All stories about "Developments"

You've come a long way, baby.

· Curbed Inside: Arterra (Part II) [Curbed SF]
· Curbed Inside: Arterra [Curbed SF]

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A Curbed SF reader dropped the following nugget in the comment box in response to yesterday's post on another construction project in North Beach:

Curbed SF, What I would really love for you to investigate is the condominium being built about a block from here. It's a brand new building going up in the 500 Block of Vallejo, bordered by Romolo St. and Fresno Alley.

I've lived in North Beach for 20+ years, and never seen a development go up so under-the-radar, with no outcry from the neighborhood associations, etc. I've searched the sfgov sites for permits to see if I can get info on it, but it's sketchy at best. I've written my supervisor (good ole Aaron Peskin) to ask about the project twice and received no response. The rumor in the neighborhood is that the developer is a long-time North Beach restauranteur, but those are the only clues I have in the mystery.

What we do know: Curiously enough, we couldn't find any permits for the site listed on the city's ever-malfunctioning system. (Perhaps someone else has better karma with that site than we apparently do?) Genius app Everyblock lists 3, however, all of which allow for "additions, alterations, or repairs." Beyond that, we do know that 553 Vallejo Street is a 7-unit residential building. We even went to extra mile on this one and dispatched a Curbed SF operative to the scene— The report came back negative: no contractor's signage or permits displayed on the premises. WTF? Now which one of you omniscient North Beachers knows something the rest of us don't?

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Greener Than Thou is our report on San Francisco’s obsession with all things green, giving credit where credit is due and calling bullshit when the need arises. Feeling morally superior on the green front? Testify!

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Witness a Greener Than Thou canonization: Dwell travels travels Chicago to take a first look at the new project from Oakland-based architect Michelle Kaufmann, the mkSolaire. Built on grounds the Museum of Science and Industry, the Solaire is the newest sustainable (even on a rainy day, it was producing more power than it uses), and contemporary (the pics say it all) modular home design by Michelle Kaufmann Designs. This one has been designed for a unique purpose — to offer "healthy living" in the city. The developer-friendly design account for the typical disadvantages of the urban lot — namely the limited access to light and air— and a typical house can completed in 14 months. Cost: between $200 and $250 per square foot. The prototype Solaire will be on display at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry until January 4th. Halo: firmly affixed.
· First Look: mkSolaire [Dwell Blog]
· Greener Than Thou: MK Designs Slaps Nutrition Labels on Prefabs [Curbed SF]
· Green Goddess: Introducing the mkLoft [Curbed SF]

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For a brief moment this week, the awe-inspiring collection of architectural wonders built for the upcoming Beijing Olympics took a backseat to a warehouse in San Francisco. Like something from a bad Dashiell Hammett novel, the San Francisco Olympic torch relay is being woven into a narrative of deceit and intrigue, the soon to be legendary Tale of the Torch. Involved in this plot: decoy torches, misdirection, hair-brained schemes, shadowy conversations, a massive campaign of public misinformation, duck boats, Chinese puppeteers, and a now-notorious warehouse on Pier 48. As part of the plan for Sea Wall Lot 337, the fate of warehouse 48, currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a bit up in the air: Some developers are hoping to make it work as a high-end Ferry Building-like space for art and art lovers, though it is currently used as a venue for corporate shindigs and fashion shows ... and a hideout for political plotters.
· A house China didn't build [LA Times]
· Riding the Bench: Giants Earn Second Place in Seawall Lot 337 First Draft Pick [Curbed SF]

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SOMA—"Has SoMa Grand lost its game?" we wondered yesterday, following a reader query that indicated some possible trouble: "Later I looked up the address, and found a number of units already are being sold by their owners. The elevators still have plywood on the inside to protect against the construction crews! What's going on? Buyer's remorse?" Not so! says the SoMa Grand's people. The official word: One of three on-site elevators are paneled with plywood in order to protect them as residents move in gradually. The MLS listings aren't resales, nor are there any units up for re-sale at the moment. In fact, interest in the building is strong, according to the developer. So there, rumormongers. [CurbedWire Inbox]

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What's the haps at SoMa Grand? Something? Nothing at all? A suspicious reader dropped the following WTF? in the inbox:

I was in a unit on the 23 floor today on the new highrise there, and the view was a stunner. Later I looked up the address, and found a number of units already are being sold by their owners. The elevators still have plywood on the inside to protect against the construction crews! What's going on? Buyer's remorse? Place is worth a one-night stand but not a relationship? Price bump and folks looking to make a buck? Just curious.

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Concrete walls are beginning to rise up from the sea of rebar covering Mission Walk at 330— 335 Berry Street, a soon-to-be dev of 131 so-called affordable housing units (and a whole cache of new buddies for the commuting dot-comers and scientists in the nabe. Down with homogeneity, people.). The buildings are designed by San Francisco architects Leddy Maytum Stacy; Just yards away from Mission Creek, each is centered around a landscaped central courtyard. Creek side units will feature sweeping views of all Mission Bay construction projects, natch. To the gallery!

