Jury names favorite for Transbay terminal, tower
San Francisco Chronicle
There's now a front-runner in the race for the rights to build what could be the West Coast's tallest building: a proposal that includes an obelisk-like, 1,200 foot office tower next to a terminal topped by a park the length of five football fields.
That proposal - from Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects and the development firm Hines - is the favorite of a jury of development experts assembled by the Transbay Joint Powers Authority. The jury's recommendation was sent today to the Transbay authority's board of directors.
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My comment to SF Gate:
"My vote goes for SOM, but I would be happy with the Pelli proposal as well. I have a feeling it's not quite as boring in real life than it shows in the renderings, it has the possibility to be very monumental, beautiful, and crystal like. The park could be a cool idea, after all, they are building a huge roof top park in the new Cal Academy of Sciences in GG Park that nobody seems to be complaining about it 'never being used'. And SOM could still build their tower, perhaps a little shorter, in the proposed development sites surrounding the terminal where height limits are being raised. I just think GOD that Rogers design wasn't chosen, not so much for the tower, but because of his hideous transit station! I wish we could have all three towers going up at the same time!"
Yah, I would prefer SOM, but you know, tis proposal is pretty freaking amazing too, and I'd be happy as a school girl seeing this thing rise in the next few years. Can't wait !
OK, and then I got to thinking, and had an epiphany, so I sent them a second comment:
"I think we are all forgetting one thing that will dismiss Pelli's proposal from winning: it is 100% office!! If Chris Daly sits on the TJPA board, there is no way he is going to let this happen without making them throw in some affordable housing, which they probably won't be able to do to make it pencil out to match the cost of the project with the funds it will produce. Yah, that's why they proposed giving the city more money, because they would MAKE more money off of it with all office space (office space is worth more than residential space), versus the other towers which have affordable housing and residential in them. Also, it violates an SF proposition that doesn't allow more than a certain amount of office space to come into the SF market at once, so don't worry SOM lovers, Pelli won't win, not with the way they have it set up now."
I never thought I'd be saying this, but Chris Daly could actually
save the day!