SAN FRANCISCO | Potrero Power Station Development

[38 Geary]

The specs for 1212 Maryland (Sophie Maxwell Building, Block 7B):
- 8 floors, 84 ft
- 105 units (25 studios, 20 1BR, 20 2BR)
- All of the units will be affordable
- Retail
- Bicycle parking

Topping Out For Affordable Housing in Potrero Power Station, San Francisco



By: Andrew Nelson 5:30 am on December 10, 2024

Construction has topped out for Potrero Power Block 7B, an affordable housing complex within the larger waterfront masterplan in San Francisco. The milestone comes a month ahead of schedule and just over a year after work started for the eight-story Sophie Maxwell Building, with completion expected next year. Associate Capital is the project developer.

...

The 21-acre Potrero Power Station master plan features up to 2,600 residential units, 1.6 million square feet of commercial space, around 100,000 square feet for retail, a 250-key hotel, and seven acres of public open space. Phase One will feature the Maxwell Building alongside Blocks 7A, 8,11, 12, and Station A. The latter project is the exciting potential adaptive reuse of the 1899-built PG&E Turbine Hall by Herzog & de Meuron. Foster + Partners has been tapped to design Block 7A and Block 8, which includes a 240-foot apartment tower with 277 units. The project will be anchored by the preservation of the old PG&E Smoke stack in the heart of a waterfront park.

...

In March of this year, UCSF announced interest in establishing a clinic, precision cancer center, and health tech incubator within Block 2. During May, renderings were shared for the seven-story structure designed by Herzog & de Meuron. The 130-foot tall project will yield around 285,500 square feet alongside a 700-square-foot corner retail spot.

https://sfyimby.com/2024/12/topping-out-...potrero-power-station-san-francisco.html

[38 Geary]

And the photo:



https://sfyimby.com/2024/12/topping-out-...potrero-power-station-san-francisco.html

[obemearg]

Some pics of the affordable housing building that topped out last year. The industrial look blends in nicely! Hopefully the other projects break ground soon, it's pretty lonely at the moment.





View from the Pier70 development:

[38 Geary]

Thanks for the update! I agree it turned out nicely. Hopefully the other ones in the area get going soon as well.

[Afsnyder]

Block 2 is breaking ground, right across the street from the Sophie Maxwell Building, on Aug 26th according to the S.F. Business Times. It’ll be a long 3 years of construction if nothing else breaks ground, but hopefully some of the other residential buildings break ground soon.

https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2025/08/20/ucsf-dogpatch-power-station.html

[38 Geary]

The specs for Block 2:
- 8 floors, 130 ft tall
- 188,550 sq ft of institutional healthcare space
- 89,680 sq ft of laboratory space
- 685 sq ft of ground floor retail space
- Parking onsite for 0 cars and 55 bicycles, parking off site for 190 cars in a district parking garage

The site:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/nNTHroD7W61H6mSU7

Construction Starts for UCSF Life Sciences Building at Power Station, San Francisco



By: Andrew Nelson 5:30 am on August 27, 2025

Construction has officially started on the new cancer research center within the Potrero Power Station redevelopment in San Francisco. Crews are now working on the seven-story life sciences space, which will include laboratory space and healthcare facilities, designed by world-renowned Herzog & de Meuron. Associate Capital is the project developer.

...

The project architect is Herzog & de Meuron, working in collaboration with executive architect Stantec. While the overall scheme has altered slightly since mid-2024, illustrations show a very similar design. The exterior will feature a gridded steel facade with floor-to-ceiling windows. Elsewhere within the Potrero Power Station masterplan, Herzog & de Meuron is responsible for helping draft plans with Adamson Associates for the adaptive reuse of Station A. While construction has not started, Station A is expected to become the narrative heart of the redevelopment. The preserved brick edifice will preserve the bare concrete turbine within a monumental lobby, capped by eight office floors with copper-toned metal sunshades.

...

Construction will span 1.15 acres, located across from the recently completed affordable housing project, known as the Sophie Maxwell Building. The project, within a more ambitious masterplan by Associate Capital, aims to transform the former energy plant into a dense mixed-use neighborhood with 2,600 units of housing, 1.6 million square feet of office and lab space, retail, central public open space, and a 250-key hotel in the Unit 3 Power Block, connected by the 300-foot brick smokestack.

https://sfyimby.com/2025/08/construction...ding-at-power-station-san-francisco.html

[38 Geary]

And the renderings:









https://sfyimby.com/2025/08/construction...ding-at-power-station-san-francisco.html

[38 Geary]

Sophie Maxwell Affordable Housing Opens in Potrero Power Station, San Francisco



By: Andrew Nelson 5:30 am on October 24, 2025

The grand opening ceremony has been held for Sophie Maxwell Building, a corten steel-clad eight-story affordable housing complex at 1212 Maryland Street in Potrero Power Station, San Francisco. Fifth Space, formerly Associate Capital, is responsible for the Potrero Power Station redevelopment. The first residents are expected to move in at the start of November.

