Last week was a big milestone for the Golden State Warriors’ plan to build an 18,500-seat arena dubbed the Chase Center at 300 16th Street.
It was also completely meaningless, like a beautiful three-pointer in garbage time.
On one hand, it is exciting that the city issued the very first building permit for the enormous Mission Bay project last Thursday, licensing the developer and contractors to begin excavating the Central Basin site to the tune of roughly $50 million (out of about $741.5 million worth of permits).
But of course, nothing is going to happen yet, because the entire affair is still tied up in the only thing bigger than the proposed arena itself: the snarled tangle of a lawsuit by neighborhood activists who want the Warriors to play anywhere except on 16th and Third.
So, technically, work could begin any day now. Strictly speaking, nothing prevents breaking ground this very afternoon.
It won’t happen, but maybe local Warriors booster can count it as a moral victory of sorts.
The Registry pointed out the impermissible permit, but it was actually contracting site BuildZoom who first noticed the blip on the radar. Of the four permits still in limbo, the largest is the $538 million slip for the auditorium, gym, garages, and attached retail venues.
Kansas City-based MANICA, which specializes in sports arenas, designed the swirling white disk on the waterfront. A spokesman for the Warriors told the Registry that they’ll give the signal for shovels as soon as the court of appeals decides the case.
Maybe in celebration, Steph Curry will buy yet another house.
- Warriors Receive First Permit [Registry]
- 300 16th Street [BuildZoom]
- Opponents Appeal Arena [Curbed SF]