In the works since 2014, as we first reported at the time, plans to raze the 30-year-old Moshi Moshi Cocktail and Sushi bar on the northwest corner of Third and 18th Streets and develop a six-story building upon the restaurant’s 2092 Third Street parcel have since been approved and newly rendered by Min | Day.
As designed, the approved development includes 19 residential units over 3,000 square feet of new ground floor restaurant/retail space and a basement garage for 10 cars with its entrance on 18th Street.
And while the stated intention of the restaurant and building’s owner has been to re-open Moshi Moshi in the new restaurant space after it’s built, the 2092 Third Street parcel and approved plans are now making the rounds as a fully-entitled development site and opportunity to purchase with a “month-to-month” lease for Moshi Moshi and the paperwork for the demolition and building permits having been filed but currently on hold.
I respect renderings that show the real world – power lines, phone lines, MUNI train and trolley bus wires.
They help distract from the five different grey colored panel sections on the building’s 2-5th floors.
The “fully entitled” sales keep on and may be picking up. This brings the total number of housing units in entitlements put on the market rather than being built to about 892. Which project will be next and push it over the 900 unit mark?
It would not be a surprise to see the 19th and Bryant project put into play once entitlement is finalized. That would be unfortunate as that project is far more worthy than most of the other entitlements in play – think 16th and Florida.
Disturbingly, the reason that many Planning-approved projects are now not moving forward is that our construction industry, as currently organized, is unable to meet demand and appears unable to innovate in order to do so.
After the last downturn in 2008, large numbers of workers left construction and the industry has yet to fully recover the necessary workers. 5 years into the current construction boom, it doesn’t look like it is capable of expanding — or reforming itself in order to meet the need.
This why construction costs are escalating to the point where entitled projects are not moving forward. Current $/sf prices for a medium-sized apartment building are in the $375-$400 and many developer’s proformas can’t justify that and they are unable to secure financing.
One way out of this situation is to design projects from the get-go to optimize “off-site” (i.e.,lower cost) construction technologies e.g. modular and/or panelization, etc.
However the building trade unions are fighting innovation tooth-and-nail — from big “game-changing” leaps, such as modular/off-site fabrication to even small/incremental improvements like air-admittance valves and PEX plumbing systems that they’ve been using for decades in Europe — that would lower prices for consumers.
Compared to the automobile, airplane, ship-building industries, our construction industry is stuck — not just in the last Century — but practically the 19th.
That is somewhat true, but the issues you mention were in place 3 and 4 years ago when the LLC’s first proposed these projects now being put in play. It’s more than just that. Many construction workers are heading north to the Seattle boom. That city often now wins the crane watch – most construction cranes of any US city. SF is way down on the list. Then there is the construction worker watch – 5 years ago the Starbucks on Portola at 7AM on weekdays was line out the door with many construction workers. Now that line is a shadow of its former self. I go to Seattle often and see the 7AM construction worker rush that I saw here a few years back. Anecdotal yes but ……
3 to 4 years ago, construction costs in SF/Bay Area were 20% to 25% less than they are today. This is a significant delta that is inhibiting projects from moving forward.
Construction costs have increased in other metros too. Seattle is seeing a big jump in costs because of all the construction and not enough workers. Reno too – I’m involved in a project there and the construction costs estimated in 2015 have jumped sharply now that it is build time. Seattle is accelerating housing production – perhaps producing even more units per year in the next few years – and Seattle had already been producing 5K units/year.
There are several factors in this equation and a major one is anticipated price points for new projects. With those leveling off for new construction units in SF then, indeed, these projects no longer pencil. At the same time new construction unit prices are soaring in Seattle and Reno so those markets are going to see building booms over the next 5 years and perhaps beyond – despite big increases in construction costs. Indeed Seattle has been producing an amazing 5K units/year recently and hopes to increase that number.
The projects to watch are not those like HP/CP – their planned builds span decades and they can slow down for a prolonged period if needed until things pencil out. It’s projects like the skinny 48 story condo on Howard that are in jeopardy. No news on that in a while. There is too the lot kitty-corner and across the street from the Claw that was purchased a while back with plans/expectations of a skinny condo building. These projects may never see the light of day. The Claw’s twin condo/hotel tower is a go, but will it be reconfigured? More hotel floors? Apartments instead of condos on some of the floors – units that are mapped for condos?.
Lots of moving parts and, to be sure, the large jump in construction costs is a significant one. Remember the luxury 48 unit or so unit townhouse project on Mt. Sutro? It was put in play several years ago. After not selling for a long while the price was significantly dropped and it did finally sell and is now in limbo. The original vision and plans probably won’t be what is finally built there – if anything is.
The unions are drawing people from out of town to work on SF projects. Not unusual in a boom period. At least when the bust comes they have a place to go.
Re: 19th/Bryant (aka the Beast) — started construction this week.
I realize now you were referring to the Fitzgerald Furniture building subject of an item earlier this week and not Podell’s large project across Bryant which did get underway this week.
Beautiful design, creative, distinctive and modern. Hope it gets built.
I’m with you. A great addition to that intersection.
The stacked shipping container motif is the new modern b/c it’s grey and not multicolor?
i really like it as well. a departure from the boring boxes
Shipping container chic
With all these developments in the Dogpatch….I hope Muni can make it so riding the t-line is slower than walking. Especially the part where you cross mission creek…it’s hilarious that it’s ALWAYS faster to walk from the Mission Rock T-line stop to the 4th and King stop.
The T-line burns me up. I use it regularly. Why, why, why, I constantly ask.
The T-line is ridiculously slow. The Central Subway will not help Mission Bay or Dogpatch travel times.
The proposed building is great though.
Just hop on a bicycle! 🙂
NOOOOOOOOOOO!! I love Mushi Mushi, the owner is such an awesome person. Hope the new lease will work out after it’s built.
That is an ugly building! Can’t architects come up with better looking projects?
Six stories is a reasonable development height, unlike these towering monsters that are being built elsewhere. That said, it is unfortunate to see yet another ugly, ugly, box. Someone will just have to tear down and replace *that* junk someday as well. The building being replaced has a much better feel and fit with San Francisco. New constructions should be required to fit in aesthetically.
remom72: “New constructions should be required to fit in aesthetically.”
In a city like SF, and an immediate context like this in Dogpatch, “fit in” with what? The 2 story Spanish Colonial Carpenters Union Hall and its corner parking lot across 3rd Street? The generic blue-painted stucco live-work lofts next door? the even worse new-ish condos across the street on 3rd? the UCSF medical facility to come, across 18th?? The buildings being torn down every few weeks all over this neighborhood???
Am I the only one that finds typos in headlines to be annoying, distracting, and a bit unforgivable? 😉
[Editor’s Note: No.]