Formal permits have been filed for the Safeway grocery store redevelopment at 850 La Playa Street in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond neighborhood. The latest application shows a slight increase in residential capacity and a significant increase in affordable housing. Align Real Estate is the project sponsor, working on behalf of the property owner, Albertsons Companies.
850 La Playa Street pedestrian view, rendering by Steinberg Hart
The roughly 85-foot-tall structure is now expected to yield around 820,000 square feet, including 520,600 square feet for housing, 79,750 square feet of retail, and 179,900 square feet for parking. The garage will include two podium floors and one basement level. Parking will be included for 441 cars and 266 bicycles. Customer parking will be centralized in the basement, accessible from La Playa Street. The residential garage will be accessible from La Playa and 48th Avenue.
Of the 562 units, 113 will be deed-restricted as affordable for households earning between 50% and 80% of the area’s median income. Unit sizes will vary with 124 studios, 188 one-bedrooms, 192 two-bedrooms, and 58 three-bedrooms. The application invokes Senate Bill 330 and the State Density Bonus Law to increase residential capacity and streamline the approval process.
850 La Playa Street facade elevation, illustration by Steinberg Hart
850 La Playa Street pedestrian view, rendering by Steinberg Hart
Steinberg Hart is responsible for the design. Renderings show that the overall design has not been significantly changed since the preliminary permits were filed last November. The exterior is expected to be clad in fiber-cement panels and brushed bronze-colored aluminum. Miller Company Landscape Architects is designing the sidewalk improvements and courtyards. The third-floor amenity deck will feature a playground, a fire pit, an outdoor dining area, and a zen garden.
Since November 2025, Align Real Estate and Albertsons Companies have unveiled six plans to redevelop grocery stores with over four thousand apartments across the Bay Area. Five Safeway locations are expected to be replaced with new grocery stores and housing. The sixth and most recent proposal is the only one that would not replace the existing grocery store. The plan would demolish the Rockridge Trader Joe’s store and build a senior housing tower.
850 La Playa Street, illustration by Miller Company
850 La Playa Street site outlined approximately by YIMBY, image via Google Satellite
The 3.3-acre property occupies a full block bound by 48th Avenue, Playa Street, Fulton Street, and Cabrillo Street. Demolition would be required for the existing store, which is the only full-service grocery store in the densely populated neighborhood.
The estimated cost and timeline for construction have not yet been shared.
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Safeway/Albertson’s is the new McDonalds…where the real estate holdings ended up being worth more than the business itself!
People will complain about the parking but I’m fine with it. This far out, you need a car and a spot. It’s just a bit of a waste, as self-driving car networks will change the need for parking significantly in about 10 years.
My biggest complaint is about the lack of family sized units. Only 10% of the units are three bedroom and zero are larger than that. This is one area I’d be fine with some regulation: something like 10% of units must be a 4 bedroom or larger.
Tonight, I’ll be dreaming of the renderings for the Safeway on Market St supercomplex to be revealed!
Don’t sleep on the fact that these types of buildings, with vast numbers of studios and one bedrooms, may be contributing to society’s downward trend when it comes to co-habitation, having children, or the loneliness epidemic. Requiring more 3-5 bedroom units is perhaps one of the simplest ways for government to help these issues.