Kahn & Keville Site and Signs

The building permits for the approved eight-story building to rise on the northwest corner of Turk and Larkin, upon the site of the iconic Kahn & Keville tire and battery shop in the Tenderloin, are close to being issued.

And next month, the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development will authorize the San Francisco Housing Authority to submit a request to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to release their funding for the project.

Once the ground is broken, the 500 Turk Street building, which will be managed and owned by the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC), should take a little under two years to complete and will yield 108 below market rate (BMR) units (a mix of 22 studios, 30 one-bedrooms, 42 twos and 14 threes) over 2,700 square feet of new retail space on the corner, as newly rendered by David Baker Architects.

13 thoughts on “Redevelopment of Iconic Tenderloin Site Positioning to Break Ground”
  1. Wow, I like the curving facade. Wish this would happen to all the single-story auto shops in the TL and SoMa. Put the remaining few into some ground-floor PDR spaces and build housing.

  2. A ticker running along the corner would have made for a nice nod the existing sign and it’s playful quotes. The levity made for a nice counterpoint to the heaviness of the Federal Building immediately across the street.

    Curious to see how the north elevation will read from the pool area of the Phoenix Hotel.

  3. This looks really wonderful. Agree about the ticker sign idea from Hunter– a nice homage to outlast the tire center’s existence.

      1. It is kind of a cool building, but I think the main reason for its “iconicity,” were the cryptic/inspirational comments placed on the backlit plastic sign at the corner. Many were funny and others made you think. Or both.

      2. No, it’s the building itself that was so described, not the sign; and in this case – for once…ahem – I think the word was used quite correctly: “emblem(atic) or symbol(ic)” since it represents the auto service district that grew up around this area in the early 20th C. “Beloved” or “famous” might be good terms for the sign.

  4. Ominous. Not generally a fan of the dark grey / black monochromatic style. But it’s housing and a lot better than what is there now – so get it built…

  5. I am also not a fan of chocolate colored buildings. I do like the glass on the corner & curves. A great addition to the area.

  6. What is to become of Kahn and Keville outside from the obvious? Just closing shop or moving?
    I’m a native and they are the only people we trust with our cars!

    1. Next time you go, ask them and report back. I had a really good experience with them and hope they stay in business.

      And I want to add my support for a ticker or something that would be a nod to the sign and messages that are there now.

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