Construction is underway on 631 Folsom, a 21-story, 120-unit residential tower with a story of retail at its base. Malcolm Properties is leading the development of the Handel Architects design.
“The design for 631 Folsom Street incorporates goals established in the Rincon Place, the Transbay Plan, and the General Plan for downtown San Francisco by creating a high-density project that preserves sunlight and air, provides open space, and enhances the development of the area.
The massing is tall and slender to maintain view corridors, provide sunlight and air at street level, and give units natural light. The light-colored pre-cast concrete, the bluish glass, and metal curtain wall give the facades an expression of lightness and transparency.”
The tower is expected to be ready for occupancy in 2008 and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that the dual sliding glass corner doors made it into the final design. Any readers have any additional information or insight to share?
UPDATE (10/30/06): Alas, according to a reader the dual sliding glass doors were cut from the final design. And yes, we’re disappointed.
No insight, but as a Rincon Hill resident, I am extremely pleased to be able to resurrect a line oft used by the late George Peppard as Hannibal Smith in the 80’s TV series, “The A-Team.”
“I love it when a plan comes together.”
Thanks for the scoop, SocketSite.
I live just 1/2 block down Folsom from this site. I can’t believe that it is actually getting built, I’m so excited. The buildings on that block are awful. Now what they need to do is raze the rest of the block and rebuild it (except the building that Fly Trap is in, that one is a keeper).
On a related note: I would love to see a similar building go up at the corner of Harrison and 3rd. It’s only a block away from this building and is now used as a parking lot (oh yeah, parking!).
Further on TheRobin’s point regarding the development of Folsom Street generally, does anyone know if there are any plans in the hopper to do anything regarding that PG&E substation between 1st and Fremont Street?
Talk about eye-sore with a capital E. I find it hard to believe that there is this huge master plan in the works to turn Folsom into this grand pedestrian avenue of retail and residential spaces and then there is this disgusting block of concrete sitting there in the middle of it.
This will be great addition. Between the hideous, window-free ATT building, the butt-ugly Wells Fargo stalinist-red monstrosity, and the other massive ATT building near third, the area is kind of bleak.
Does anyone have pricing info? Is there a sales center yet?
Not to rain on anyone’s parade because I actually think the project looks great from the outside, but is it just me, or does the unit itself (at least based on the photo on the architect’s website) closely resemble a rat’s maze? The only thing they left out was a piece of cheeze in the middle.
I must admit that it took me a few seconds just to figure out what that was a photo of. After I realized that it was a rendering of one of the floor plans, my first thought was, I sure hope for the sake of the developer’s wallet, that they aren’t planning to just churn out some rinky dink box-style floor plan and expect the public to come running. Has noone yet learned from the mistakes made at the Palms, etc.?
Rat’s maze? What rat’s maze? I see a front door opening up to a kitchen and living area. There’s a hallway leading to the 2 bedrooms and 1 common bathroom. The master has its own bathroom. It would be nice, though, if the developer did throw in some cheese. Mmmmmm, cheeeese.
And I agree with Socketsite: the double sliding glass doors in the corner of the living area would be pretty damn sweet.
You’re kidding right? Trust me, I wasn’t gratuitously throwing that out there just to evoke a reaction. Believe me, I want this development to be sucessful, that’s why I’m offering up a little constructive criticism.
Are you really telling me that the photo does not look like a rat’s maze from the inside (foret about the great sliding glass doors, which I agree are a nice touch).
A little objectivity would be most appreciated.
Positive:
The floor to ceiling windows in the living area and master bedroom is cool.
Negative:
The narrow living area seems too small for both a dining table and a sofa/sitting/tv area. It’s either one, but not both. That sucks.
Why the tiny window in the other bedroom? That room seems rather claustrophobic.
Closet space. I see very little closet space…
I live in one of the E units below the 14th floor. We do not get any direct sunlight due to the overbearing AT&T hub building thay casts a horrible blue light into the bedroom at night.
I did not realize that the lack of direct light would make such a big impact on my health. It’s constantly blue in my unit. SFBLU indeed.
“Positive:
The floor to ceiling windows in the living area and master bedroom is cool.
Negative:
The narrow living area seems too small for both a dining table and a sofa/sitting/tv area. It’s either one, but not both. That sucks.
Why the tiny window in the other bedroom? That room seems rather claustrophobic.
Closet space. I see very little closet space…”
Thank you SF Living. That’s the kind of assessment (whether good or bad), that I was hoping for.
Have to agree with 49Giants, hardly a maze (and cheese is good). As far as closet space, I see a large closet in each bedroom and a coat closet in the hall (which actually seems quite generous), but I do have to admit that I’m getting tired of new developments that force you to choose between a table or a couch in the “living/dining” area.
sliding glass doors at the corner are gone