SAN FRANCISCO | 530 Howard Street | 844 FT | 72 FLOORS

[dktshb]

Looks very nice and connected to the neighborhood at street and park level, which is the most important to me.

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by dktshb

Looks very nice and connected to the neighborhood at street and park level, which is the most important to me.

Yeah the interaction with the ground level is quite nice. And then you have the connection to the park which is reminiscent of 181 Fremonts (and Andytown Coffee Roasters) little bridge to the park as well. By integrating with the street and park level it creates a more open and inviting environment. It would be nice if the part that connects to the park has space for retail or a restaurant which I think the park could use more of.

[whitty]

Originally Posted by twinpeaks

Cool, I hope this breezes through permitting into construction. We need many more mixed types of housing

It should in theory go very, very quickly:

https://www.sfchronicle.com/realesta...l-18488629.php

While the sleek tower would be a distinctive presence on the skyline, it also represents a significant milestone in San Francisco’s political landscape: the first major downtown tower that would not require approvals from the Planning Commission or the Board of Supervisors.

That’s because the developer is taking advantage of Assembly Bill 2011, the “affordable housing and high road jobs act of 2022,” which allows “ministerial” approval of certain developments on commercially zoned properties.

The law has not been enacted much in San Francisco — there is only one other AB2011 project pending — because it only applies to streets that are a minimum of 75 feet wide. Most thoroughfares in San Francisco are significantly narrower than that, but Howard Street is not. AB2011 also requires that the sites not be next to industrial properties and be more than 500 feet from a freeway.

“It will be the first major project that is utilizing state ministerial approval process — no (California Environmental Quality Act) study, nor a hearing at the Planning Commission,” said San Francisco Planning Director Rich Hillis.

Hillis said the design will be reviewed by planning staff to make sure it complies with the city’s code requirements, but that it should be ready for building permits within six months. After entitlements are secured, the developer expects to spend about a year raising capital and an additional three years building the tower.

Mayor London Breed celebrated the proposed project as a “significant investment” in downtown.

[Charmy2]

In that first photo homebucket posted imagine this beast standing alongside Parcel F, the Oceanwide, 50 Main Street, and Block 4. Really gets me excited to say the very least.

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by Charmy2

In that first photo homebucket posted imagine this beast standing alongside Parcel F, the Oceanwide, 50 Main Street, and Block 4. Really gets me excited to say the very least.

That combo right there would be pretty epic. Plus Salesforce and 181 Fremont in the immediate vicinity too.

[Charmy2]

Originally Posted by homebucket

That combo right there would be pretty epic. Plus Salesforce and 181 Fremont in the immediate vicinity too.

Exactly, I really really hope we see a tower crane start rising over the city soon. It's about time the city's skyline gets an upgrade and I love the image of a massive cluster of towers in the SoMa, still letting the Transamerica and 555 California dominate the skies over Financial District.

[OneRinconHill]

Odds this gets built? It looks like if they wanted to stall it with the shadow law and the "skyline shape" thing they made a big deal about...they could.

[SFView]

Originally Posted by OneRinconHill

Odds this gets built? It looks like if they wanted to stall it with the shadow law and the "skyline shape" thing they made a big deal about...they could.

The maximum height limit in San Francisco used to be 550 feet! The "skyline shape" thing and shadow laws were/are well documented justification for building much taller in the city. The climate is changing with new height bonus laws factored in. With that in mind, I wonder if something taller will someday get proposed as a new designed residential tower for Parcel F? Anyway, it's nice to see this new 844 feet tall proposal for 524 Howard Street come closer to reality.

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by SFView

The maximum height limit in San Francisco used to be 550 feet! The "skyline shape" thing and shadow laws were/are well documented justification for building much taller in the city. The climate is changing with new height bonus laws factored in. With that in mind, I wonder if something taller will someday get proposed as a new designed residential tower for Parcel F? Anyway, it's nice to see this new 844 feet tall proposal for 524 Howard Street come closer to reality.

Isn't it 530 Howard now?

[twinpeaks]

Originally Posted by OneRinconHill

Odds this gets built? It looks like if they wanted to stall it with the shadow law and the "skyline shape" thing they made a big deal about...they could.

I thought the state indicated these local requirements are subjective and not in compliance with state laws. With AB2011, could BOS or discretionary reviews still stall or kill this project?

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by twinpeaks

I thought the state indicated these local requirements are subjective and not in compliance with state laws. With AB2011, could BOS or discretionary reviews still stall or kill this project?

I don’t think so. It should get approved much more quickly than before. The only foreseeable obstacle which has proven to be a major one is for these projects to secure financing in these “challenging market conditions”.

[OneRinconHill]

Originally Posted by homebucket

I don’t think so. It should get approved much more quickly than before. The only foreseeable obstacle which has proven to be a major one is for these projects to secure financing in these “challenging market conditions”.

Considering who the developer is...I'm not too worried.

[SFView]

^Oh yeah, right! Moderators? Let's correct the thread title to "530 Howard" as well.

[Charmy2]

I've got a gut feeling we might see this one rising before 50 Main

[Jerry of San Fran]

10/24/2024 - With the news that the developer of 30 Van Ness Avenue is meeting with the SF Planning Commission November 7 requesting to "no longer have on-site inclusionary affordable units", the change of the design for 10 South Van Ness, and then this Howard St. news is exciting to see anything happening with high rise. Hopefully we can see some construction in a couple of years. I need something new in my view!