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

[migol24]

This is sad guys. Stop being mean.
what are you referring to? just wondering. :)

[peanut gallery]

Heard from BT that a tower crane was going up this past weekend at the new PUC building at Golden Gate & Polk. So glad that one is moving forward. Here's a rendering I don't think I've seen before even though it's been around for months.

From The Architects Newspaper (http://www.archpaper.com/e-board_rev.asp?News_ID=3997):

http://www.archpaper.com/uploads/image/PUCBuilding.jpg
http://www.archpaper.com/e-board_rev.asp?News_ID=3997
And courtesy KMD Architects.

[CityKid]

My boyfriend has been working at the court and took these photos of the SFPUC under construction when he saw the crane go up. He gave me permission to post these. Looks like they're still working on the foundation?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4855385581_126106ea16_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4856004620_ec4eb7e613_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4856004276_73784953ae_b.jpg

[Jerry of San Fran]

Peanutgallery - nice rendering - a handsome building

City Kid - great vantage point of the construction site. Thanks for the view.

[Jerry of San Fran]

A picture of the San Francisco Civic Center with a view of the SFPUC construction crane. The photo is from the north end of the Archstone Fox Plaza, 27th floor.

Photo taken by me 08/04/10

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4860909829_fb65b5ab77_b.jpg

[peanut gallery]

Thanks for the photos, guys!

Jerry -- it's a good thing you have friends on other sides of the building. :)

[Jerry of San Fran]

Thanks for the photos, guys!

Jerry -- it's a good thing you have friends on other sides of the building. :)

Actually I do have friends on the west side of the bldg. and the view from the laundry room on the 14th floor. The picture was taken from the fire escape!

[viewguysf]

Actually I do have friends on the west side of the bldg. and the view from the laundry room on the 14th floor. The picture was taken from the fire escape!

Very nice! Please take other pics of the City in different directions too!

[peanut gallery]

^Yes! I love your shots of SOMA. Post some looking toward the FiDi and toward Russian, Nob and Telegraph.

You could do the same, viewguy! I'm so envious of the city views you guys have.

[tommaso]

222 Second Street Gets First Approval
Friday, August 13, 2010, by Sally Kuchar

The Planning Commission was split, but decided to give the go-ahead for a 26-story office building at 222 Second Street at Howard Street. This is a huge upset for the families in the local residential luxury towers who fear that the building's 430,000 square footage is "too massive" and the traffic it would bring would "endanger their children." The $100,000,000 building is replacing a parking lot that's on a piece of land that's already earmarked for high-rise office construction and meets almost all of the city zoning requirements. The final vote was 4-3. NIMBYs get another opportunity to vent their frustrations about the project when it hits the desks of the Board of Supervisors for approval of the height and bulk exceptions (many exceptions were granted). If all goes as planned (which it won't), the project could be completed by 2013.
· Draft Environmental Impact Report PDF [SF Planning Commission]
· Second Street high-rise office building gets planners reluctant OK [City Insider]

http://sf.curbed.com/archives/2010/08/13/222_second_street_gets_first_approval.php


http://cdn.cstatic.net/cache/gallery/4099/4888367771_4dc9ca7631_o.jpg

http://cdn.cstatic.net/cache/gallery/4119/4888367697_96dd3542fc_o.jpg

http://cdn.cstatic.net/cache/gallery/4143/4888963942_c2bee62a53_o.jpg

http://cdn.cstatic.net/cache/gallery/4119/4888367465_5218d155fc_o.jpg

[peanut gallery]

FYI: 222 Second has it's own thread (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=178017) under proposals.

[CityKid]

Another SFPUC construction update courtesy of my boyfriend.

BT, ask and you shall receive.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/4951763331_79da23b351_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4952354068_521c528a82_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/4951762691_80f4474262_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4951762497_bc19165a6d_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/4951762243_8a908a41e2_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/4951761981_0e59ea1c75_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4952352770_bf0556743a_b.jpg

[peanut gallery]

Thanks for the update, CityKid. It looks like there will be two elevator cores, but I wouldn't think it necessary on a building this size.

[peanut gallery]

Remember 8 Washington, the proposal to redevelop the Golden Gateway Tennis & Swim Club? They've reworked the design to stagger the height down from the taller towers behind with dramatic results:

http://www.8washington.com/resources/2northAerial.jpg

http://www.8washington.com/resources/2_S200_ViewFromSouthEast.jpg

http://www.8washington.com/resources/1_S300_ViewFromEast.jpg

All sourced from the 8 Washington project website (http://www.8washington.com/index.php).

[peanut gallery]

BTW, the proposal calls for about half as much tennis court space and a huge increase in the amount of public space.

[peanut gallery]

Any thoughts about this weekend's article on the city's America's Cup proposal?

From the San Francisco Chronicle (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/04/MNLF1F8C3B.DTL):

http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2010/09/03/ba-cup0904_gr_SFCG1283556532.jpg

http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2010/09/03/ba-cup04_PH3_0502182320.jpg

San Francisco's plan for hosting America's Cup
John Coté, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, September 4, 2010

...if city officials are successful in their plan to host the next America's Cup, the drab Piers 30-32 would be transformed into a striking bayfront amphitheater and sailing showplace - a focal point of a revived waterfront stretching from the Bay Bridge to south of AT&T Park - all without tapping taxpayer funds.

Under a proposal that Mayor Gavin Newsom's administration recently presented to race organizers, the city would provide free land and future development rights on the property in exchange for the America's Cup event authority paying $100 million to $150 million to shore up the piers, dredge the area around them, and install new breakwaters and utility lines.

The Port of San Francisco would retain ownership of the property. Future development would be under a long-term lease and still require governmental approvals. Structures to house team headquarters, a public amphitheater and new mega-yacht slips would be temporary and paid for by race organizers.

(more at SFGate (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/04/MNLF1F8C3B.DT))


When they say the amphitheater is temporary, I wonder if they also mean that sail-like cover? I have to believe so if they are turning over development rights. Otherwise, the eventual developer will be limited in what they can do on 30-32. Too bad because I like the look of that on this part of the waterfront. But the real benefit to the city comes in the form of infrastructure improvements, which should make these piers much easier to redevelop. As it is, getting those piers in a condition to use is just too expensive to get anything moving.

[Jerry of San Fran]

Peanut Gallery - I found the design concept quite dramatic. So far I think the city has done a good job on the waterfront and if the proposal advances it would make it even more of a destination. I have no interest in the sailboat races, but recognize that it would have some very positive effects on the city a win win.

[dr_strangelove]

Did any of you notice that they are painting Fox Plaza white? I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned.. I will try to get a photo of it to post.

[peanut gallery]

^Jerry posted a photo of a test area a month or two ago. I haven't checked it out myself, so a recent photo would be great.

And speaking of Jerry -- yeah I'm pretty excited about the America's Cup proposal. I wish more of the visible improvements were permanent, but just shoring up the piers will be a huge step toward revitalizing that stretch of waterfront.

[Jerry of San Fran]

Thanks for reminding me of the update photo. This photo was taken on 09/11/2010. The paint job on the western side of the building is about 80% done. I'm surprised that the effect is not as radical as I had thought it would be.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/4980108955_8d8f206c00.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/antinous/4980108955/)

[dr_strangelove]

It looks great, thanks for the picture. They should have done this eons ago.

[northbay]

It looks great, thanks for the picture. They should have done this eons ago.

i agree. the building looks a lot less 'harsh'

[Jerry of San Fran]

In case you folks missed the reason for the paint job, almost 1 year ago a chunk of concrete fell from the building & hit a woman on the head - rumor has it that she survived. Immediately the city of San Francisco had barriers erected on the sidewalk & parking lane. It has taken almost a year for the flacking concrete to be repaired. This work left sections of concrete a different color, therefore the painting. The tenants have never been given an explanation for the work.

We will be glad to have the work finished and be able to open our blinds/drapes without fear of a workman peering into our living space!

I call the Fox Plaza the Wincester House - in 39 years living here I've endured a lot of contruction - spinklers in the hall & apartments, asbestos removal (there is still tons in the building) and remodeling every time we get new management.

[Reminiscence]

Wow, talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time. I do hope those rumors are true and she's doing well. I was wondering what was going on with this building, I saw some activity on it last time I was in the city. Now I know. Should make for a different and better view.

[viewguysf]

Thanks for reminding me of the update photo. This photo was taken on 09/11/2010. The paint job on the western side of the building is about 80% done. I'm surprised that the effect is not as radical as I had thought it would be.[

The effect is very dramatic from a distance, particularly from the southeast side of Twin Peaks.

[peanut gallery]

The CityPlace EIR appeal was denied, which means the project can move forward.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/15/BATV1FDU08.DTL

[Pchas]

Today, I noticed that a notice regarding the draft EIR for 350 Mission Street was taped to a light pole in front of 45 Fremont Street...

[1977]

More renderings of the America's Cup proposal courtesy of SOM. The last rendering, with the Transbay and surrounding towers, really shows the dramatic impact they will have on the skyline.

http://www.som.com/content.cfm/americas_cup_planning_study

[Carcharodon]

If you read the comments to today's Chronicle article ( http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/29/MNV61FKTG8.DTL ) it is astonishing how ignorant SF's NIMBYs can sometimes be. They want Larry Ellison (of whom I'm no fan) to pay for the entire race (rather than just his entry). They also don't seem to understand that the money for the construction and infrastructure for the race would come from private donors, mostly people who expect to benefit from the race in some way. Given that it would probably fill every hotel room and restaurant table in town for a couple of weeks, that should be quite a few people. But in any case, no tax money needs to be used.

Some of them also see the development rights to pier 30-32 as a "giveaway", forgetting that the city believes it would cost more to fix the pier to where it could be developed than the rights would be worth after fixing, and that previous development plans (such as the cruise ship terminal) have fallen through.

DUMB.

[hruski]

If you read the comments to today's Chronicle article ( http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/29/MNV61FKTG8.DTL ) it is astonishing how ignorant SF's NIMBYs can sometimes be. They want Larry Ellison (of whom I'm no fan) to pay for the entire race (rather than just his entry). They also don't seem to understand that the money for the construction and infrastructure for the race would come from private donors, mostly people who expect to benefit from the race in some way. Given that it would probably fill every hotel room and restaurant table in town for a couple of weeks, that should be quite a few people. But in any case, no tax money needs to be used.

Some of them also see the development rights to pier 30-32 as a "giveaway", forgetting that the city believes it would cost more to fix the pier to where it could be developed than the rights would be worth after fixing, and that previous development plans (such as the cruise ship terminal) have fallen through.

DUMB.

I read that earlier and could not believe how ignorant the Chron's readers are.
Not only is there Nimby'ism, but an unfounded hatred for anything upper class. Readers are convinced that this proposal would somehow cost the average taxpayer a ton of money, and don't see why investors would rather put money into an expected $1+ billion payoff rather than throw money at the homeless on 6th street.

[Carcharodon]

New photos (by me) of SFPUC building, AKA the "Eco-Palace":

http://i959.photobucket.com/albums/ae77/Greatest_White/IMG_0351.jpg?t=1285800554

http://i959.photobucket.com/albums/ae77/Greatest_White/IMG_0355.jpg?t=1285800554

http://i959.photobucket.com/albums/ae77/Greatest_White/IMG_0361.jpg?t=1285800554

As a reminder, what is to be:

http://sfdpw.org/Modules/ShowImage.aspx?imageid=610http://sfdpw.org/Modules/ShowImage.aspx?imageid=609
Img source: http://sfdpw.org/index.aspx?page=1145

Completion date: "Spring 2012"

[CyberEric]

Looking good, thanks for the update.

[Gordo]

BT, is that you?

Thanks for the pics. I've walked by the site several times, but I'm always too busy/lazy to pull out the phone. They seem to have turned up the speed a bit over the last few weeks.

[Carcharodon]

BT, is that you?

Thanks for the pics. I've walked by the site several times, but I'm always too busy/lazy to pull out the phone. They seem to have turned up the speed a bit over the last few weeks.

Who?

You're welcome for the pics. I figured they'd be welcome since this is about the only fairly large scale project under actual construction right now as far as I recall. There may also be the City College North Beach/Chinatown building but I haven't been over there in forever and have no idea what's going on with that.

Somebody might also try to grab some pix of whatever's actually happening with the Transbay demollition (if anything).

[hruski]

Who?

You're welcome for the pics. I figured they'd be welcome since this is about the only fairly large scale project under actual construction right now as far as I recall. There may also be the City College North Beach/Chinatown building but I haven't been over there in forever and have no idea what's going on with that.

Somebody might also try to grab some pix of whatever's actually happening with the Transbay demollition (if anything).

They're making good progress there. Check the demolition webcam:
http://transbaycenter.org/construction-updates/construction-cameras/demolition-camera

[Carcharodon]

Friday, October 1, 2010
National developers vie to dock at Pier 70
San Francisco Business Times - by J.K. Dineen

National developers Hines and Forest City are among the groups taking a shot at redeveloping Pier 70, a daunting 25-acre waterfront site that could potentially include 2.5 million square feet of new buildings and rehabilitated historic structures.

With a November 18 deadline for responding to the Port of San Francisco’s request for developer qualifications, groups are beginning to come together. In addition to Hines and Forest City, developers that showed up at a Sept. 23 pre-submittal meeting included Grosvenor Americas, Mission Bay Development Group, McCarthy Cook & Co., TMG Partners, Build Inc., Urban Realty Co. and Equity Community Builders . . . .
http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2010/10/04/story9.html

This is kind of a stealth project so far but if something gets going down there it will be a big deal.

From my perspective, the best thing about this article is the news that Hines is still active in San Francisco--that's reassuring regarding the TransBay tower.

[Carcharodon]

Friday, October 1, 2010
First Central Freeway parcel nears completion
San Francisco Business Times - by J.K. Dineen

Development of the first of San Francisco’s Central Freeway parcels along Octavia Boulevard is nearing completion as the weak housing market continues to stall other housing projects slated for the area.

Satellite Housing and West Bay Housing are wrapping up Octavia Court, a $6.5 million 15-unit project at the corner of Octavia Boulevard and Oak Street. The development will provide housing for the developmentally disabled and includes an art studio and gallery on the ground floor. The project is one of two dozen projects on parcels that were freed up when a portion of the Central Freeway was torn down. A total of 700 to 800 housing units could be generated.

