Frequently Asked Questions
- What are you proposing to build?
- How far along are you in the planning process?
- When will the new structure be open?
- Will you be meeting with members of the community regarding your plans?
- How many units will the building have and will they be 1BR, 2BR or studios? Will these units be available for rent or for sale? How much will the units cost?
- How many of the units will be Below Market Rate?
- How tall is this building going to be? Does that height exceed The City's established heights limits for that area?
- How will this project affect traffic along Geary and the surrounding streets?
- Who is the architect on the project?
- Who is the project sponsor?
- What kind of community benefits will be incorporated in the project?
- What kind of community space will be available for neighborhood residents?
1. What are you proposing to build?
The ADCO Group is proposing to build a 38 story, residential tower in San Francisco's Cathedral Hill Neighborhood. This proposed development - located at 1481 Post Street between Octavia and Gough Streets - consists of 36 floors of housing over a two-story, glass-clad, transparent base of retail, commercial, and community uses.
2. How far along are you in the planning process?
The project sponsors filed an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) application in June of 2006. We are hoping for a hearing before the Planning Commission sometime in late 2007. We will publicize the date as soon as it is conveyed to us.
Our initial study will be published within the next few months and we plan on hosting a number of community meetings in the next several months to present our preliminary plans.
3. When will the new structure be open?
Our team is eager to move forward with this project as it presents an exciting opportunity for the neighborhood. Once we complete the approvals process, which could take up to 12 months, we expect the construction period to last between 18-24 months. We hope to get our final permits sometime in 2008, so we expect that the project will be completed by 2010.
4. Will you be meeting with members of the community regarding your plans?
Absolutely, we understand that community input is an essential component of a successful planning process. In April, ADCO held a well attended community meeting at St. Mary's Cathedral and completed a presentation to the Cathedral Hill Neighbors Association. We continue to meet with the management of both The Carlisle (1450 Post Street) and The Sequoias (1400 Geary Boulevard) – our immediate neighbors to the north and the west. We are currently in the process of scheduling meetings with several other community organizations.
5. How many units will the building have and will they be 1BR, 2BR or studios? Will these units be available for rent or for sale? How much will the units cost?
The proposed development will include approximately 300 units and 50 percent of the units will be 2 bedrooms or larger. These units are for-sale condominiums that will be sold at market-rate prices in the future.
6. How many of the units will be Below Market Rate?
We are planning to build for-sale inclusionary units off site within the community. Thereby, 20 percent - or approximately 60 additional units - will be below market rate, in full compliance with the City requirement. Each of these units will be sold in accordance with all regulations set forth by the Mayor’s Office of Housing.
7. How tall is this building going to be? Does that height exceed The City's established heights limits for that area?
The building will be 38 stories tall – or 407.5 feet. Our goal is to establish this project as an iconic element within the San Francisco skyline. We will submit an application for a height map amendment as the zoning for the area allows for 240 feet. Compared to a shorter bulkier building, the slender elliptical shaped building will have a lesser impact with respect to views, shadows, and wind. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, the lead architect on the project, has been working with the Planning Department staff to ensure that this building is appropriately designed within the context of the neighborhood.
8. How will this project affect traffic along Geary and the surrounding streets?
Minimizing the project's impact on parking and traffic in the area is a chief concern for the team as we design this project, and City agencies as we proceed with the approval process. This issue in particular will be analyzed comprehensively within the city's Environmental Impact Report and we have retained traffic consultants to help determine the best ingress and egress points from the building. Additionally, we have made considerable efforts to include abundant off street parking accommodations within the project plans – all of which will be located exclusively underground.
9. Who is the architect on the project?
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) will take lead on the architectural design aspects of this project. SOM is an internationally renowned architecture and engineering firm with over 65 years of experience and a San Francisco track record that includes the St. Regis Hotel and Residences, United States Court of Appeals at Civic Center Plaza and San Francisco's International Airport.
10. Who is the project sponsor?
The ADCO Group, a premier real estate and financial services organization which been actively involved in San Francisco for over 40 years. Over the years, ADCO has had an extensive experience building housing in mixed-use neighborhoods in San Francisco – including Cathedral Hill Plaza (1333 Gough Street), Cathedral Hill Tower (1200 Gough Street), Museum Parc (300 Third Street), and Normandy Apartments (1155 Ellis Street), and understands the importance of respecting the past while building for the future.
11. What kind of community benefits will be incorporated in the project?
We are gathering input from neighbors at community meetings to ensure that our development provides benefits to the neighborhood. Among other things, our proposed development plans include a Community Education Center and neighborhood retail/commercial uses that are not currently available in the immediate area. Additionally, our development will include a landscaped plaza accessible from Post Street, which draws design influence from the surrounding neighborhood. These changes will bring needed improvements for pedestrians in the neighborhood and we will continue to work with the community in this regard.
12. What kind of community space will be available for neighborhood residents?
The development plans include roughly 5,000 square feet of community space located on the lower floor of the property at the corner of Geary Boulevard and Gough Street. The majority of the space is being considered for a Community Education Center which we hope will become a central meeting place and a hub of neighborhood activity. Details regarding staffing and programming will be determined at a later date.
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