Update, 4/28/16: Port commissioners ended up voting the lease to Jamestown unanimously, which came as a surprise to nobody but did give us a few extra insights into the project.
Jamestown scored the deal largely because Port staff and commissioners liked that the design was "respectful to the space" and the building's history, with a glass and steel lattice at the main entrance that livens up the facade while staying true to its industrial roots. The interior emphasizes glass, steel, and concrete, and plans to use mostly reclaimed and recycled materials.
The designs calls for a mezzanine, as well as a second entrance on the south side that will face the cruise ship terminal. Those SFMADE offerings will be shipped around the building's 20,000 square foot interior via railcar style carts (the tracks are visible in the renderings), which make the space customizable and also "invoked the previous life of the pier."
Of course, Jamestown's portfolio and experience helped too: Staff cited their work on projects like Manhattan's Chelsea Market, a similar but much larger space that covers 2.1 million square feet. Their $9 billion in assets and $50 million line of credit helped too, since whipping the pier into shape will cost $5.8 million.
The Port's timetable calls for the lease to commence in November, following Board of Supervisors approval. Via email, a Jamestown rep said that the lease will begin "whenever the negotiated start date is." In any case, the first order of business is to get engineers in there and make the building seismically safe. Previously, the Port budgeted $2.7 million for substructure work.
Michael Phillips, president of Jamestown, said in a written statement after the vote:
"We’re thrilled with the unanimous vote by the Port Commission to move forward on our proposal for The Bulkhead at Pier 29. This approval moves us one step closer to the opportunity to establish a distinctly San Francisco destination that celebrates the City’s creative people, culture, and industries as part of the waterfront renaissance. We look forward to working with the Port of San Francisco to negotiate the lease terms in the coming months."
Original story (4.26.16):
It appears that Atlanta- and New York-based Jamestown LP has wooed the Port of San Francisco and won a lease on the 20,000 square-foot commercial space at Pier 29. Their secret: Plying us all with the irresistible offer of coffee and booze.
The Port has been shopping the long-disused warehouse (right between Alcatraz Cruises and the Yacht Club) for a few years now, eventually narrowing the field down to offers from Jamestown, Premier Structures (itself based at Pier 28), and the iARTsf arts collective.
At today’s Port Commission meeting, Port staff will give their recommendation for the Jamestown deal, a combination craft alcohol distillery (in the back) and coffee roaster (fronting the street) that will partner with the folks at SFMade to sell locally-made craft products. It’s a one-two of beverage bliss that’s hard to resist.
If the Commission approves, and Jamestown accepts the terms, they’ll become Pier 29’s master tenant starting later this year, hopefully. The lease date has yet to be officially announced.
The 15-year lease runs $25,000/month, with a five percent rent hike every five years, but also credit for $1.45 million. Jamestown already has stakes in several prominent San Francisco buildings, including Ghirardelli Square.
The company’s plan calls for building designs by BCV Architects, interiors by urban designers Gehl Studios, and historic preservation oversight from Page & Turnbull (the same San Francisco firm who backed up the 2003 Ferry Building rehab) to oversee the overhaul of the old building.
- Pier 29 To Host Pop-Up [Curbed SF]
- Pier 29 award [Port of SF]
- SFMade