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The proposed 300,000-square-foot office building to rise at 510 Townsend Street, with open floor plans and a private “eatery” on the top floor, has been approved by San Francisco’s Planning Department.

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rendering by steelblue

Having been entirely pre-leased to payments company Stripe, and with the paperwork for the necessary demolition and building permits having already been filed, expect Alexandria Real Estate to quickly move forward with the SoMa development which will rise up to 85-feet in height and abut the Sixth Street ramps for Interstate 280, ramps which could eventually be razed and the land beneath redeveloped.

Stripe is aiming to move into the new building by the end of 2017.

12 thoughts on “Future SoMa Tech HQ Approved To Rise”
  1. The “eatery” will have a great view of the “gridlocky” on the off-ramp, as well as enjoy the constant thrum of the Caltrain engines (at least, for the next several years until electrification).

  2. The City keeps discussing demolishing I-280. The Mayor always talks it up and they have spent a fair amount of money doing studies for taking it down. Yet taking it down never appears in the Mission Rock, Warriors Stadium or Pier 70 traffic studies. never.

    Makes you wonder if the left hand of the planning department knows or cares what the right hand of the planning department is doing.

    1. Probably because the teardown is 10 year + project. Mission Rock, Warriors Stadium, and Pier 70 are trying to be up and running within the decade

  3. This is a nice building. Low rise offices – if I had my druthers SF would never had gone hi-rise but that ship has sailed.

    The brick gives it an “earthy”, relatable feeling. There is a magic about brick.

    The roofline, while flat, is varied and has context – one’s eyes are drawn to the roof and that is the power of a roof that is not just a flat crown to the building under it.

    Only quibble are the palm tress. I recall one planning commission hearing from years ago where one of the members complained about all the palm trees. Like this is not Hawaii or Fiji.

    Still an intimate feel to the building which will draw attention from even someone passing by casually.

    Hope they include brick planters – plant then with box hedges or a sterling silver type plant that is hearty and grows without much care. It will go a ways in making up for the lack of a plaza.

    1. And if the Ohlone had had their druthers SF would never had gone low-rise. But it did, and you benefited, so who are you to tell others what they can or cannot do with their land?

    2. I agree. And while it’s definitely not real brick but a facade, it harkens to the brick buildings of the neighborhood. I’m quite fond of this building.

      1. Yes. If one has lived here awhile and knows the planning code they realize its not real brick. Sort of a given.

        But walking past the building I think most folks first reaction is not – gee, that is a faux brick over stucco. No, its the earthy feeling brick engenders. Memories of the family hearth, special occasions celebrated around it and so on.

        Whether it is earth tone facades or “fake” brick, these types of building are warm and draw us in. Most of us anyway, can’t speak for everyone.

        And don’t you think the building is helped by not having a single flat roofline?

        There are staggered flat roofline and the overhang is spot on.

        Little details yes and they don’t cost that much more to do, but they can make a world of difference.

    3. so you prefered an SF with <400K population and more like santa barbara? you must be 130 yrs old if you can remember that?

  4. I like everything about this except the faux brick. Terra cotta brick creates a cognitive dissonance in earthquake land. Use some other finish that provides the same color and similar texture.

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