San Francisco Sees Proposal for 36-Story Residential Tower on Van Ness Avenue

A new 36-story residential tower is proposed for 1301 Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco, with preliminary permits recently filed. The project, a joint venture by Concrete Interests and Tidewater Capital, seeks to construct a 390-foot-tall building containing 443 residential units. The application leverages the Housing Choice-San Francisco program and Senate Bill 330 to streamline the approval process and increase residential capacity. This approach allows for modifications to objective zoning standards, including those related to lobby frontage, transparency, loading spaces, and bicycle parking.

The proposed structure will offer approximately 443,050 square feet of space, including 51,770 square feet for a basement garage and 4,520 square feet of ground-level retail. Unit configurations will range from 105 studios to 45 three-bedroom apartments. Parking for 108 cars and 180 bicycles is planned. The site, currently occupied by a liquor store, is noted as a potential historic resource within the Van Ness Automobile Historic District. The existing two-story block, built in 1912, is slated for demolition. Construction costs are estimated at $175 million, excluding all development expenses. This project highlights the use of recent state and local policies to facilitate high-density housing development in urban centers.