Renderings have been released for the proposed 50-story skyscraper at 2700 Sloat Boulevard in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset. The 589-foot structure will replace the Sloat Garden Center across from the San Francisco Zoo with 680 condominiums and new retail stores designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz. Raelynn Hickey from CH Planning is responsible for the application.
The original plans submitted to the city were rejected by the planning department, which wrote in its first plancheck letter that, among other objections, “the current proposal includes six buildings in the base density calculation, but the bonus density includes only one building with that requirement.” Recent documents at 2700 Sloat Boulevard include a new response from a CH Planning representative, a second plan-check letter from city officials released last Friday, and a detailed plan set containing project facts, renderings and design information.
2700 Sloat Boulevard, full view of Sloat Boulevard looking west, depicting Solomon Cordwell Buenz
2700 Sloat Boulevard updated mass development, illustration by Solomon Cordwell Buenz
Revised plans have now been submitted, including a response from representatives of CH Planning stating that the plans were submitted “under protest and with full reservation of writings” and further stating that “the applicant’s interpretation of the State Density Bonus Law disputed by the city”. ….” The revised plan now calls for a single building base zoning, creating a 12-story base project with 325,350 square feet of living space. The developer uses the State Density Bonus program to increase the living space by 48% to 484,930 square feet of living space. That calculation for the 50 percent density bonus is disputed by staff, who write that the proposal is 316 percent higher than base zoning, with a 372 percent increase in floor count and a 70 percent increase in housing.
In response, the San Francisco Planning Department’s second plan review letter states that the revised plan “also does not comply with the planning code.” Again, this is considered non-compliant and not subject to the Housing Accountability Act.” Without the Housing Accountability Act’s decision, the filing could not be streamlined for ministerial approval by Senate Bill 330. The Department further suggests “that if the applicant wishes to advance the new project as proposed, the applicant may request an amendment to the law.” Because the new project does not meet the requirements of the Planning Act, even allowing for possible bonuses under the State Density Bonus Act , repurposing would be the only option for the new project.”
2700 Sloat Boulevard, seen across Wawona Street, depiction by Solomon Cordwell Buenz
The city’s latest response concerns affordable housing. Applicant has sought to lower the income requirement from 80% AMI to 50% AMI to better align with the State Density Bonus Act’s description of very low-income housing. The applicant’s representative writes that he “saw no rationale for the city’s refusal to allow the applicant to further reduce AMIs for low-income earners.” In response, city officials stated that “units with a 50% AMI interest are not currently eligible under the city’s inclusion program,” adding that there is no administrative avenue for appeal.
Solomon Cordwell Buenz is the project architect. New renderings show the tower with glass railing balconies. The facade will consist of floor-to-ceiling windows and aluminum panels. Its triangular baseplate is softened by rounded edges, making the building appear at its narrowest when viewed from the west on Ocean Beach toward the 50-foot-wide nose. The floor slab transitions into a 78-foot-wide east facade. On the other hand, if you look at it from the north and south, you will see the 179-foot profile.
2700 Sloat Boulevard podium view, portrayed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz
Along the podium overlooking Sloat Boulevard, the terrace will feature large, double-height windows framed by silver and faded international orange metal supports that conform to the gradual slope of the property, with transparent glass serving the shops and gym come into play indoors. Along the third floor, the rectangular mass is punctuated by a continuous row of windows that provide a rigid reference point below the communal deck for residents. Along Wawona Street, a series of six retail spaces will be housed in two-story townhouse-style units with landscaped staircases.
Confluence is the landscape architect. Landscaping details are scarce at this preliminary stage. As for the streetscape, the project applicant writes that they expect to make “a number of public space improvements along all four fronts, including sidewalk widening, street tree installation and landscaping, lighting, and landscaping improvements.” The illustrations show lightbulb failures at every corner, an expanded plaza near the residential lobby, and widened sidewalks around retail.
Overview of the 2700 Sloat Boulevard air pedestal, depiction by Solomon Cordwell Buenz
2700 Floor Plans of Sloat Boulevard, illustration by Solomon Cordwell Buenz
2700 Sloat Boulevard Cross Sections, illustration by Solomon Cordwell Buenz
The revised plan calls for a 589-foot structure with an area of 669,010 square feet, of which 484,930 square feet will be residential, 43,730 square feet will be common areas, 15,300 square feet will be commercial, 31,070 square feet will be a commercial fitness center on the podium deck, etc. 94,090 square feet of parking space. Unit sizes vary: 328 studios, 176 one-bedroom apartments, 108 two-bedroom apartments, and 68 three-bedroom apartments. Of the 680 units, 110 are designated as affordable for households earning about 80% of the region’s median income.
The two-storey underground car park offers space for 212 cars as part of the city’s car-sharing program. The San Francisco planning department writes that the code program aims to “mitigate the negative impact of new developments by lowering the rate of individual car ownership per household, the average number of vehicle miles driven per household, and the total amount of vehicles produced by automobiles .” Pollution per household.”
2700 Sloat Boulevard, portrayed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz
The 0.87-acre lot is located between Sloat Boulevard and Wawona Street between 45th and 46th Avenues. The project is located in the Sunset Chinese Cultural District area, which was established in July 2021 and is the only cultural district in the west of the city. Residents will live opposite the recently opened Westerly Apartments, Java Beach at the Zoo and the United Irish Cultural Center. The San Francisco Zoo is directly across Sloat Boulevard. Ocean Beach is two blocks away, just across the Great Highway.
2700 Sloat Street, Image via Google Satellite, sketched by SFYIMBY
Thornton Tomasetti is the Civil Engineer, Langan is the Civil Engineer and Meyers+ advises MEP Engineering. Construction is expected to cost $210 million, just over a fifth of a billion dollars, and take about 20 months. City records show the property sold for $8.5 million in December 2020.
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2700 Sloat Boulevard CH Planning Confluence Feature Langan Engineering and Environmental Services Meyers+ Solomon Cordwell Buenz Thornton Tomasetti
