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

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by OneRinconHill

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/new-tower-skyline-salesforce-20765197.php

Not paying the Chronicle so can't read the article...but I see absolutely no other news about this? They'd tear down the Telesis Tower for it?

Perhaps this quote from the article tells you what you want to know:

"The West Coast’s tallest tower may be sprouting into the San Francisco skyline. Seven years after Salesforce Tower replaced the Transamerica Pyramid as the city’s highest skyscraper, a developer is planning to transform the former PG&E headquarters near the Embarcadero into a structure that would dwarf the Salesforce high-rise by 15 stories.
Hines — the company that co-developed Salesforce Tower, which rises 1,070 feet — filed an application Friday calling for a slender 1,225-foot tower to replace an office building at 77 Beale St. The tower, which would be more than 150 feet taller than the Salesforce building, would include 1.6 million square feet of office space, along with retail and restaurants opening onto a new mid-block public garden.
It would also be 125 feet taller than the 1,100-foot Wilshire Grand Center in Los Angeles, currently the tallest building on the West Coast. The project, which encompasses an entire city block, also calls for the restoration of the two original historic buildings in the PG&E/Matson Block — 215 and 245 Market St. — and the conversion of the small office building at 25 Beale St. to 120 housing units.
The proposal replaces an earlier plan to build a residential tower with 808 units. Hines purchased the property in 2021 for $800 million from PG&E, which moved its headquarters to Oakland."

The building it would replace is not the art deco Telesis Tower but the 1971 PG&E headquarters (Google 77 Beale St SF) which is pretty nondescript and I, for one, wouldn't miss it if the replacement is this much taller.

[Pedestrian]

I'm not sure anyone else cares about this project and, frankly, I hope it turns out not to look like the rendering on the web site, but here's an update on 750 Golden Gate: https://sfyimby.com/2025/06/joint-ground...e-and-850-turk-street-san-francisco.html



Today:


https://www.instagram.com/p/DMgSdZGhTnl/

[pequenosparkee]

Going by on the 27 today I noticed this property on 7th next to Sightglass has been torn down and moving forward
https://sfyimby.com/2025/03/preliminary-...and-79-langton-street-san-francisco.html

[Pedestrian]

Is this some kind of reversal of the blue-->red flight?

San Francisco’s bid to attract a major university to its downtown core could be fulfilled as a prestigious private research school is in talks with the mayor’s office about expanding its presence into the heart of the city.
A spokesperson for Vanderbilt University confirmed to the Chronicle that it is considering broadening its school in Nashville, Tenn., to San Francisco and has been working with Mayor Daniel Lurie’s office on the effort.
“Vanderbilt is always exploring new opportunities to expand our impact and further our mission. We recognize the long-term global leadership of San Francisco and its ever-growing potential, defined by a vibrant culture, dynamic innovation ecosystem and the talent drawn to its leading technology companies and top-caliber arts and cultural institutions,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
“This powerful combination is why we are optimistically exploring the possibility of establishing a presence downtown, working closely with Mayor Daniel Lurie and his team.”
Last month Vanderbilt announced plans for a new “innovation district” in Nashville complete with research space and offices for university-affiliates and nearby startups, parks, retail and housing, spanning several blocks on land it owns near its main campus. The district’s buildout is expected to take more than a decade to complete.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/d...ign=sfcn%20%7C%20real%20estate%20insider

For Nashvillians (or whatever you are called) unfamiliar with San Francisco, the city has a number of universities within the city--U. of San Francisco, Cal State San Francisco, UC San Francisco, UC Law etc--but none "downtown" (except UC Law on the fringe of downtown). Meanwhile, in the center of downtown sits a large, recently built urban mall that is practically empty these days because San Franciscans no longer go downtown to shop (there's that "internets" thing they helped invent) and many who used to work downtown now work from home. This quite grandiose building has previously been proposed as a retail-->?? conversion. I'm pretty sure I've seen it conceived as an urban campus and it sure would make an interesting one.