The modern L-shaped building features resin-impregnated wood panels and will have a solar-powered blue metallic ribbon illuminating the building’s exterior. The architects were Gregory Klosowski and Veronica Hinkley Reck of Alameda-based i. e. collaborative and ellipsis a+d. Roberts-Obayashi is the contractor . . . .
http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2010/10/04/story13.html

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Friday, October 1, 2010
Pocket Development grabs Hayes Valley site for condos
San Francisco Business Times - by J.K. Dineen and Blanca Torres

Pocket Development has pocketed a development site in Hayes Valley and will break ground next year on a 61-unit condo project.

The San Francisco company paid $4.4 million cash for the entitled site, which had been foreclosed on by Cathay Bank.

Donald Klingbeil, a principal with Pocket Development, called the site “as good a location as you can get. It’s in the heart of Hayes Valley, close to the cultural stuff and Hayes Street,” he said.

Construction will likely start in 2011.

Pocket Development has built two notable projects in Oakland: the 91-unit West End Commons and the 32-unit Magnolia Row . . . .
http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2010/10/04/newscolumn1.html

I wish this article identified the exact location but it doesn't.

[Carcharodon]

Webcor tapped to build 333 Harrison apartments

Emerald Fund has hired Webcor to be general contractor on 333 Harrison St. in San Francisco, the $100 million 308-unit apartment development that is likely to be one of the largest new housing projects breaking ground next year.

Emerald Fund President Oz Erickson said the firm hopes to start construction in early 2011, but that it is still awaiting approval from the Department of Housing and Urban Development on a federal-backed construction loan. That HUD program that has become popular since most private sources of construction financing has dried up over the last two years.


http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2010/10/04/newscolumn1.html

Things are beginning to move again!! :cheers:

[1977]

Thanks for all the info Carcharodon. It's nice to see some confidence in the market.

[fflint]

BT, is that you?
You're not the only one who thought that

[1977]

By the way, here is a bad but updated HDR picture of the City College North Beach/Chinatown building that I took on my phone last weekend.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/5042200107_d3071b0b40.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/13123693@N03/5042200107/)

[1977]

Also, from the looks of this picture, 178 Townsend seems to be moving forward as well. Can anyone confirm?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5035241930_41e365bb3e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill_lim/5035241930/)
West Winds (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill_lim/5035241930/)
by Bill Lim (http://www.flickr.com/people/bill_lim/), on Flickr

For reference:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5042403341_f5e4b3be67.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/13123693@N03/5042403341/)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5042403281_d979ef6092.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/13123693@N03/5042403281/)

[Carcharodon]

333 Harrison was a mystery to me so I dug up some renderings:

http://www.dbarchitect.com/images/dynamic/slideshow_images/image/site_plan_1.slideshow_main.jpg

http://www.dbarchitect.com/images/dynamic/slideshow_images/image/20613_-_3d_view_of_project.slideshow_main.jpg

http://www.dbarchitect.com/images/dynamic/slideshow_images/image/harrison_street_elevation.slideshow_main.jpg

http://www.dbarchitect.com/images/dynamic/slideshow_images/image/courtyard_looking_out_-_final_sketch.slideshow_main.jpg

http://www.dbarchitect.com/images/dynamic/slideshow_images/image/view_from_park_looking_south_-_dark_trees.slideshow_main.jpg

http://www.dbarchitect.com/images/dynamic/slideshow_images/image/section_2_-_site_section_revised.slideshow_main.jpg
Source all images: http://www.dbarchitect.com/projects/slideshow/135.html

[San Frangelino]

A Trio Of SOM Towers At 50 First Street As Proposed

http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2010/10/a_trio_of_renzo_piano_som_towers_at_50_first_street_as.html#comments

http://www.socketsite.com/50%20first%20tower%20one.jpg

http://www.socketsite.com/50%20first%20Site.jpg

http://www.socketsite.com/50%20first%20tower%20two.jpg

While the designs for a cluster of Renzo Piano-designed ultra-thin towers at the corner of First and Mission may have fallen by the wayside, plans for building upon the seven parcels a.k.a. 50 First have not as Marcus Heights, LLC, proposes to demolish four existing structures and develop three SOM designed towers ranging in height from 184 to 915 feet with solar/wind energy collection features atop.

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).

[San Frangelino]

Some nice renderings at SOM's website for the America's Cup Proposal

via: http://www.som.com/content.cfm/americas_cup_planning_study

http://www.som.com/resources/content/5/0/4/4/4/3/2/4/images/007_21669165.jpg

http://www.som.com/resources/content/5/0/4/4/4/3/2/4/images/006_21669170.jpg

http://www.som.com/resources/content/5/0/4/4/4/3/2/4/images/005_21669163.jpg

http://www.som.com/resources/content/5/0/4/4/4/3/2/4/images/004_21670840.jpg

http://www.som.com/resources/content/5/0/4/4/4/3/2/4/images/002_21669169.jpg

[dr_strangelove]

Some nice renderings at SOM's website for the America's Cup Proposal


I like that they conveniently added the Transbay Tower into the renderings.. quite optimistic of them to think this would be built by 2013 alongside the new piers :haha:

Personally I do not think SF will host America's Cup, these proposals will be bogged down in lawsuits from the Chris Daly/ Sue Hestor clans and they will choose another city with a more receptive citizenry.

