The affordable housing complex is now open at 730 Stanyan Street in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. Recently, YIMBY toured the building with project team leaders from OMA, Y.A. Studio, and the Chinatown Community Development Center. Even before opening, all 160 units have been fully leased, and the ground-floor early childcare center is near completion.
OMA led the project architecture, working alongside executive architect Y.A. Studio and GLS on landscape architecture. The exterior is clad with a system of modular glass fiber-reinforced concrete panels, designed with a playful wavy plasticity. OMA elaborates that “each panel includes integrated windows and ventilation louvers, a system that made the façade cost-effective, durable, and quick to install on site.”
730 Stanyan model under discussion by architect Jason Long, image by author
730 Stanyan Street aerial overview, image by Jason O’Rear
730 Stanyan Street seen from Haight Street, image by Jason O’Rear
The overall massing and color palette each take inspiration from neighboring buildings, with four-story volumes overlooking Haight Street and Waller Street. Among the small details of 730 Stanyan Street that OMA partner Jason Long highlighted was a scalloped bay at the building’s southeast corner along Waller Street. The corner of the building is carved out from the lot line to meet a neighboring Victorian house, 1760-1762 Waller Street.
Jason Long, Partner at OMA, said of the building, “by carving 730 Stanyan to maximize light, views, and shared outdoor spaces, we sought to create homes that are generous and deeply connected to the surrounding community and Golden Gate Park.” Three primary carve-outs from the structure have produced three ground-level open spaces, including a childcare play area, residential gathering area, and the street-facing public courtyard outside the main lobby.
730 Stanyan Street corner carve-out for neighbors at 762 Waller Street, image by Jason O’Rear
730 Stanyan Street public plaza and entrance carved into the site, image by Jason O’Rear
730 Stanyan Street terrace aerial view, image by Jason O’Rear
730 Stanyan fifth-floor landscaped garden, image by author
The fifth-floor setbacks are each improved with landscaping. The Haight Street-facing terrace is positioned outside the shared laundry room, providing a convenient waiting space for residents. The Waller Street terrace features outdoor seating and a stepping-stone path through an expansive planter.
Yakuh Askew, principal at Y.A. Studio, said of their involvement, “partnering with OMA, TNDC, and CCDC on 730 Stanyan meant bringing real technical rigor to the project vision: durable materials, courtyards that actually get used, homes built for the long term. But none of that matters if we lose sight of who they’re for — families staying together, young people starting out on their own, neighbors rebuilding their lives at the edge of Golden Gate Park. That’s the work we’re proud of.”
730 Stanyan Street, image by author
730 Stanyan Street lobby hallway, image by Jason O’Rear
The 83-foot-tall structure spans roughly 194,000 square feet, including 119,000 square feet of housing, 11,100 square feet of commercial space, 13,300 square feet of amenities, and 16,000 square feet of open space. Unit sizes vary with 35 studios, 43 one-bedrooms, 42 two-bedrooms, and 40 three-bedrooms. Parking will be included for 160 bicycles and no cars. Among the project’s goals was to provide housing for families by ensuring around half of the residential program is two-bedroom or three-bedroom units.
The project benefited from the State Density Bonus law and Senate Bill 35 to achieve the high residential capacity and streamline the approval process. The affordability ranges for households earning between 25% and 80% of the area’s median income. This includes 20 units designated for transitional-aged youth, 12 units for families exiting homelessness, and 32 units for project-based vouchers administered by the San Francisco Housing Authority.
730 Stanyan Street fifth-floor elevator lobby view, image by Jason O’Rear
730 Stanyan Street corner-apartment interior, image by Jason O’Rear
The 0.87-acre property spans a full block of Stanyan Street from Haight Street to Waller Street. The site was formerly occupied by a McDonald’s fast food restaurant with associated surface parking. Residents overlook the eastern edge of Golden Gate Park, an adjacent Whole Foods grocery store, and the Amoeba Music record store.
CCDC partnered with Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC) for the project. Bo Han, Associate Director of CCDC, said for the opening, “730 Stanyan is a truly collaborative project on all levels, with partnerships between nonprofit developers, architects, contractors, funders, and neighborhood groups.”
Jennifer Dolin, CEO of TNDC, added that “730 Stanyan reflects the kind of city we all want to live in—one where families can put down roots, young people can begin adulthood with stability, and people who have experienced homelessness have the opportunity to rebuild their lives.”
730 Stanyan Street aerial view, image by Jason O’Rear
The project started with conceptual design in mid-2020 and was approved in 2022. Groundbreaking occurred in July 2023, construction finished last September, and the official opening ceremony was held late last month. The $153 million project was built by a joint venture between Cahill Contractors and Hercules Builders.
Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail
Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates
Like YIMBY on Facebook
Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews
Be the first to comment on "YIMBY Tours 730 Stanyan Street in Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco"