SAN FRANCISCO | 1500-1540 Market Street (One Oak) | 437 FT | 41 FLOORS
 

https://i.imgur.com/LYj8cOJ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/mdcXddZ.png


Images credit to SCB Snohetta architects

Architects: SCB, Snohetta
Height: 420 feet (128 meters)
Floors: 40
Use: Residential 304 units

I love this tower! Market and Van Ness should look like the major intersection it is, and this definitely looks like a step in the right direction.

That is one sexy tower! Perfect location for it too. The Market/Van Ness cluster will look so different once all this is built out. I just hope it doesn't suffer the same fate as 8 Washington. One good thing, it's already zoned for 400' so they don't have to worry about special approvals for that.

My boyfriend goes to the Conservatory of Music, and the parking lot across the street is very sketchy and out of place for such a dignified intersection. Unfortunately, the All Star Donut shop remains in the plans, however, hopefully by the time this is built, that plot will be purchased and razed.

I really like the flatiron look as it sits on a trapezoidal lot. The fact that it has been rezoned to 400' means that opposition should be very limited. It also is on top of a subway station, so what's not to love?

Exactly. Plus, it will stand out quite nicely from most directions, so it should be beautiful and, dare I say, iconic. Think about how great this will look from Twin Peaks. It will really attract your attention, in a good way.

It's interesting that they're calling it "One Van Ness" even though that dinky donut shop is technically cutting it off from Van Ness. Hopefully they can buy them out eventually.

I hope this one can survive the planning process. It's eye-catching, it meets the height requirements, and I don't think there are any parks nearby that would be shaded.

The design bears some resemblance to the sketches for 50 First St.

Really digging the design!

Beautiful building. It reminds me of the building that was proposed near North Beach that never got built due to its height. I think this location would present less opposition for all the reasons that everyone else has stated. Hope it gets built.

Am I seeing this correctly--the closure of Oak Street at Van Ness?

http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/20...0110288881.jpg
http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/20...0110288881.jpg

What a beautiful and elegant design this is! I was reading about it in The Chronicle today. I hope it gets built, we need more buildings with these flowing designs. A pleasant surprise it was to me!

555 Washington - First thing I thought of as well. Not a bad consolation prize!


Good eye, fflint. I re-read the Chronicle piece and it definitely isn't mentioned. Am I crazy, or do I correctly recall something about re-routing that whole roundabout way you get to southbound Van Ness from Oak? Could it have something to do with that?

The entrance to the Conservatory of Music is on that alley, so it wouldn't make sense to close it off completely or to have it served only for private residential use. I noticed that initially too.
Somewhat off topic- the Conservatory has excellent recitals that are free to the public- a good way to hear live classical chamber music in one of the best symphonies in the world (but I'm probably biased), so closing that off like that would be a horrible plan.

Sampled from: http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/20...0110288881.jpg
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...alkOpening.jpg

Could this be an opening?

I don't really get what is going on right there, and are they actually going to leave the building on the corner? That would look so damn funny next to this elegant new tower, which I am pretty excited about.

Nice proposal. Reminds me of the Bitexco Tower in Vietnam.

I'm guessing that's just a flub in the rendering, or they're proposing something that will get removed during planning. It sounds like this one is mostly conceptual at this point.

There's still a long, long way to go, and if this ever gets approved, it probably won't look too much like these renderings.

Nice design and excellent location for this tower to stand out.

I have not seen it mentioned yet but the most important point of this tower would be that it would be the tallest tower west of Van Ness. At 299', Cathedral Hill Tower is currently the "tallest in the west:" http://www.emporis.com/images/show/715449-Large.jpg
At 400' this would be a quarter taller than that. It would be 50' taller than Fox Plaza and obfuscate it when viewing from the west (a huge plus in my book!)
I know that Post St. tower was planned at 407', but I haven't heard news on that one in years. Are the plans still active?

I love this proposal, and bravo to the designer, but from looking at the renderings it seems that not much if any improvement for pedestrians are being made. This intersection is completely centered around auto traffic and can be frightening for peds. obviously I'm speculating, since there's not a ton of detail on the ground floor of the rendering, I'm just hoping that improvements are being considered.

I went to the better market streets presentation tonight, and spoke with a couple of the people from one of the consulting or planning groups that are working with the city on the market st plan. I was generally discussing the market x van ness intersection (not development or high-rise specific) and both of them separately brought up this building. I take that as a positive that this project seems to be very much on the city's radar.

Beautiful design. This sort of looks like a scaled down version of the Shanghai Tower.

I have discovered that it is not a good idea to link directly to SFGate images as they disappear after a few weeks, so I have uploaded the photos from the title page directly to my photobucket account. I suggest others do the same in the future- nothing more annoying than seeing the blue question mark in place of images!

i just can't stand the street treatment here, and hope that the design is reworked to improve it. if the street were normal and prosperous, maybe you could get away with this, but as it is, we can't afford to allow any more dead space.

Good to know.

i walked by this site today, and it appears that the building housing the donut shop is for sale. also, the cleaning company that was in the top two floors appears to have moved out. Hopefully this clears out the potential obstacle that this building created to the development of the larger site.

With it's topography, and existing density of post-war skyscrapers, I think SF is the perfect canvas for sleek modern buildings like this.