[CyberEric]

Those new towers could be pretty cool, thanks for the update.

[dr_strangelove]

Does anybody have news on when the BOS is to vote on raising height limits around the Transbay neighborhood?

[fflint]

Didn't they already upzone the area?

[peanut gallery]

According to the Planning website (http://www.sf-planning.org/ftp/CDG/CDG_transit_center.htm), the draft EIR should be out anytime now with the final version delivered in Spring. If I understand correctly, at that point the BOS begins the approval process. Who knows how long that will take.

[peanut gallery]

FYI, the City College Chinatown building has a thread (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=159669) that gets lonely if you want to make updates there too. ;)

BTW, what happened to the new guy so fast? I'm gone a couple days, Carcharodon shows up, adds a bunch of updates and is gone before I can even read them. Oh well, welcome and good bye!

[fflint]

Carcharodon was BTinSF using a fake account. I have no idea why he felt a need to "quit" the forum as BT and then register an alter-ego, but that's what he did.

Anyway--here are snapshots of the proposed First/Mission megadevelopment I took on a quick walk-by a couple hours ago:

Here you see the row in question: the building on the corner of First and Stevenson, 40 First, is staying put:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/5058435752_be92d22691_z.jpg

Jessie Street will end in the middle of the block rather than extending to First Street--this intersection will disappear. It does appear there will be a tunnel-like walkway built on this axis through the new tower for peds, however:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5058435710_83c0f830c6_z.jpg

This is Ellim, a really narrow alley that apparently will be completely elim-inated (haha). The buildings on either side will disappear, too:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5058433160_d1a047a7bb_z.jpg

Of these three, only little 84 First is going to remain:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/5058433158_8555c0f85e_z.jpg

Looking up First Street from Mission Street. The corner building will go, but the tiny building to the left of it on Mission will apparently stay.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/5058433156_12720dc927_z.jpg

Looking through the vacant lot from Mission Street:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5058433154_056210e105_z.jpg

The vacant lot from Ellim alley at Ecker Place, showing the brick backside of holdout 84 First Street:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/5058433148_dd33b632a4_z.jpg

[viewguysf]

BTW, what happened to the new guy so fast? I'm gone a couple days, Carcharodon shows up, adds a bunch of updates and is gone before I can even read them. Oh well, welcome and good bye!

Where's BT? Was that him? UPDATE: Oh duh...posted before reading fflint's post. So, who banned him and why? Was he bad in one of the other threads?

Update #2: Figured it out...look at post #19 in the City College Chinatown Campus thread. BTinSF shows as banned on his 24,080 post! He then came back as Carcharodon and apparently got caught and banned again.

[twinpeaks]

Where's BT? Was that him? UPDATE: Oh duh...posted before reading fflint's post. So, who banned him and why? Was he bad in one of the other threads?

Update #2: Figured it out...look at post #19 in the City College Chinatown Campus thread. BTinSF shows as banned on his 24,080 post! He then came back as Carcharodon and apparently got caught and banned again.

I checked the posts, but I can't see why he was banned? I usually find his posts interesting and sometime educational.

[botoxic]

If you read fflint's words carefully, it appears BT's first account was not disabled until he created an account under a different name, a no-no in most forums.

[Jerry of San Fran]

FFLINT - thanks for the pics and the clever humor - always appreciated! I would call it a "crack" rather than an "alley".

Sorry to see that BTinSF was banned. I'm always happy to see different points of view in this forum.

[thelanetrain17]

WOW San Fran is on a skyscraper boom it seems like, the city skyline alone is one of a kind with the hills and all but with all these new towers, the skyline is going to be phenomenal!

[jddar]

....Sorry to see that BTinSF was banned. I'm always happy to see different points of view in this forum.
I too will miss his posts. I'm a native of San Francisco now living in Atlanta. Although I rarely make posts, I follow these threads to satisfy my longing for home. BTinSF added a great deal to the various San Francisco threads. I surely hope he was banned for a temporary period and not permanently.

Hmm, getting back on topic, those SOM towers look fantastic. Hopefully, they will somehow, if they're smart, delay any approval process before the Board of Supervisors until that nut Chis Daly is gone.

[1977]

You think the Giants being in the playoffs is a novelty? That's nothing compared with the scene a half-block from the ballpark: Construction has started on a new batch of luxury condos.