...

Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects is responsible for the design. The eight-story building includes 105 units of permanently affordable housing, deed-restricted for households earning between 50-110% of the area’s median income. The firm writes that the building takes inspiration from the industrial context, and worked closely with Foster + Partners on a plan that would complement the wildly famous architecture firm’s residential tower expected for Block 7A. The building features bold vertical corten-steel panels rising up from the exposed concrete podium.

The 21-acre Potrero Power Station master plan is expected to result in up to 2,600 residential units, 1.6 million square feet of commercial space, around 100,000 square feet for retail, a 250-key hotel, and seven acres of public open space. Phase One will feature the Maxwell Building alongside Blocks 7A, 8,11, 12, and Station A. Earlier this year, crews started construction on Potrero Power Station Block 2, an eight-story cancer research center for UCSF. Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the research center is expected to open in 2029. In May, the developer submitted plans for a waterfront interim park, dubbed Prequel Park, next to the retired 1962-built power plant and the site’s iconic 300-foot Stack.

https://sfyimby.com/2025/10/sophie-maxwe...potrero-power-station-san-francisco.html

[38 Geary]

And the images:





https://sfyimby.com/2025/10/sophie-maxwe...potrero-power-station-san-francisco.html

[obemearg]

This would be pretty out of place and considered an eyesore in most other parts of the city, but I actually think it's perfect for this site. Blends in nicely with the industrial surroundings

[BobbyMucho]

Originally Posted by obemearg

Hopefully the other projects break ground soon, it's pretty lonely at the moment.

The UCSF project is already underway (at least site prep and shoring). It'll be a few years before anything else opens, but Power Plant is moving much faster and will fill in sooner than Pier 70 for sure.

[38 Geary]

^On that note:

The specs for Block 2:
- 8 floors, 130 ft tall
- 182,650 sq ft of institutional healthcare space
- 102,200 sq ft of laboratory space
- 700 sq ft of ground floor retail space
- Parking onsite for 0 cars and 55 bicycles, parking off site for 190 cars in a district parking garage

The site:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/nNTHroD7W61H6mSU7

Excavation Work Underway for Potrero Power Station Block 2, San Francisco



By: Andrew Nelson 5:30 am on February 9, 2026

Significant construction progress has been shared for the future UCSF Life Sciences building in San Francisco’s waterfront Potrero Power Station redevelopment. Crews are currently working on the foundation for Block 2, a Herzog & de Meuron-designed seven-story complex that will become a cancer research center. Fifth Space, formerly known as Associate Capital, is the project developer.

...

Subterranean work is expected to continue through 2027 due to the complex infrastructure required for a life sciences building. Vertical work will follow, with overall completion expected by 2030, according to the project team.

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The project architect is Herzog & de Meuron, collaborating with executive architect Stantec. Illustrations show a bold steel grid wrapped around the curtain-wall skin. The structure’s base will be accented with a few bold exposed concrete walls as an homage to the power station’s industrial legacy, and improve the pedestrian experience.

https://sfyimby.com/2026/02/excavation-w...power-station-block-2-san-francisco.html

[38 Geary]

And the photo:



https://sfyimby.com/2026/02/excavation-w...power-station-block-2-san-francisco.html

[38 Geary]

It's been a minute since there's been a Potrero Power Station update so here are some photos for an update of the situation on the ground. Construction for Block 2 (UCSF Life Sciences building) seems to be humming along. I saw a mock up being set up for the exterior, showing a steel grid wrapped around the curtain-wall skin, accented with exposed concrete walls as an homage to the power station’s industrial legacy.

[Busy Bee]

Slick mockup

[whitty]

Great pictures. I drove back there a few weeks ago and was wondering what the small structure going up was, looks like it’s a test structure for the facade of that building.

I also drove back to the affordable housing building that’s been finished and, yeesh, you really feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere right now. I really hope this project picks up steady momentum and keeps the build out moving at a solid clip.