It was September when news first came that the Church of 8 Wheels, a roller rink located in the old Sacred Heart Church building at Fell and Fillmore streets, may have to stop rolling to make way for a new development. Now, the Planning Department has responded to preliminary plans for the development with encouragement to build more units than the currently planned nine. Upping the density of the development would also mean triggering the requirement to include below-market-rate housing that begins with ten units.
Current plans call for nine residential units, ground-floor commercial space, community and office space, and 40 parking spots. Planners noted that this layout demonstrated "an unfilled capacity" and "strongly encourage[d] increased density on the site." The response also pointed to the in-progress density bonus program that would allow more height in return for increased below-market-rate units. Planners also wanted the number of parking spots reduced to 34 and for developers to retain some portion of the old church's interior such as the stained glass or the altar.
· Plans Could Bring Holy Rolling at Church of 8 Wheels to a Stop [Curbed SF]