Formal permits have been filed for a 17-story high-density infill project at 550 O’Farrell Street in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. The application could bring 140 apartments, including 16 units of affordable housing, a block and a half from the tallest hotel in the city. HGA is responsible for the application and design.
The new plans call for a 170-foot tall structure with 140,040 square feet, including 99,190 square feet for housing and parking for 128 bicycles. The development will include 140 rental residences, including 16 units of affordable housing. Unit types will vary, with 77 one-bedrooms, 31 two-bedrooms, and 32 three-bedrooms.
550 O’Farrell Street ground-level floor plan, illustration by HGA
550 O’Farrell Street rear elevation, illustration by HGA
Elevations show a tile-clad structure, with a faux-historic three-story red brick foundation and grey pre-cast concrete lining the upper floors. The ground level will include a residential lobby, lounge, amenity center, fitness center, and rear yard lounge.
Plans for 550 O’Farrell Street first surfaced in 2017, and plans for a 13-story apartment complex with 114 units were drafted by the Oakland-based architecture firm brick. The firm was acquired by HGA in 2023, and the parent firm submitted plans for a 17-story complex at the Tenderloin location last May. The new plans utilize increases to the State Density Bonus law to achieve the higher density.
Palo Alto-based Sandhill O’Farrell LLC has remained the project sponsor throughout the entitlement process, and Presidio Bay Ventures left the project after securing entitlement for the initial iteration.
550 O’Farrell Street garage existing condition, image via Google Street View
The 0.27-acre property is a block and a half from the Hilton at 333 O’Farrell Street. The 46-story hotel is the tallest hotel structure in the city and is also currently under the receivership of Hotel Asset Value Enhancement. Without a buyer, the property could be foreclosed by JPMorgan Chase this summer. According to speculation from last November, the hotels could potentially be converted into housing by a future property owner.
Construction is expected to cost around $35 million, though a timeline has yet to be shared.
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Just build it, please…
The first article for the site was in September 2020. It is now 4+ years, and the groundwork hasn’t even started to flicker. Other countries have built entire metro systems in that time. Ughhhh
“Plans for 550 O’Farrell Street first surfaced in 2017”,
these projects should not be taking this long.
Tons of projects have been entitled but they’re not being built because they don’t pencil. Blame our profit-driven housing market.
How about deleting the affordable housing requirements which make projects not pencil? Why should a coffee shop be forced to sell 10% of their lattes for $1?
A city that caters only to the rich is not a healthy society. That is part of the reason San Francisco is such a mess. Neoliberalism never helped anyone who isn’t already wealthy.
Ugh. Such a depressing, mediocre design. Why not hire a decent architect. Also, why not do a preservation lick n’ stick and keep the facade of this wonderful Gothic garage?
The market conditions are abysmal there that even Hilton is going into foreclosure.
Are so abysmal
Step 1: keep building more of these.
Step 2: build new affordable housing that’s NOT in downtown ( how about candlestick park?) and convert the SROs to normal housing. The SROs being in the middle of downtown is a problem.
Ahhh yes, the classic historic parking garage complaint. Let’s propose that they save the facade and spend even more money! That’ll get it built faster. Right?
Some things maybe don’t need preserving