The San Francisco Planning Department has published a notice of conditional Project Eligibility for Assembly Bill 2011 Approval of the proposed 25-story mixed-use tower at 11-15 Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. The state law now mandates a final decision by August for the nearly 800-unit development and Safeway replacement along the city’s affluent northern waterfront. Align Real Estate, a prominent local developer, is the project sponsor.
15 Marina Boulevard sidewalk view, rendering by Arquitectonica
The applicant is streamlining the approval process through Senate Bill 330 and Assembly Bill 2011, also known as the Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022. According to the notice, now that AB 2011 approval eligibility has been determined, the “Planning Department must complete any necessary design review within 180 days of application submittal,” i.e., early February this year. The city now has until the first of August to complete the design review and publish the Notice of Final AB 2011 Approval.
Details of the project have changed in several notable ways, including reduced parking capacity and changes to unit sizes. The 297-foot-tall structure is expected to yield just under a million square feet, including 721,120 square feet of housing, 63,220 square feet for the replacement grocery store, and 161,020 square feet for the subterranean garage.
15 Marina Boulevard showcasing the new grocery store entrance, rendering by Arquitectonica
The tower will include 790 rental apartments, of which 86 will be deed-restricted as affordable to very low-income households. Apartment sizes will vary, with 255 studios, 333 one-bedrooms, 119 two-bedrooms, and 83 three-bedrooms. The car garage will provide 164 retail parking spaces and 197 residential parking spaces. Additional storage will be provided for 362 bicycles.
Starting last year, Align Real Estate has collaborated with Safeway on several mixed-use redevelopment projects across San Francisco and one in San Mateo. Beyond their grocery projects, the firm is pursuing high-density and mid-density projects in the Mission District, SoMa, Livermore, and Walnut Creek.
Since we’ve started coverage in San Francisco, Align has completed several projects, including the Fitzgerald, the 26-story Otis, and 1028 Market Street in San Francisco, the two-towered MIRO in San Jose, and a collaboration on Santa Clara Agrihood. Align’s biggest proposal, a Cube-capped 62-story tower at 620 Folsom Street, designed by Arquitectonica, was put on hold in 2023.
15 Marina Boulevard landscaping plan, illustration by Arquitectonica
15 Marina Boulevard vertical elevation, illustration by Arquitectonica
Arquitectonica is also responsible for the design of the Marina Boulevard tower. Renderings by the Florida-based firm show a swooping tower with floorplates arched around the podium-top courtyard facing towards the bay. The massing distinguishes two towers rising from the shared podium. The western tower will reach 20 floors high and 242 feet tall, with the eastern tower rising up 25 floors to a 297-foot pinnacle. The podium-top courtyard includes a lap pool deck, pavilion areas, a yoga space, fire pits, and a multipurpose lawn.
Demolition will be required for the existing 1959-built structure, a modernist facility designed by Wurster, Bernardi & Emmons, featuring a mosaic art piece on the eastern exterior. The roughly 2.6-acre property is located along Marina Boulevard between Buchanan Street and Laguna Street. Future residents would overlook Fort Mason and Gashouse Cove and get direct views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
15 Marina Boulevard, image via Google Satellite
Construction is estimated to cost around half a billion dollars, with an unknown anticipated start date.
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Love to see it.
The NIMBY posters I saw posted about on poles was too funny. And after seeing the one poll of majority Marina residents IN FAVOR of the project, this just needs to happen.