The eight-story building at 750 Second St. will contain 14 units, with a microscopic retail space next to Momo's. As for the architecture, think crisp details rather than cutting edge: brick-red terra cotta facing the ballpark, matted silver aluminum facing aged concrete structures to the north.

Demolition of the small site's prior occupant, a one-story warehouse, began last month. The newcomer should be ready by Opening Day 2012.

"We'd like to think we're doing a contemporary design that picks up on the features of nearby older buildings," says architect Bob Baum of Gould Evans/Baum Thornley. It's a design that sits within the South End Historic District, which meant an additional layer of review.

While the design plays things fairly safe, the development by Manchester Capital Management has one adventurous feature. It aims for LEED Gold certification from the United States Green Building Council.



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/12/DDKF1FQ8UC.DTL#ixzz12C5X2Si0

http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2010/10/08/dd-place12_PH2_0502359782.jpg

[CityKid]

Took some pictures of the progress on the Institute on Aging Senior Campus this week.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/5081319991_3fc977136f_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5081317299_9a3ea44b7c_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/5081916274_091a639420_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/5081327773_bc41ee1709_b.jpg

It looks like it's coming along nicely. I'm actually surprised by how much I like it so far.

[peanut gallery]

Bummer about BT. I knew he was unhappy with the forum lately, but didn't realize all the other stuff that was going on. He really kept the SF threads alive much of the time. I hope he can return some day.

Back to the topics at hand, that's great news on 750 Second St. I had kind of lost track of that and am surprised it has already started. And thanks for the photos CityKid and fflint! I've walked past that space at First and Mission a thousand times so I can picture it with my eyes closed. But it's still good to have a visual record for context on here.

[Jerry of San Fran]

Citykid - thanks for the pics of the Institute on Aging Senior Campus. My electician friend worked on the project - his last day on the job is today (no more work on the project) and he retires permanently!

I'd liked to have seen the bottom section painted a much lighter color - the chocolate brown does not appeal to me. A lighter color I think would have made the building look less heavy.

[CityKid]

I'm saddened by BT's absence and also hope he can come back to the forum at some point.

@Jerry of San Fran - I actually like the dark color. I think it's less harsh in more direct lighting, which I didn't have when I took the photos. It may also have something to do with being from Southern California where darker adobe colors are frequently used in Spanish Revival architecture and the two recent weeks I spent in the Caribbean. :) The gates blocked me from getting a good shot, but I also really like the main entrance.

@peanut gallery - You're very welcome as always. :)

[peanut gallery]

Hey Jerry, on Friday I went by your building and it looked like they are painting a much darker accent color on the extruding parts of it. Is that the case? The little patch I saw looked good. I like the choice.

[Mattylite]

Another great infill project, especially when combined with 178 Townsend, for the area. With all this starting plus other projects in Mission Bay starting early next year, one wonders if Borders pulled the plug a little too early ( granted as a company they have had a bad last few years), it would be nice if another book store goes into their old space, maybe Book's Inc. or maybe Barnes and Noble. I think it would be a shame if that space is either subdivided or turned into a CVS. And thank you to whoever took the picture that I am using as my avatar, great shot of the greatest bridge in the world.

[Jerry of San Fran]

Hey Jerry, on Friday I went by your building and it looked like they are painting a much darker accent color on the extruding parts of it. Is that the case? The little patch I saw looked good. I like the choice.

Yes, you are correct, a contrasting color is being used. I went out today (Monday) and looked at the building from a distance & I find the white too bright for my taste. Maybe when it ages a few months I'll warm to it. The paint job appears to be complete.

There has been a lot of activity in the building of late in relation to the fire safety system. I've been told by a worker that each apartment will have an alarm with a speaker for communicating. There is a reason we call the Fox Plaza the Wincester House!

[dr_strangelove]

Yes, you are correct, a contrasting color is being used. I went out today (Monday) and looked at the building from a distance & I find the white too bright for my taste. Maybe when it ages a few months I'll warm to it. The paint job appears to be complete.

There has been a lot of activity in the building of late in relation to the fire safety system. I've been told by a worker that each apartment will have an alarm with a speaker for communicating. There is a reason we call the Fox Plaza the Wincester House!

How does a concrete building catch on fire?

[CyberEric]

Seems like this news about the new Exploratorium Museum being built might belong in this thread:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/19/MN941FS8PI.DTL

[peanut gallery]

^I was reading about that on SocketSite as well. I'm very happy to see it moving along; actually, I didn't realize they had already started the process. Does anyone know the plan for the existing site at the Palace of Fine Arts? I read an article several months ago that said they had been considering a private sports club, but that had been abandoned because they wanted to keep it open to the public. Haven't heard anything since then.

[twinpeaks]

^I was reading about that on SocketSite as well. I'm very happy to see it moving along; actually, I didn't realize they had already started the process. Does anyone know the plan for the existing site at the Palace of Fine Arts? I read an article several months ago that said they had been considering a private sports club, but that had been abandoned because they wanted to keep it open to the public. Haven't heard anything since then.

