‘Too Tall’ Cesar Chavez development asks $8 million

Some buildings get all of the breaks, but end up listing for $8 million even before breaking ground. In terms of developing new housing in the Mission these days, 3620 Cesar Chavez had a relatively smooth of a ride.

Mission Local reported that some neighbors had put together token resistance to the 24-unit, six-story building-to-be at the corner of Guerrero Street back in August. But the complaints were fairly standard: The building was deemed to tall by the dozen or so critics, and the relative lack of parking a concern.

Actually, it looks like some in the crowd got pretty creative with this one:

Other attendees had a myriad of complaints. One neighbor said he worked from home one week a month and would be disturbed by the construction, asking whether the developer could make any “accommodations” around his sleep schedule.

Gary Nathan, another neighbor, said the solar panels on his roof would be blocked by shadows. He currently pays nothing in utilities, he said, and would have half his sunlight blocked by the building, according to solar technicians he hired to do an analysis.

But the building got a lot of breaks too. It was exempt from having to complete an environmental impact report (which meant no shadow study, much to the disgruntlement of those concerned about its height) and allowed to skip a Planning Commission hearing.

As Mission Local observed, “[N]o organized opposition to the project has yet emerged.” And it looks as if none did. This project proved free of divisiveness and headlines compared to other buildings in the neighborhood.

But you can’t win them all. Although the original game plan was for 3620 Cesar Chavez to break ground in 2018, it must now first find a buyer, as the developer opted to list the entire project for $8 million in February.

Nobody was immediately available to comment on the sale. Presently, the lot has an aging office building and parking lot on it. Local firm Sternberg Benjamin Architects provided the new designs.

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• Neighbors To Developers: Too Tall [Mission Local]
• 3620 Cesar Chavez [Realtor]
• 3620 Cesar Chavez Exemption [SF Planning]