A Piano Solo Will Have To Do

Chronicle architecture critic John King tells us not to expect a Renzo Piano-designed high rise as an encore to the groundbreaking California Academy of Sciences. Every now and then, we still get people asking about the architect's 2006 design for slender, 1,200-foot-high towers proposed for First and Mission. Due to zoning issues and market woes, the site was packaged with six other parcels and put up for sale last May by Piano's original client. "It's a sad story," said Piano, "I loved that project." [SF Gate]