I'm not sure if the current exploratorium building is historic, but it would be nice to remove it and have a open view of the Palace of Fine Arts from Crissy Field and have the parks connect.

[peanut gallery]

It's been awhile since I've been in there, but isn't the Exploratorium at one end of the same building as the Palace of Fine Arts? I didn't think it was in a separate building, but like I said it's been many years since I've been in there. Whatever happens, connectivity with Crissy Field will be much better when the Presidio Parkway is completed. That's going to open up that whole part of the Presidio.

[Mattylite]

Who knows, perhaps in 10 to 15 years the waterfront might be one cohesive park/parkway from Baker Beach all the way down to Candlestick, if that would happen it could possibly be the most bad ass thing for any city not just in the U.S. but maybe in the world. Granted I realize I live in San Francisco so that pier south of where they want to rebuild for the America's Cup will probably still be covered in graffiti for the next 20 years and they'll probably never build a Chelsea Piers type complex on the waterfront, but hey I can dream.

[viewguysf]

How does a concrete building catch on fire?

Easily--building contents burn, produce a massive amount of smoke with no sprinkler system and people can perish quickly.

[viewguysf]

I'm not sure if the current exploratorium building is historic, but it would be nice to remove it and have a open view of the Palace of Fine Arts from Crissy Field and have the parks connect.

It is historic and is the actual Palace of Fine Arts that contained the exhibitions during the fair. PG is correct.

[dr_strangelove]

Where's BT? Was that him? UPDATE: Oh duh...posted before reading fflint's post. So, who banned him and why? Was he bad in one of the other threads?

Update #2: Figured it out...look at post #19 in the City College Chinatown Campus thread. BTinSF shows as banned on his 24,080 post! He then came back as Carcharodon and apparently got caught and banned again.

Wow, anybody with 24,080 posts needs to get a life and stat! ;)

[CyberEric]

Does news about the new span of the Bay Bridge belong in here?

I think I saw that they are raising the towers on it.

[mahanakorn]

Link to "I'm forced to admit, I love this place (SF)" column in the Dallas Morning News to which C.W. Nevius refers this morning. The columnist compares SF's urbanity to Dallas's nascent bits of city street life. Enjoy:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/localnews/columnists/sblow/stories/DN-blow_29met.ART.State.Edition2.3321cd6.html

[peanut gallery]

This isn't construction related, but interesting nonetheless. Craigslist is moving downtown. From the San Francisco Chronicle (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/29/BUA01G3LNI.DTL):

After years of operating out of a Victorian house in San Francisco's Inner Sunset District, the popular online classifieds site is relocating its main business operations to the edge of the Financial District.

The company has signed a six-year sublease for more than 14,000 square feet at 222 Sutter St., said Jason Burch, vice president at brokerage firm Cassidy Turley BT Commercial.

I like that little building and it's in a great location.

[Jerry of San Fran]

How does a concrete building catch on fire?

Dr. Strangelove - I've been on a cruise in the Eastern Caribbean, so late in a reply.

The answer is that the contents burn. The apartment above me was gutted by fire even though it has sprinklers. As a consequence my apartment was soaked. Furniture, the wooden cabinets in the kitchen - a lot can burn and the fire can spread through small cracks in the wall. Water seeps through small cracks in the cement floors.

The morning of the fire there was a fire drill. About 1 p. m. the alarm went off but it was ignored by the building staff as they thought it was a drill. After awhile they realized it was the real thing. I have a light bulb with water in it as a souvenir!

[CyberEric]

Good thing they painted your building, it spent a lot of time on TV yesterday with the Giants parade ending in the Civic Center. :)

[Jerry of San Fran]

Good thing they painted your building, it spent a lot of time on TV yesterday with the Giants parade ending in the Civic Center. :)

Paint job just in time! I fled the city and spent the day in Monterey. I know what the Civic Center is like for these type of events - very crowded - probably a record. I have confetti on my balcony!

[CyberEric]

Jerry, that was probably a good idea.

I saw this in the Chron, seems like good news for future developments.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/05/BURA1G5MRQ.DTL&tsp=1

[peanut gallery]

^That is promising. I hope something happens soon where the Oak and Fell ramps used to touch down. I haven't heard anything about that spot in a while, but I liked the proposal where they were going to have several architects build a variety of buildings there. The Chronicle has this cool map (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/05/BURA1G5MRQ.DTL) to give everyone an overview of the properties in the area:

http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2010/11/04/ba-octavia1104_g_SFCG1288833827.jpg

Hopefully, the city gets similarly positive results at the various Transbay plots as well.

[Jerry of San Fran]

CyberEric/Peanut gallery - Hayes Valley - It is astonighing that after almost 20 years we can still trace the route of the elevated freeway through the Hayes Valley. Will another 20 years pass before the property is developed into something more than a parking lot? Hopefully not. The map looks to be promising.

