200 Mission Street Campus is a multi-structure redevelopment planned in the wake of PG&E leaving the city. The development opens up the ground level with a porous connection of plazas, courtyards, and lobbies. We first broke the story with renderings revealed for the reskinning of 77 Beale Street. Next, Hines published plans for the new residential high-rise at 50 Main Street, to be designed by Foster & Partners.
50 Main Street could become the third or fourth tallest skyscraper in the city, depending on the future of the Oceanwide Center project. Oceanwide was also designed by Foster & Partners.
Also, Hines is developing the 800~ft tower on Transbay Parcel F. That firm sure has a vision for this city’s skyline and I don’t hate it.
If anyone here is good with making renderings and wants to do a mock-up of 50 Main Street, I’d love to see it !!!
Oh wow, it’ll really stand out from the pack. I know that city staff recommended that the developers shorten the project, but I hope it doesn’t happen at the expense of more units. Staff are still clear-eyed that they can’t change much, just suggest, since the added height is partially afforded by a state density bonus waiver.
There’s a lot of obnoxious NIMBYism in SF, but this is maybe the least objectionable site in the city – it’s nowhere near a park or any of the single-family-home neighborhoods that generally kick up a fuss. I could see it being modified, but if there’s going to be another supertall in SF, this is the spot for it.
It’s happened before with the Salesforce Tower! The planning commission has reservations about the idea of such a tall skyscraper, but the State Density Bonus program allows developers to apply for waivers for things like unit county and height limits, as long as the project includes a certain level of affordable housing.
The thing I’m most excited about tbh is a close-up rendering. Foster’s comments make me wonder if it’ll use mass timber. Now that’s entirely speculation at this point, but here’s gonna be some zany integration of nature into the facade, that’s for sure.
I hate to be the pessimist, but Salesforce was proposed as the icon of the Transbay Masterplan and even it took a 190’ height cut before all was said and done.
Fair. It’d be unfortunate if it happened with 50 Main. That said, even with a 190-foot reduction it’d be taller than the Transamerica Pyramid. And I think the redevelopment of such a high-profile block in the city, including the 1.25 acres of public space at the base, will make it a compelling proposal.
I used to intern at an art gallery with a view of 555 w 22nd. I didn’t know it was designed by Foster, though I did think that, for such an under-spoken building, it has a strikingly well-designed facade.
Sarah Klearman from SFBT asks the question I think we all are wondering right now. Speaking with Senior Managing Director for Hines, Paul Paradis:
“Back when we were working with the city on Salesforce Tower, there was a lot of thought put into sculpting of the skyline, and how the skyline would vary across the city." … “50 Main sits very well within that skyline sculpting project.”
Of course, it’s worth remembering that this is a question without an answer. Though not as satisfying, we won’t know for sure until the final approval.
Doesn’t California have new rules on this type of stuff? If it yields an objectively worse development, less housing, outdoor space, etc (as per whitty) for no other reason than it ruins their vision for a skyline, can’t the state override the city’s ruling?
