward the top but overall I like the massing. I think the glass color is purposefully ambiguous, so it's a little hard to judge. Not quite gray, not quite green. Perhaps they are still determining the final color. Or maybe that's just a function of the illustrations that SocketSite was able to get their hands on. Whatever the case, I think they're in the ballpark for a color that will stand apart from Infinity, yet not clash with it.

San Frangelino · #8 Posted **Feb 8, 2012, 5:28 PM**

All this SF high-rise news is fantastic. I hope it all pencils out in the end. The redesign is definitely an improvement.

1977 · #9 Posted **Feb 8, 2012, 5:40 PM**

Yeah, I agree with you Peanut Gallery - A little more tapering would be nice as they are a little bulky from certain angles. That being said, I think it plays well off of the Infinity towers and would love to see this break ground by September! SF is on a roll!

mt_climber13 · #10 Posted **Feb 8, 2012, 5:52 PM**

Infinity and ORH gave birth to twins!

Gordo · #11 Posted **Feb 8, 2012, 6:06 PM**

Yeah, the new look is much better in every way.

I'll be interested to see how much ground-floor retail they're putting in. My guess is that we're approaching a density level in this neighborhood where more will be needed soon.

minesweeper · #12 Posted **Feb 8, 2012, 7:56 PM**

I really like the re-design. It'll be a great addition to the skyline. Boxier designs (like the previous design or 45 Lansing) are OK, but it'll be nice to have a good diversity.

peanut gallery · #13 Posted **Feb 8, 2012, 7:59 PM**

^^Yes, and I think the Folsom St. plan calls for ground floor retail all along it, so I would think that side of the development will be all retail.

mt_climber13 · #14 Posted **Feb 8, 2012, 8:04 PM**

Can you please put the new renderings in the title post?

peanut gallery · #15 Posted **Feb 8, 2012, 8:17 PM**

Good call. Just did that.

CyberEric · #16 Posted **Feb 8, 2012, 9:29 PM**

Hmmm, definitely an improvement over the original designs, however the renderings are so vague it's really hard to tell how nice they will actually look. I agree with the posts above, form angles they look a little too porky. It almost looks like they had a design for a taller building, then just cut the top off.

Very very promising stuff though. Thanks!

ElDuderino · #17 Posted **Feb 9, 2012, 4:19 AM**

Not super original, but wayyyyyy better that the old designs. To me the cladding in the renderings looks a little blue which might be a good contrast to the green infinity towers next door.

Really I would be extatic to see anything go up in the skyline in SF at this point.

peanut gallery · #18 Posted **Feb 10, 2012, 1:34 AM**

According to JK Dineen at the SF Business Times:

Quote:

The project was recently redesigned -- see the new renderings on Socketsite here -- but sources say Tishman is probably a year away from breaking ground. Afterall 201 Spear is a condo site -- not rental apartments -- and the condo market is still an uncertain bet.

That's actually about as soon as I had hoped for, so good news as far as I'm concerned.

northbay · #19 Posted **Feb 13, 2012, 5:24 PM**

more renderings:

http://sf.curbed.com/archives/2012/0...commission.php

Nowhereman1280 · #20 Posted **Feb 13, 2012, 7:21 PM**

Wow, what an improvement. While the new design is no masterpiece, it is 1000X better than the old design and quite a handsome pair of towers.