[Busy Bee]

Depressing

[JManc]

Can the Westfield Mall even be converted to anything useful? When I was there, Breed wanted to tear it down for soccer stadium.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by JManc

Can the Westfield Mall even be converted to anything useful? When I was there, Breed wanted to tear it down for soccer stadium.

Conversion proposals include:
• Sports Stadium: San Francisco officials are actively studying the feasibility of converting the mall into a soccer stadium, with architectural firm Gensler hired for preliminary designs. (Breed's idea . . . but she's history)
• Housing Redevelopment: The mall’s former owner, together with brokers, is marketing adjacent vacant office buildings for a large-scale housing project. About 400 units, possibly in a 365-foot tower, are envisioned under current zoning laws. Pairing these lots with the mall could allow a bold developer to control most of a central city block.
• Educational or Mixed-Use Campus: Ideas floated include transforming the mall into a college campus, with administrative offices, classrooms in retail spaces, a converted theater, and student housing added next door.
• Science/Tech/Lab Space: While Mayor London Breed has proposed turning the location into a science or tech hub, real estate experts are widely skeptical about the commercial viability of such a conversion

Perplexity (AI) mostly from this source: https://sfstandard.com/2023/06/13/san-francisco-mayors-answer-to-downtown-malls-woes-lab-space/

[38 Geary]

San Francisco reveals Market Street revitalization plan
The plan will include office and green space, along with retail stores to bring people to Market Street
By NBC Bay Area staff • Published July 17, 2025 • Updated on July 17, 2025 at 12:12 pm

Market Street Re-Imagined, a plan to revitalize Market Street in the heart of San Francisco, was revealed Wednesday night. Dozens of people gathered at a Montgomery Street event to learn about the details of the plan and see a sneak peek of what the project will look like. The plan will include plenty of office and green space, retail stores, parking and housing. The proposed location is near the city's current tallest structure, the Salesforce Tower.

...

Construction could begin as early as 2029 once all the planning, permits and financing are in place. The project would then take about four years to complete.

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/san-francisco-market-street-revitalization-plan/3916531/

[38 Geary]

And the finalists:

Flying Colors San Francisco Rebirth on Market Street

In addition to ideas that addressed the big structural challenges of Market Street, the jury was also looking for some ideas that could happen quickly and relatively inexpensively. This idea takes the notion of traditional light pole banners and puts a technology and wayfinding twist on them. Instead of fabric, these digital media mesh banners also light up at night and connect the dots for all the activities, events and venues along and adjacent to Market Street.

The 4 Mile Bench

The jury is asking us to use our imaginations on this one. This idea is a critique of how few places there are to sit, rest, or pause along Market Street by proposing a unifying element. It doubles down on a joyful gesture that runs counter to most current approaches to public space by adding, not removing, places to relax. It creates a critical mass of seating that invites all people to engage in the grandeur and vibrancy of Market Street. Should it be yellow or look like this – remember, it’s an idea, not yet a design.

San Francisco’s Living Heart

There were multiple entries that used strategies to amplify the nodes or activity zones that already exist in some form but enhancing them in smart ways. The jury felt this entry best described a workable strategy. It imagines Market Street not just as a place you pass through because of its excellent transit, but as the heart of the city itself. It invests in four nodes by better integrating transit and ecology, designing for flexibility, creating more places for people, and strengthening the connections of these four areas to their adjacent areas off Market Street.

The Market Street Forest

The jury struggled to find what could be thought of as a powerful massive greening idea. While many submissions incorporated greenery at scale, few engaged deeply with the unique context and ecology of Market Street. This idea stands out for doing just that—albeit in a polemical way that, realistically, would take generations to realize (and might ultimately involve species other than redwoods). Jurors appreciated the dense tree planting and pedestrian-focused approach, noting that an investment in big trees on day one would be critical to its success. That’s okay: this proposal doesn’t prescribe a specific landscape so much as it reveals a forest that has been waiting to emerge.

