SAN FRANCISCO | The Avery (400 Folsom) | 618 FT / 188 M | 56 Floors

[timbad]

Originally Posted by simms3_redux

I should post that they have removed the Folsom ramp and have been moving dirt...

San Francisco Early October 2014 022 by simms3sf, on Flickr

as this starts to become something more like a neighborhood, might be nice if the concrete fortress of doom got a cool mural or something. maybe they could let Mona Caron loose on it

[peanut gallery]

^Yes, or at least a good power-wash or paint job.

Woo hoo on the ramp! This tower should be stunning.

[SFView]

This is now at or near the top of my list of my new favorite design concepts of all new projects San Francisco. I can't wait for this one to be completed. I would like to see more of this level of design quality, especially in even taller buildings in San Francisco in the near future. This tower by Rem Koolhaas, and other proposals by architects such as Norman Foster and Jeanne Gang, are bringing a new sense of high architectural design to a city it so very much deserves. I hope this trend continues.

[Urbanity fan]

Passed by site on the way to World Series. At least 3 tractors on the site and a lot of work being done. Hard to believe construction is not slated to start until spring of 2016 according to socket site:

http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2...ict-tower.html

Transbay area and surrounding area looks like a new city is going up. Very exciting. Will take pics on next trip.

[david_h]

View of the lot. They're still working on rebuilding the rightmost edge of the freeway off-ramp.

Untitled by sfbldg, on Flickr

[AndrewK]

Read recently that the clearing of the site is being delayed due to contaminants found in the soil (what is under those black tarps). Hopefully it doesnt set things back too far.

[AndrewK]

Drove by yesterday and they are finally clearing the dirt.

[tall/awkward]

I hadn't seen this rendering before:

http://www.modernluxury.com/sites/de...bay_block8.jpg

[minesweeper]

Developer Cuts 99 Units From Transbay Tower Citing Market Demand

“As the building design progressed the Development Team enlarged the tower building core for the adequate number of elevators and increased the size of the core walls due to load requirements. The Development Team also studied the market and learned that the market demand is for unit sizes larger than originally proposed. As a result, the total number of units has declined from 653 to 554.”

Whole Foods Dropped From Transbay Development Plans

In addition to cutting 99 residential units from their development plans for Transbay Block 8, Related California has reduced the project’s proposed grocery store space from 22,000 to 12,500 square feet, which means that Whole Foods is out and the developer is now seeking a “comparable” type of grocery to fill the future space at the corner of Folsom and Fremont.

[fflint]

Let the value engineering, downsizing and backtracking on amenities begin...

[fimiak]

I think they are being very shrewd. By taking out 10k sq ft of grocery, they can add in 15 low-income units in the same space. By reducing the total units by 99 and affordable by 27, they get much larger apartments at luxury prices. This way they can attract the higher end, and have to deal with selling 99 fewer units, which they think is going to be difficult to grab with all of the other projects opening nearby, especially since this is now a late-comer.

[mt_climber13]

^Exactly. The new u its will sell for much higher psf. And since they are targeting the wealthy, I don't think we need to worry about skimping on quality here. The wealthy won't live in a value engineered box. Remember, all the low income units will be in the separate low rise structure (which is very beautiful itself IMO)

[simms3_redux]

Ehhhh, this tower has 3 components:

BMR
Market apts
Market condos

PSF rents are always higher with smaller units (look at NEMA - ~$5.60psf overall, much higher for studios and I'm sure there are 2 BRs in the $4s, with a max of 2 bedrooms I believe...probably top 5 most expensive apt building in city and the largest).

Either they are starting to VE this building and retrading, or they are trying to not ruin the value they get from their condo component by having a bunch of studios and 1 BRs (condos + rentals requires delicate mix to get the appropriate buyers into the condos).

We'll wait and see but I'm hoping the design stays the same. I love it. And I love the height.

[1977]

Bisnow posted a new aerial rendering and blurb on the project. Gives us a good idea of how it'll sit within the existing skyline.

Related just got the key approvals to move ahead with Transbay Block 8, a 554-unit residential tower, and the last parcel on Folsom Street. The Commission on Community Investment and Infrastructure just signed off on the project, which is being developed with Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corp. Here's an exclusive rendering showing off where it'll sit. Expect 124 market rate condos, 280 market rate rentals and 150 below market rate rentals as well as 18k SF of retail. Approval of the schematic design and the Disposition & Development Agreement allows Related and TNDC to move ahead with purchasing the property and finishing the design. Construction should start in 2016.

Source

[viewguysf]

Originally Posted by fimiak

I think they are being very shrewd. By taking out 10k sq ft of grocery, they can add in 15 low-income units in the same space. By reducing the total units by 99 and affordable by 27, they get much larger apartments at luxury prices. This way they can attract the higher end, and have to deal with selling 99 fewer units, which they think is going to be difficult to grab with all of the other projects opening nearby, especially since this is now a late-comer.

The area really needs a full service grocery store though, so from that aspect, it's disappointing.

[viewguysf]

Originally Posted by 1977

Bisnow posted a new aerial rendering and blurb on the project. Gives us a good idea of how it'll sit within the existing skyline.

How convenient that once again, none of the buildings that will be or already are around the site are shown, with the exception of one Infinity tower. It shows us nothing in context.

[shakman]

Originally Posted by viewguysf

How convenient that once again, none of the buildings that will be or already are around the site are shown, with the exception of one Infinity tower. It shows us nothing in context.

If those towers were shown, then 400 Folsom may not be fully visible from that angle.

[tall/awkward]

Is it me, or did they really tweak the design? Seems like the really serrated edge was on the other side of the building originally, unless both sides have it now...?

[SFView]

^^^ It seems to match this drawing.

Source of diagram and related Socketsite article: http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2...et-demand.html

[viewguysf]

Originally Posted by shakman

If those towers were shown, then 400 Folsom may not be fully visible from that angle.

Exactly!