SAN FRANCISCO | 301 Mission Street | 645 FT / 197 M | 60 FLOORS

[botoxic]

photo taken by E|PHOTOGRAPHY @ flickr:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2130/2055961764_321dc2b7e5_b.jpg

[BTinSF]

^^^Every time I see that "holiday skyline" shot I am disturbed that the owners of the TransAmerica refuse to do the obvious: bathe the sucker in green light and put a star on top.

[viewguysf]

Originally Posted by BTinSF

^^^Every time I see that "holiday skyline" shot I am disturbed that the owners of the TransAmerica refuse to do the obvious: bathe the sucker in green light and put a star on top.

The "star" on top of the Pyramid will be turned on for Christmas and New Year's Eve, as it is during certain other times of the year--it was even on for gay pride this year.

As quoted from The Pyramid Center website: "The 6,000-watt beacon, envisioned by the architect as the building’s “crown jewel,” can be seen from all over the San Francisco Bay Area at night when lit. It used to be lit more frequently, but because it is labor-intensive and costly to light, the beacon is now only lit on certain holidays. There are exceptions, however, when the building’s ownership allows it to be lit by special permission".

It is a light fixture that rotates in two directions simultaneously in order to produce a "twinkle" effect and looks very cool with subtle color changes.

[Downtown Dave]

[BTinSF]

Viewguy, I thought I recalled reading years ago that the TransAmerica owners specifically did not want to decorate their building as a "Christmas Tree" which would so nicely complement the "holiday packages" of Embarcadero Center.

I haven't been there at the holiday season for several years since my mother approached 90 years of age and I increasingly felt I should be with her in Florida at that time of year, but I think you were referring to the beacon on the building, not actually something resembling a Christmas tree ornament on top. Am I correct?

Anyway, with The Millenium, the taller Infinity Tower and ORH extending the skyline southward (and eventually a tall building on Fremont just off Howard filling in the gap plus the TransBay to give the skyline focus), it's really becoming impressive--to a skyscraper lover, beautiful in fact.

[viewguysf]

Originally Posted by BTinSF

Viewguy, I thought I recalled reading years ago that the TransAmerica owners specifically did not want to decorate their building as a "Christmas Tree" which would so nicely complement the "holiday packages" of Embarcadero Center. I think you were referring to the beacon on the building, not actually something resembling a Christmas tree ornament on top. Am I correct?

Yes BT, you are correct. The "star" has always been there inside the top of the cone, but it's only occasionally used. It's extremely noticeable, changes color subtly and seems to twinkle. I can't find the article with a picture of it, but I think it has split housing that rotates in opposite directions simultaneously. At any rate, it's really cool and I wish that they would use it more often--like every night!

Looking further down the cone, I thought the Pyramid looked much better with the previous interior lighting which was a golden color versus the dirty mercury vapor look that it has now. It was changed a number of years ago and needs to be restored to the original color to improve the appearance of the structure at night.

[sfguy]

Originally Posted by botoxic

photo taken by E|PHOTOGRAPHY @ flickr:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2130/2055961764_321dc2b7e5_b.jpg

wow, I love this picture! millennium looks so nice with the rest of the skyline at night. It looks like this tower will top out pretty soon.

[Downtown Dave]

First floor is nearly there:





Safety starts with Santa?

[peanut gallery]

She is getting tall:


Just a moment before, this huge piece (you're seeing about a quarter of it) the crane is moving was flying out over the side of the building. Unfortunately, by the time I got in position they were bringing it in.

[Downtown Dave]

Yeah, those pieces seem to be some kind of supports upon which they build the floor. Once the floor has cured enough, it goes up to the next level.

[rocketman_95046]

Originally Posted by peanut gallery

She is getting tall:

I count about 50 floors so about 10 more before we top out

[peanut gallery]

A couple of updates from today:

[tech12]

Is it just me, or is there sort of an optical illusion in that last pic, which makes 50 fremont look closer than Millenium, thus making Millenium look taller? hehe, anyways, nice pics! I can't wait until this tops out...

[BTinSF]

^^^I saw the same illusion. I always have trouble judging comparative heights from photos. But 301 WILL really be taller than 50 Fremont--just not yet.

[Downtown Dave]

The glass is drawn out upside down, as at 555 Mission, flipped around, and lowered into place:









Second floor now well advanced:



Cloudy skies:

[peanut gallery]

Now that they are above ground with the amenities building, you can see the outline of how the building will front Mission. It pulls back between the tower and the midrise creating a small plaza area. I wonder if this is where they'll place the restaurant entrance, creating a sort-of visual buffer between it and the bustle of the sidewalk.

I'd like to get a photo of it from above, but there are restricted access commerical buildings across the street. Maybe I can pretend to be a Heald College student.

[peanut gallery]

That last shot from Dave is another fine example of how moody this building will be. Its look completely changes based on the lighting.

[peanut gallery]

Millennium looks particularly tall and skinny from this angle:

[peanut gallery]

An article in today's Chronicle gives a few more details on the restaurant going in here, including the name: RN74, and some other interesting factoids about the building.

I posted the whole article in the San Francisco Retail Scene thread (a few posts down on the linked page).

Here are the Millennium-related bits:

Homeowners in the under-construction Millennium Tower each will get a temperature-controlled wine locker, a 20,000-square-foot clubhouse and nationally known restaurateur Michael Mina.

In less than five weeks, Millennium Tower sold $100 million worth of condos, according to Richard Baumert, managing director of Millennium Partners. He credits a lot of the hoopla to Mina, whose self-named San Francisco restaurant in the St. Francis hotel is one of the toughest-to-get reservations.

"Michael is a very recognizable name in San Francisco," he said. "And Rajat Parr, Michael's wine director, is one of the most celebrated sommeliers in the world. Our intention was to find the best names who would add distinction to the project."

In addition to operating what will be called RN74, a restaurant and wine bar in the 419-unit building, Mina and Parr will be responsible for food and beverage service for the residents' private dining room on the tower's second floor, where homeowners can either order off the RN74 menu or a special menu created just for them. Parr will set up the wine service and help with the clubhouse's tasting room, where residents will get their own cellars to store up to a case of wine each.

"What we found during our research for the project is that San Franciscans are obsessed with three things: food, wine and fitness," said Baumert, adding that in order to sell units that range from $700,000 to $12 million, they have to give the people what they want - a professional fitness center, fine wine and good food.

[peanut gallery]

Millennium on a bright, sunny day:






This is the little "courtyard" area along Mission. RN74 will be on the ground floor to the left of this.


For some reason, the theme from Spiderman is going through my head:








That's it for photo updates from me for awhile. I'm off the next couple of weeks and probably won't be down in the city more than once or twice.