[Ron Bishop]

Hello everyone,
I am new to this forum and would like to be an active participant. We will be by this site
next week and would be happy to report what we see.

Best regards,

Ron

[northbay]

welcome to the forum ron!

[dr_strangelove]

welcome to the forum ron!

are we sure that's not BT? :P

[peanut gallery]

Welcome Ron! While you're over there, maybe you can walk around the corner and check the progress of 750 2nd Street (future condos next to MoMo's). 1977 posted an article that said demo started last month. And while I'm asking for things, pictures are always appreciated! :)

[San Frangelino]

I came across the plans for phase 2 of Executive Park Redevelopment:
http://www.sf-planning.org/ftp/files/MEA/2006.0422E_Exec_Park_DEIR.pdf

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/5164400240_8c4a61deb3_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5163795801_b50f5bcaf4_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/5164402928_bfc6a5a6e1_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1313/5163798627_0d6fefb65b_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/5163796833_e536bc2b3c_b.jpg

It reminds me of Oak to 9th (http://www.oakto9th.com/).

Just for good measure, here is a link The Brisbane Baylands Redevelopment Website (http://www.brisbanebaylands.com/) just south of Executive Park. I wish this area could be dotted with high rises, but most likely it won't be.

[Busy Bee]

You know looking at that picture reminded me of how visually intrusive transmission and telephone wires and poles really are in an urban environment, and particularly noticeable in SF. Is there any long term plan/vision to relocate utilities underground? You could start with telephone which could be completely replaced with fiber optic as round as my finger. I think its absolutely wild and ironic that folks complain about inconsequencial building heights but the most ugly and obnoxious element in the streetscape is utility infrastructure.

[Jerry of San Fran]

Busy Bee - A friend of mine lives in the Castro, 19th & Sanchez Sts. in San Francisco. Undergrouding of the utilites was done and the result was very nice. With that said it is very expensive, something in the order of as much $20,000 per house. My friend is on a hill which made it more expensive. I spoke to a person at PG&E when I worked for the CPUC & she also indicated that it is harder to find problems underground when they occur. Maybe after the next Big One all the utilities can be put underground!

[mahanakorn]

I think its absolutely wild and ironic that folks complain about inconsequencial building heights but the most ugly and obnoxious element in the streetscape is utility infrastructure.
Agreed! Take a trip to Bangkok, or Atlanta for that matter. SF does a better job of burying utils than many North American cities, but lots of room for improvement.

[timbad]

... While you're over there, maybe you can walk around the corner and check the progress of 750 2nd Street (future condos next to MoMo's). ... And while I'm asking for things, pictures are always appreciated! :)

I don't want to steal Ron's thunder, but since I was in the neighborhood, thought I would post a couple shots of the projects mentioned. the lighting was a little awkward anyway, so maybe Ron will have had better luck.

first, 178 Townsend. it's a little hard to tell in the pic, but a lot of its innards have been torn out:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/5173963777_168e505f7a_b.jpg

and, there is not too much to see yet over on 2nd behind MoMo's (which is on the left. even further left, home of your champion San Francisco Giants):

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5174568130_922e0cc392_b.jpg

[timbad]

...Is there any long term plan/vision to relocate utilities underground? ... I think its absolutely wild and ironic that folks complain about inconsequencial building heights but the most ugly and obnoxious element in the streetscape is utility infrastructure.

this is a little out of date, but according to this document, there was/is a plan, but almost no more money to carry it out as of 2007ish:

http://sfgsa.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=1839

[dr_strangelove]

Bad news for the central subway. Consider this project http://www.onhold32.com/ON_HOLD_Button.gif

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/14/MNJR1GAS85.DTL

"With a critical deadline for San Francisco's Central Subway just three months away, transportation officials are searching for hundreds of millions of dollars in order to ensure federal funding for the bulk of the $1.6 billion project."

[peanut gallery]

Thanks timbad! Very happy to see much progress on both of those. They flew under the radar for awhile, then all of a sudden...demo!

[coyotetrickster]

Bad news for the central subway. Consider this project http://www.onhold32.com/ON_HOLD_Button.gif

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/14/MNJR1GAS85.DTL

"With a critical deadline for San Francisco's Central Subway just three months away, transportation officials are searching for hundreds of millions of dollars in order to ensure federal funding for the bulk of the $1.6 billion project."

The SFMTA will find the $$, if only to keep Rose Pak from showing up on their doorstep. She's one scary dragon lady.

[OneRinconHill]

Are they even sure it will be viable to build the Central Subway? It's not a far walk from the Embarcadero to North Beach, and this doesn't even cover that.

[NOPA]

I honestly think a subway along Geary would make more sense, but It would be neat if they did build the central, and someday extend it to Pier 39.

[CyberEric]

I agree about a Geary Line, that is a MUST build in my opinion, but I believe the Central line has already received some sort of federal funding. It's going to be built.