Asymmetry in Balance

There were multiple ideas that suggested asymmetrical approaches to the street. The jury thought that this entry most clearly demonstrated the advantages. The primary benefit of this approach is that it recognizes sunlight as a driver of public light by making more public space on the north side. That side has better solar exposure, large open northern intersections because of the street grid shift, and most of the entertainment and other land uses that could activate the additional open space due to the asymmetry.

Yelamu Park on Market Street

“I selected Market Street Reimagined (Yelamu Park on Market Street) because it proposes one simple but effective design concept that could, with development, be capable of relatively quick application. A central reservation of landscape, trees, gardens, pedestrian and bicycle routes could form a mini Las Ramblas along Market Street. It would be even better if the tree canopies touched to form a true and traditional avenue of trees (visually stronger and providing more valuable shade and absorption of CO2 to improve air quality). Along with other strategies of mixed uses (proposed by several selected entries), it has the potential to help regenerate Market Street.”

https://sf.uli.org/get-involved/marketstreetreimagined/competition-submission-gallery/

[JManc]

Originally Posted by homebucket

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/san-francisco-market-street-revitalization-plan/3916531/

I feel like they are putting the cart before the horse by investing billions in redevelopment when Civic Center area is plagued with socioeconomic problems that would deter any private interest until that is addressed. The forest proposal is pretty interesting though...

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by JManc

I feel like they are putting the cart before the horse by investing billions in redevelopment when Civic Center area is plagued with socioeconomic problems that would deter any private interest until that is addressed. The forest proposal is pretty interesting though...

They could probably do both at the same time. It's about 2 miles from Van Ness to the Embaracadero, so the Civic Center area is a lot different from the areas closer to the waterfront. If the Market Street revitalization plan is a serious plan then it would still have its benefits.

[JManc]

Yeah, from Kearny (or even Taylor) to the Embarcadero definitely is ripe for something like this. I hope they can address the Civic Center area in anticipation of this. Even Van Ness @ Market is kinda sketchy.

As for traffic, would they funnel it through Mission and Howard Sts?

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by JManc

Yeah, from Kearny (or even Taylor) to the Embarcadero definitely is ripe for something like this. I hope they can address the Civic Center area in anticipation of this. Even Van Ness @ Market is kinda sketchy.

As for traffic, would they funnel it through Mission and Howard Sts?

It looks like most of the proposals will still keep at least one transit lane in each direction for surface level public transit like buses and streetcar. Cars are currently prohibited on Market so that would continue.

[Nouvellecosse]

Some very cool ideas there! I like it.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by JManc

I feel like they are putting the cart before the horse by investing billions in redevelopment when Civic Center area is plagued with socioeconomic problems that would deter any private interest until that is addressed. The forest proposal is pretty interesting though...

Aside from a lack of appropriate policing (stolen goods and drug sales bazaar at UN Plaza), Civic Center's "socioeconomic problems" stem mainly from being sandwiched between the Tenderloin and 6th St. Civic Center itself is not too bad. The drug sales in particular have to do with being right on top of a BART station with 20 minute access to Oakland whence many of the drug salesmen come. 16th St Station in the Mission is just the same or worse for the same reason.

We have the new tough DA. We are about to get a new Police Chief though Mayor Lurie is getting resistance from the still-progressive police commission to his appointing someone who will crack down. My fingers are crossed he can do it.

S.F. hires headhunter to search for new police chief

. . . The city sought a firm that could find and vet potential candidates, host community meetings and develop a short list of contenders for the commission to interview. The commission will ultimately forward a few select names for Lurie to choose his chief from.
Lurie’s police chief will inherit no shortage of problems, from persistent drug dealing on the streets to the department’s long-standing staffing shortage. But the position is well-compensated, with an expected annual salary of $404,300.