[Renderings via LMS Architects]

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Location: 72 Townsend Street (between 2nd at Colin P. Kelly Streets), South Beach
Size: 9 stories, 147,000 square feet, 74 units, mixed-use with retail at street level
Architects: SB Architects
Developer: West Bay Builders (think: Symphony Towers)
Sales & Marketing: Polaris Group
Lowdown: West Bay Builders bought the former Hooper's South End Grain Warehouse back in 2007; the building was constructed in 1874, and survived the 1906 earthquake/ fires. It's facade will be preserved during the building process. (History, the instant value add.) The projected 99 foot-tall building will be smaller than others in the area (South Beach Marina Apartments, Towers at the Embarcadero, Brannan Towers).

[Renderings courtesy Polaris Group via SF New Developments]

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And here we are, safely inside 888 Seventh Street following yesterday's tour of the grounds. Yes, this is a big, big building— no denying that. With wide hallways and large, expansive interior landings and exterior courtyards— a distinct difference from the tall-and-narrow high rise approach— we can imagine smaller "micro neighborhoods" popping up within this rather massive development. David Baker's battle cry for dense living echoes loud and clear throughout this project, as his use of small spaces (alcoves, storage) indicates true consideration for what it means to live efficiently. 888 Seventh Street isn't flawless— It won't suit everyone, namely those with a bias against people, industrial settings, and bold colors. Buyers seeking a surrogate suburbia need not apply here (but worry not, as you have a hell of a lot to choose from elsewhere). Now, the deets:

· Sizes and pricing: 224 units; 170 BMR, 54 market rate. Sizes range from junior 1-bedroom/ 1 baths (starting at $399k, maxing at $439), loft-style one bedrooms/ 1.5 bathrooms (all at $534k) and 3-bedroom units (beginning at $709K and topping off at $839,000 for 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a whopping 3 private patios). Note: 888 Seventh Street harbors the Infinity's share of BMR units.

· HOA dues: Decidedly low. $300 (junior 1-bedroom) to $470 (3 bedrooms, 3 baths). Each unit includes a single parking spot; additional spots are available for purchase at $35k.

· Sales figures: 888 Seventh Street has been holding weekend tours for the past several weeks; sales offices open officially this week. All of the BMR units have been snapped up (that's 170 units). Only 5 of the market rate homes have moved thus far, though sales are expected to quicken as opening date approaches.

· Move in dates: That said, residents are expected to move in within the next 3 weeks.

· Bonus deets: Two large commercial spaces sit at ground-level; one retail outfit (given the nature of the nabe, most likely a design/furniture shop) and a cafe are expected to occupy those sites. The Mission Creek Bike Trail runs behind 888 Seventh Street, which should receive its final landscaping in the coming weeks. See the Outdoor Edition for more on landscaping, soundproofing, and other tricks and treats.
· 888 Seventh Street/ David Baker + Partners [website]
· Curbed Inside: 888 Seventh Street, Outdoor Edition [Curbed SF]
· Recipe for Success: Sell the BMR Units First [Curbed SF]

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Click the image above to view the full photogallery.

Curbed SF operatives have infiltrated 888 Seventh Street (read: we got a tour). With 224 units on 6 floors, this David Baker-designed development is by far one of the most expansive we've been in (think low and wide, not high). So big, in fact, that we've decided to divvy up the views. So let's step outside for a moment: above you'll find one of two common courtyards. Rather massive if we do say. Cool feature alert: the grid work that stretches between both buildings (at the end of the walkway) will soon hold a matrix of blue glass designed to function as a noise barrier. We'll be eager to hear residents' reports on that one. In the meantime, click through for the views; you'll find the facts of the matter listed beneath each shot.
· 888 Seventh Street/ David Baker + Partners [website]

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Some purely gratuitous construction porn, with a love note from a P Hill local: "Thought your readers might dig a couple of Esprit Park shots. My family lives at the top of 20th Street, and while the yellow insulation is a little blinding, our kids are fascinated with watching this thing go up. Reminds me of an old-school erector set."
· Curbed Inside: Esprit Park, Take 2 [Curbed SF]
· The Ploy: Esprit Park Thinks Ahead [Curbed SF]
· Curbed Inside: Esprit Park [Curbed SF]

Ever notice A) how much glass has been favored by local developers/ architects in recent projects and B) how much said glass begins to look the same after oh, maybe five minutes or so? We're beginning to fear for the lives of San Francisco's avian population as more and more reflective surfaces create mass confusion on the city's skyline. Ouch. Are you blind as a bat or keen as a hawk? Take the Guess That Glass challenge: Identify the 6 individual buildings above after the jump, and we'll do a reveal at the end of the day. It's on!