I am, probably not surprisingly, instinctually with Radulovich on this one - I think it would be a big disappointment to lose to car traffic what should be a pedestrian approach and space to the transit center. (sort of the southside counterpart to the (albeit dumbed-down) little plaza next to SF Tower, except better, since retail etc)

also: they just spent a bunch of money and effort re-making that little alley into a cozy walking-friendly passage, only to ruin it?

I need to look at the exact plans to get a more thorough understanding of what will be where, but on the face of it, I don't like the idea of cars back there.

I don't think anyone does.

If I understand things correctly, the garage entrance won't be back there--the cars will mainly be hotel guests coming and going. The article I posted seems to say both the loading dock and car access to the garage will be on the Howard St. side.

Why somebody didn't say, "Hey, wait a minute" at an earlier stage of building design when a porte cochere off Howard or some other solution might have been possible I can't say. But I sure don't want to force a major redesign that could hold up the building for years and the mix of uses--hotel, residential and office--planned for the building definitely requires vehicle access; probably more vehicle access than the curb along Howard could accommodate (building residents, hotel guests coming and going, truck offloading for both hotel and offices etc).

Is this cleared to break ground? I know there was a zoning variance hearing on 2/12, but haven't seen anything since then.

https://sfplanning.org/sites/default...0200212_za.pdf

^^The Planning Commission approved it but the decision is sure to be appealed to the BOS and with Democratic machine member Tom Radulovich objecting to certain aspects, no telling what the Board will do.

The info is about 2 pages back.

Copying from the SF General thread to the project specific thread

^^So I Googled for any news about this project since its approval by the Planning Commission--appeals, permits issued, whatever--and couldn't find anything. Anybody else? From the photos, things are happening but what about the objections to the use of the street from Radulovich et. al.?

In March they were granted a permit for archeological exploration. It seems like that's what they are doing.

http://dbiweb.sfgov.org/dbipts/defau...=PermitDetails

Anyone have an update on this project? All of the equipment has been moved off the lot.

Maybe they were just soil testing.

Given there is approximately 12,000,000 sq. ft of leasable space now available, a 31% drop in asking rents and limited hotel demand, this project will be asking for lots of extensions before it ever breaks ground.

I imagine the target dates and timelines for a project of this scale, we'd be looking at 4-5 years down the road for open doors regardless and that we'll likely see a marginal rebound in commercial leases and returns by then.

Socketsite with an update on the strategy for accomplishing the affordable housing component of the project, in the hopes of getting it going a little quicker (or at least more reliably)

Yes, it sounds like there may yet be some hope for this one. At SF Planning's Project Applications page, there are a few renderings I haven't seen before. Alas, I've no luck with posting pics, maybe someone else will? Some of the renderings feature Oceanwide Center. My favorite is on page 50 of Plans - Set 1. Look under 542-550 Howard:

https://sfplanning.org/page/public-n...t-applications

I had to cheat a bit, but here is the one on page 50, I think:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ac98b794_o.jpg

here is the schematic of the ground floor, since we were discussing car access a while back. this doesn't look toooo bad, with pedestrian space preserved completely from the west, and not too impinged on from the east on the alley side.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...dc27f361_o.jpg

the curb cut on Howard is unfortunate, but that stretch was already compromised by the ramp down to the underground parking independent of this project.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e9466080_o.jpg

Howard side

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...726c336c_o.jpg

I forgot to upload these too. Some are oldies but nice to see them again:

https://i.imgur.com/Vt0Syw0h.png

https://i.imgur.com/49VLjgVh.png

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

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

https://i.imgur.com/7N442oXh.png

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

https://i.imgur.com/yp1yT6fh.png

https://i.imgur.com/Zk7LXOhh.png

Thanks for posting the pics, people!

Now that Oceanwide is stalled, I'm really rooting for this one to happen...

most of those are also included in the planning doc that tall/awkward cited, but for the ones that are not, if they are not your own images, you are supposed to cite the source.

separately, I was going to point out in case not clear to anyone that, in this image from the doc, I think the brick building with the green awning, and the one behind it with the red sign are to be demolished when the train tracks are eventually tunneled into the transit center, so the approach from this side will be much more open, through some sort of greenspace.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...67e6f7be_b.jpg

and a reminder that we have already recently lost a couple buildings on that side, removed when the current transit center was built. this is looking back the other way on Howard in 2011. the little blue building and the larger yellow brick building on the right are gone now, and are approximately where the bus bridge passes over

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4420a2c2_b.jpg

I remember seeing the open space in some of the earlier renderings but assumed that was left open to show the full transit center design.

I can't imagine they're going to flatted that end of the block for the tunnel??

Ref:
https://images.adsttc.com/media/imag...jpg/ttc_31.jpg

And another example that treats Parcel F similarly:

https://cdn.skyrisecities.com/sites/...8589-62653.png

I didn't get a chance to look through the plans to see if there was any additional info and there's nothing mentioned on the project page via Pelli Clarke Pelli.

timbad is right. Almost all of those buildings will be demolished. You'd have to dig through the TJPA website and the EIR documents for the particulars, but it's because the track throat will be constructed via cut and cover.

It's sad to lose them.