(Current Chief Bill) Scott, who came to San Francisco from the Los Angeles Police Department in 2017, left last month to lead a new transit police agency in Los Angeles. A chief hired from outside the department, he struggled to garner the support of the rank-and-file.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/h...ZjMtZjIxMDkyOGMzZDM1&sharecount=Mg%3D%3D

I'll be honest. I always considered Scott, a black man in a city that's only 5% black, as a DEI hire. I think Lurie actually wants to do something about petty crime (San Francisco has always had a pretty low violent crime rate) and so will pick the best person for the job without consideration of race, sex etc. If so, (s)he can clean up Market St including the part that passes through Civic Center.

As an aside, does anybody else still remember the ballot initiative to allow more neon signs on Market St., making of it a west coast "Great White Way"? It failed but I voted for it and I still wish it had passed.

San Franciscans Will Vote on Street’s Touch of Flash
Nov. 2, 2009
SAN FRANCISCO — Can neon save a neighborhood?

On Tuesday, San Francisco voters will try to answer that question when they take up a ballot proposition that, if passed, would allow a down-and-out two-block area of a central city thoroughfare to be ringed with a variety of electronic marquees, bringing a touch of Times Square to a city better known for its painted Victorians.

The measure, Proposition D, sponsored by a local developer, David Addington, would create an “arts revitalization and tourism special sign district” along part of Market Street, which runs from the San Francisco Bay to the hills west of the Castro district. The bill would exempt 52 buildings along the two blocks, an area about 1,800 feet long, from a current voter-approved ban on new billboard advertising. It would also allow building owners to lease the signs to outside advertisers . . . .

https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/us/03...e=1.a08.soux.4_qT1gy1r559&smid=url-share

[Busy Bee]

^ It would have been a little bit of healing from the mass de-signing of Market 50 years ago for BART construction.

Hopefully it can be brought back up in the future.

[BobbyMucho]

I think it's fair to say (esp after seeing and reading a lot of these (30+) at the Ferry Building in person) that these are far more 'vision boards' than they are viable proposals. More of an "imagine the future of Market St" rather than solve any immediate problems or focus on feasibility.

Regardless, some super nice renderings and concepts that help paint a more optimistic picture of downtown and its potential.

Yelamu Park (center running planted median with benches, landscaping, etc) is a favorite and reminds me of Mexico City in the best way.

[38 Geary]

Doesn't quite meet the height requirements to qualify for its own thread, but looks like this should be starting construction this October.

Affordable Construction Forthcoming at 967 Mission Street, San Francisco



By: Gabriel Clark-Clough 5:00 am on August 14, 2025

The affordable house development planned at 967 Mission Street in San Francisco has cleared up the details on its upcoming timeline for construction. Property managers at the John Stewart Company have confirmed a start date of sometime in late October. The project, first reported on by SF YIMBY in 2023, has been much anticipated for the last few years, with broad community support.

The nine-story complex will focus on affordable senior housing, bringing 95 new units to its SoMa location. Built on a skinny parking lot, the building will fill in previously unused space with much-needed housing for the area. Its construction is part of the larger 5M Master Plan to bring 856 new units, as well as new commercial and retail space to the surrounding blocks. Brookfield Properties and Hearst Corp are helping to sponsor the wider project.

For the building at 967 Mission Street, Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects and Y.A. Studio are collaborating on the design. Stylistically, the project follows with regional design vernacular, including eight-story sawtooth bay windows and ground-level planters. The flat space of the building will also create space and opportunity for urban art to be showcased.

https://sfyimby.com/2025/08/affordable-c...-at-967-misson-street-san-francisco.html

[38 Geary]

New thread: SAN FRANCISCO | 360 5th Street | 244 FT | 20 FLOORS



https://sfyimby.com/2025/08/increased-plans-for-20-story-tower-at-360-5th-street-san-francisco.html

[theskythelimit]

New proposal for the Golden Gate University Campus :

The application proposes two redevelopment options for the 236,000-square-foot law school’s flagship campus, which sits in the heart of the Financial District at 536 Mission St.: either a 700-foot tower featuring roughly 1.3 million square feet of office space or a slightly smaller, 650-foot tower that would provide just over 550,000 square feet of new offices alongside 370 new homes.

http://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/ar...town-golden-gate-university-20822521.php