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

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by fimiak

It also moves more trains, twice as many people, allows for fewer track repairs, new High Speed Rail trains, and finally the ability to enter downtown San Francisco underground. It is an outstanding deal.

Let's just say "it" is a controversial deal (I assume "it" is the TransBay Terminal--the reference isn't 100% clear).

It's there now. Much of the money is spent. But when it was still just a proposal I argued the city's business district was moving south and would engulf the existing terminal at 4th & Townsend while, simultaneously, new transit (the T-Third and Central Subway) was being built to conveniently get people from the old financial district to the existing terminal. I argued we'd get a lot more bang for the buck by building a new terminal at 4th & Townsend and spending the additional money saved on making the planned transit improvements even better (say platforms on the Central Subway allowing longer trains and/or extending that at least to North Beach) to make it even more convenient for more people to get to the new terminal.

But the city didn't go that way. Why not I'm still not sure. It astounded me then and now that the TransBay District Board, with the generally anti-development Chris Daly on it, went for the grandest new scheme. But they did. And while I remain concerned the Terminal building could become a maintenance and safety nightmare and a homeless magnet--and seem rather empty much of the time--I love the new towers that we probably wouldn't have but for the need to pay for the terminal.

[fimiak]

The 'it' is Caltrain electrification. You are discussing decisions made over a decade ago, but the person I was replying to was complaining about the recently awarded Caltrain grant. As you implied, the buildings that are growing around Transbay would not have existed if the Transbay terminal was not being built. We would have have gotten a Salesforce Tower & six more towers near 4th & townsend. I think things have mostly worked out well, except we have to finish by getting funding for DTX.

[pseudolus]

from the California Pacific webcam, I can see in the background that 1545 Pine (next to Grubstake) is being unwrapped. Anyone in the neighborhood who can grab a photo?

http://trumarkurban.com/portfolio/pine-street/

[BushMan]

Originally Posted by pseudolus

from the California Pacific webcam, I can see in the background that 1545 Pine (next to Grubstake) is being unwrapped. Anyone in the neighborhood who can grab a photo?

http://trumarkurban.com/portfolio/pine-street/

JUST walked by there this morning, still mostly wrapped.

On another note, the Grubstake diner is still there, I thought the old structure was going to be torn down as part of the new development?

[pseudolus]

Here's the side visible from the California Pacific cam.
[IMG][/IMG]

[viewguysf]

Originally Posted by BushMan

On another note, the Grubstake diner is still there, I thought the old structure was going to be torn down as part of the new development?

No--that is a possible additional development, but we'll see what happens. It was bought by the owner of Mayes Oyster House who said he'd keep the Grubstake open, but then seemed to change his mind.

[timbad]

Moscone again



skatepark getting pavers





sidewalk on Main St side of MTC building getting widened



little alley next to the new hotel on King St also has gotten fancy paving



work on the east side of Potrero Hill



sidewalks starting to reform on the west side of Indiana St in Dogpatch



about at the limits of my old camera (and haze), but the skyline as seen from the hills above San Mateo. San Mateo downtown in the foreground, runways of SFO barely discernible on the left, Oakland also barely there on the right in distance

[timbad]

office building on Townsend



100 Hooper

[1977]

San Francisco by David Yu, on Flickr

[iamfishhead]

Haven't seen this one in a while. The hotel at 3rd and Townsend has a crane up.

2017-06-05 19.39.21 by Joshua Goldstein, on Flickr

[Pedestrian]

SPUR Talk: Why is Housing so Expensive?
By Roger Rudick
May 31, 2017

The San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR), during a lunchtime presentation yesterday . . . listed all the reasons housing prices are so high and offered some suggestions for how advocates can help supply get more in line with demand. “Sales prices have continued to rise–most new condos are in the $1,200 to $1,400 per square foot range,” said Mark Hogan of OpenScope Studio, which designs in-fill housing projects . . . .

http://sf.streetsblog.org/2017/05/31/spur-talk-why-is-housing-so-expensive/

[viewguysf]

150 Van Ness @ Hayes, update on rental apartment building

[IMG]Rental apartment building @ 150 Van Ness by viewguysf, on Flickr[/IMG]

[Jerry of San Fran]

A companion photo to viewguysf's post yesterday - from the opposite side of the building site.

2017_06_2017 - 150 Van Ness by Apollo's Light, on Flickr

[Pedestrian]

Was down in the area today and noticed how much more I like 300 Fremont (Solaire) than I expected to. You have to be close up to notice the aluminum sun shades (or whatever they are ) but they add a lot of interest to the facade:


Taken today by me.

[viewguysf]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

Was down in the area today and noticed how much more I like 300 Fremont (Solaire) than I expected to. You have to be close up to notice the aluminum sun shades (or whatever they are ) but they add a lot of interest to the facade.

Yes--many of us said the same thing as its construction wrapped up. It's a nicely done smaller tower, even though it has a conventional shape.

[iamfishhead]

Originally Posted by viewguysf

Yes--many of us said the same thing as its construction wrapped up. It's a nicely done smaller tower, even though it has a conventional shape.

And there's a Philz in their affordable component.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by iamfishhead

And there's a Philz in their affordable component.

I suppose there's irony there (in "affordable" folks drinking $4.50 cups of coffee).

[viewguysf]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

I suppose there's irony there (in "affordable" folks drinking $4.50 cups of coffee).

It's a sidewalk retail component as with so many of our projects, separate from the Mercy Housing residential portion. Considering its location next to Solaire on a prominent corner, it's perfectly logical. With so many retail spaces available (witness upper Market, the upcoming Transbay Terminal, etc.) owners and developers are happy to get good leases.

[Pedestrian]

^^But the irony is still there for the reason given.

I know, I know. By now there's probably a marijuana dispensary in the Delancy St. housing on the Embaradero. SF is full of irony.

PS: I'm a big Philz fan (because I drink decaf and they are one of the few places that has multiple decaf choices). . . but I can afford both the coffee and market rate housing.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by 1977

San Francisco by David Yu, on Flickr

Fantabulous!