JK Dineen provided a few tidbits on this in today's Chronicle:

The article is about the big changes afoot at Market and Van Ness and well worth reading for info on other developments in the area.

A fountain, park, statue, or monument would be the ideal solution for the donut shop... One of the most prominent and major intersections on the west coast and in the country.

I was wondering what was happening with this site. Almost thought it was dead. Glad to hear its moving ahead and that fugly 3 story bldg will bite the dust.

Does anybody else think that donut shop remaining is a catastrophe? I am happy they are continuing without it, but that thing is so pointless...they don't even have an upstairs tenant currently.

I think that if they re-clad it to fit with the main building (as the developer has offered to do), then it won't look too bad.

Of course, I prefer they demolish it and turn it into a plaza or park. IMHO, I think that's what will ultimately happen and the developer is just trying to make the shop owner sweat about his "missed opportunity."

Not sure I'd call it a catastrophe, but I do hope they reclad it or tear it down. Preferably, it will be the later so this tower's full profile will be visible when looking up Market. I rather like wakamesalad's idea of a sculpture, fountain or monument of some type.

Big update...Meier out, Snøhetta in. The new developers also have the doughnut shop under contract. Hoping for final approvals a year from now.

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/articl...ct-5851284.php

Turning Oak into a plaza...moving the subway entrance...big changes indeed. I think we'll all be happy with the donut shop news.

:leek: :dancingtaco: :banaride:


So from 180ish units to ~300? Big improvement.

I am actually looking forward to this. Snøhetta does great work. Their designs tend to be rather sculptural, artistic and contemporary - an excellent substitute for Richard Meier and his wonderfully sculptured tower.

I would believe fire truck access for the fire station on Oak Street nearby has precedence over wind concerns. There may need to be a solution for the wind issues that does't impede on the turning radius and height clearance requirements of the fire trucks driving down Oak.

It is nice hear that the donut shop building could finally go. That building on the corner would look even odder than it does now if it remained with such a overwhelmingly contrasting building right next to it, unless it was remodeled somehow.

New design for the new year
 

...but it's still subject to change. Build Inc. is hoping for approvals by the end of 2015.

http://i.imgur.com/Y7pp3eT.jpg
Source: sfchronicle.com (Snøhetta/SCB)

Wow. That's all I have to say. I like.

The base is a bit boring and not sure this is an appropriate "Market St tower", however, beggars can't be choosers and nothing else is proposed. It beats what's there. I just wish we could line buildings on Market all the way up like they did in the first 30 years of the 20th century. Those buildings have contributed so much to the street life. An upscale resi use is boring, though I like the design.

that's incredible. i'd feel irrational civic pride every time i walked past that. yowza!

http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV...640_SY720_.jpg

(Well, that's what it made me think of, anyway.)

That's interesting. I like the use of color in the cut-outs.

Wow, it's even better than before! The overall building looks like it was designed and shaped in a wind tunnel. There are even wind deflectors at the base.

I guess some people don't like the design of the tower:

http://www.citylab.com/design/2015/0...-tower/384168/

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B6PCXo2CEAEYqnL.png:large

This cartoon is more comedic than insulting. I love the redesign, it has character, and it will be a landmark for the city. I really hope it can get all approvals by the end of 2015.

It's just the same people who complain about literally all new construction that's over three or four stories and doesn't include an appropriately quaint coffee shop/artist commune.

"Why yes, a crappy donut shop and an empty lot/homeless camp-out spot at a transit-rich downtown intersection, are a much better use of land than hundreds of much needed housing units! Won't you think of the children chain link fence!"

And a face? It's like the people who see giant dicks in every skyscraper.

Though I do see the value of having a business on the corner there, even a grungy donut shop, because it brings a bit of life. And sometimes you need cheap donuts and coffee. But a bunch of apartments there are a much better use, and it's not like there aren't other cheap donut shops nearby. Anyways, I like the redesign! Wanna see some more angles though.

I've availed myself of that donut shop over the decades more than I'd like to admit--it's at a major transfer point, and it's always open and, well, donuts. But that lot really is ridiculously under-developed.

If it were up to me, I'd put a new donut shop in the new building almost right where the old one was. I am not a big fan of donuts, but if it is something special to others about a particular location, I would prefer to keep it in some way.

The 'Talking Tower' image conveys how stupid the new design seems to some people. Although I like the design, it is unique to San Franciscan's in 2015. I can see how others may not like it. The Transamerica Pyramid was also made much fun of in it's early days as well. Often people who don't like skyscrapers, tend to not want them to stand out so much. Light toned, or white towers with punched windows in more conventional architecture that disappear into the existing surroundings are thus preferred. This might be opposite of what skyscraper fans like.

Don't see how the cartoon is insulting the tower design. Seems like it is more insulting to the donut shop. Anyway IMHO this is a winning redesign!

Source of images and related story: http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2...-and-cuts.html

This looks like a great spot for a party some day.
http://www.socketsite.com/wp-content...ky-Lounge1.jpg

http://www.socketsite.com/wp-content...-Elevation.jpg

...And another story and image regarding the plaza: http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2...-van-ness.html

http://www.socketsite.com/wp-content...-Rendering.jpg