Building projects in San Francisco must withstand a painful approval process. In a recent article, The New York Times cited architects as calling The City’s approval process for new development “long and rigorous, perhaps the most onerous in the country.” Read More
The sponsor of a proposal to amend The City’s environmental review process says he hopes to streamline an unpredictable and volatile procedure, but activist groups warn that the measure would reduce public oversight over development. Read More
The developer of the 1,070-foot Transit Tower, which will be the tallest skyscraper on the West Coast, secured a partnership with a financial partner and is expected to purchase the land for the building in early 2013.
The tower is one of the centerpieces of the Transit Center District Plan, which will redevelop the area around the new Transbay Transit Center being rebuilt at First and Mission streets in South of Market. The transit hub will eventually house a station for Caltrain and high-speed rail, and it will be a regional connection for bus systems.
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A large decision today could potentially set in motion construction in San Francisco of the tallest building on the West Coast while kick-starting the future of a new transit hub in The City.
The City’s Planning Commission will be asked today to approve the proposed Transbay Tower, and it should do so for several reasons — all of which would be beneficial for San Francisco. Read More
Buildings planned in the area around the future Transbay Transit Center in South of Market will be able to cast shadows that will sweep across several open spaces.
If a development would cast a shadow over parks or open space in The City, it has to receive approval from the Planning and Recreation and Park commissions under a voter-approved proposition from the 1980s and subsequent planning codes. Read More
Planning Commissioner Michael Antonini survived a divided Board of Supervisors on Tuesday and will serve another four-year term after facing near-rejection two weeks ago.
Antonini, a dentist and registered Republican who lives in the west side of San Francisco, was re-appointed to the commission by Mayor Ed Lee, but was at risk of being rejected by the board. Read More
A proposed new residential development in Forest Knolls has riled some neighbors who say it’s unsuitable for the secluded neighborhood west of Mount Sutro.
The proposed San Francisco Overlook Development — a three-building, 34-unit project of duplexes and a townhouse, plus 68 parking spaces — would be perched on a steep hillside at the end of Crestmont Drive, offering sprawling views of The City but also standing out in a neighborhood of mainly single-family homes. Read More
Part of the Chinese Hospital’s grand vision was approved unanimously Thursday with glowing support from the Planning Commission.
The commission signed off on a special permit for the hospital to provide medical services at 827 Pacific Ave. as a complement to its main campus at 835 Jackson St. The move frees up needed space at the main facility. Read More
A once-threatened vintage Coca-Cola billboard painted on the side of a Bernal Heights home was cleared for restoration Thursday by The City’s Planning Commission.The 15-by-7-foot 1930s-era sign — featuring the soft drink’s logo and a silhouetted woman drinking from a glass bottle — became the subject of debate last year when a local resident complained to the commission that it violated San Francisco’s billboard regulations. Read More
The Sierra Club is the latest group to appeal the environmental impact report for the 34th America’s Cup yacht race.
Citing a concern that the report does not adequately address sediment and water pollution issues that could arise from dredging parts of the Bay for the 2013 regatta, the group is appealing the Planning Commission’s approval of the document. Read More
