Formal permits have been filed for the Seawall Lot 330 redevelopment along San Francisco’s Embarcadero. The proposal now seeks to construct a single full-block structure at 555 Beale Street. with reduced residential capacity, ground-floor retail, and parking. Strada Investment Group is responsible for the application.
555 Beale Street establishing view from across Bryant Street, rendering by Grimshaw & Perry Architects
The 263-foot-tall structure is expected to yield over 700,000 square feet, including 592,880 square feet of housing, 4,700 square feet of retail, and 108,600 square feet for the podium garage. Unit sizes will vary with 160 studios, 324 one-bedrooms, and 84 two-bedrooms. Parking will be included for 236 cars and 249 bicycles. The application is streamlined by Senate Bills 330 and 423. Of the 568 units, 86 will be deed-restricted as affordable.
Grimshaw Architects will oversee design, with Perry Architects serving as the executive architect. Illustrations show the design scheme has not significantly changed, even with the merger of the 23-story tower and ten-story mid-rise podium. The application still states that an additional parcel is being set aside for an affordable housing complex, to be filed in a separate application.
555 Beale Street, illustration by Grimshaw & Perry Architects
Previously, Strada Investment Group was pursuing a mixed-use master plan that included housing at Seawall Lot 330 and offices at Piers 30-32. The city currently owns both properties, and the development agreement between the two parties required that Strada commit to building both components for approval.
The Executive Director of the Port of San Francisco, Elaine Forbes, said that the developer has determined that, based on, “based on a $125 million infrastructure funding gap, the complex timing of the U.S. Army Corps-led seawall project, prolonged weakness in the office market, and uncertainty in federal infrastructure funding,” the office component for Piers 30 and 32 is too speculative to proceed.
555 Beale Street site plan, illustration by Grimshaw & Perry Architects
Seawall Lot 330, image via Google Satellite outlined approximately by YIMBY
The roughly two-acre property is located along the Embarcadero, bound by Beale Street and Bryant Street. According to the application, construction is estimated to cost around $200 million, a figure that does not include all development costs. According to the application, work could start as early as January 2028.
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The folks who put up a big fight about the homeless navigation center coming next door are going to wish it stayed, once this project gets underway and their views disappear.
570 units and none of them are a three bedroom or larger. Sad!
When it comes to these vast piers like 30/32, can we find a way to turn them into recreation? NYC nailed the conversion of many of them into youth sports, basketball, etc. SF needs that recreation space less than NYC does, but still, we’d take it. Anything but a giant unused parking lot…
We live by the parcel. You are wrong, we want the new building instead of the Homeless Center.
I live nearby and can assure that most peoples’ views will not be affected and everyone in this neighborhood will benefit by having the Navigation Center gone.
I imagine those living “nearby” want the new building. My point is about those losing their view.
Again, we live nearby. We don’t mind losing the view.
Most will benefit. Except the homeless
That is hands down one of the best development sites in the City. A huge opportunity for great architecture.
Agreed. It’s literally a gateway to the city from the Bay Bridge approach. I’m not sure if there are height limits here or what but we should be more ambitious, as well as enact better design standards.
I’d still like to see this built but oof has this gotten worse with every iteration.
I live nearby and am also glad to see this lifeless asphalt field get filled with life and actitvity. But I agree with you, I think the original proposal was two tall towers, one at each end, and the podium structure in between. And many more housing units. While I think this design is aesthetically better in a ‘blend in’ way, I’m sorry to see the potential number of units go down.
Re the immediate neighbors, it seems to me they’ve designed this to be as accommodating as possible for the condo tower at Bryant and Beale – the podium section won’t block anyone’s views (I think?) and the tower is far enough away that even those with dead-on Bay Bridge views will still have a really good view. And the activity and the retail that this will bring will certainly bring up the entire surrounding area. Build it!!
1000%.
A lot of proposals with potential that turn into meh plans nowadays. Not uncommon in this sort of market (and city), but always reminded by the face when exciting and impressively rendered designs are shared with the public. Thinking about projects like the Safeway at 15 Marina Blvd, which will undoubtedly get blanded and further piss people off.
Where is the nearest Safeway, Walgreens, UPS Store, Post Office, fast food place, library? This looks like nowhere to me unless you have a car and you drive everywhere. Unhappy place.
If only there were a transit line that connected you to the rest of the city at this parcel’s front door…
Someone should get started on that. Flattest part of the city, so bikeable and walkable. Unobstructed views of the waterfront. Gosh, what a horrible place to call home.
Ivan might be onto something with this misery.
🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
The location is between Muni N stops, Brannan and Folsom. The location is literally half a block away from Brannan.
🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
Woodlands Grocery is 4 or 5 blocks north and Safeway is maybe 10 blocks west. There are plenty of UPS stores, and restaurants, gyms, bars, etc in the area… not to mention, erm… being across the street from the San Francisco Bay.
Most young adults do not require being located near treasured essentials such as a UPS store or USPS, let alone need a public library at their doorstep.
Ivan be your typical troll. Almost forgot the name for a sec. Definitely not a serious poster.
Actually, Woodland is two blocks away, the back of this lot is Bryant and Woodland is on Folsom. You go down Main and it is right there at the corner of Folsom and Main. Safeway is four blocks away. From the corner at Beale and Brannan you just go along the Embarcadero to Townsend that is where the Embarcadero turns into King and on King you just go to 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Its totally walkable. There is a Walgreens at 4th and Townsend and a UPS half a block from there. As for public transportation there is a N line stop right at Brannan. The location of this project is really perfect.
The location is between Muni N stops, Brannan and Folsom. The location is literally half a block away from Brannan.
lol. All of these things are within a ten minute walk.
And Whole Foods and Trader Joes.
Living on a major highway. What fun.
A bit short but well needed. On the perfect transit corridor.
Height for height’s sake seems a little, ahem, insecure.
This is tall enough. It’s a nice design. Build it!!!!