[Urbannizer]

550-Apartment Tower Proposed for Boudin Creek Neighborhood

The city is in the early stages of reviewing plans for a 120-foot-tall, 573,170-square foot building containing 550 apartment units that, if approved, would be built near East Boudin Creek.

The proposal calls for the new residential development to replace the existing Timbercreek Apartments, a 48-year-old development, on an 8.1-acre tract at 614 S. 1st St.

The developer is seeking to apply planned unit development zoning to the property’s current zoning for medium-density multifamily. This would allow the building to exceed the 40-foot height limit presently on that tract. Parking will be developed underground.

According to a city staff report, the project will meet or exceed open space standards by providing a minimum of 100,000 square feet of open space at grade. More than 50,000 square feet of impervious cover will be removed.

Preliminary plans describe a number of amenities and infrastructure improvements:

Public creek access for additional bicyclists and pedestrians
A public on-site trail
Public art along South First Street
New wetland features in the floodplain
Restoration of animal habitat by using wood material and in-channel ripple pools
Rainwater harvesting to help reduce stormwater runoff
Relocation of the existing apartment dog park out of the floodplain
New landscaping to offset tree removal

Aside from the proposed height, the developer is seeking a separate variance in order to build the residential high-rise within 60 feet of an existing single-family neighborhood.

The new residential tower would be located immediately south of Auditorium Shores, Long Center for the Performing Arts and Palmer Events Center. It would be surrounded by residential developments and near small office buildings in the increasingly popular South Central Waterfront district.

Additionally, the project would include a new traffic light or pedestrian crossing along South 1st Street.

Big Red Dog is the project engineer. Michael Hsu Office of Architecture is the project architect. Information on estimated project cost, construction schedule or delivery method is not yet available.