In front of the Planning Commission tomorrow morning: a “request to Consider an increase of the cumulative shadow limits (no net new shadow) for Maritime Plaza and to establish a cumulative shadow limit for Sue Bierman Park [Embarcadero Plaza].”
The importance: to accommodate new shadows cast by the 555 Washington Project.
The Preliminary Recommendation: “Adoption of the Motion finding that net new shadow from the project is not adverse, and authorizing the allocation of the cumulative shadow limits for Sue Bierman Park and Maritime Plaza to this project.”
∙ San Francisco Planning Commission Agenda: May 7, 2009 Special Meeting [SFGov]
∙ Out Of The Shadow And Into The Spotlight: 555 Washington Designs [SocketSite]
∙ 248 Condos (and 38 Stories) In The Shadow Of The Pyramid [SocketSite]
First they planned to create an underground building in the Presidio because the “blight” of construction would just be too much to bear.
Now.. shadow laws.
What a pansy town sometimes.
Both parks are shadowed by the Embarcadero Center, but since 555 Washington is to the north, it shouldn’t cast much of a shadow on these parks.
@Dan:
555 Washington is to the west of these parks and will cause an afternoon shadow, particularly over the western half of the One Maritime Plaza park. Whether that will be detrimental, I don’t know.
The shadow study on the basis of which they require an increase of the cumulative shadow limit for Maritime Plaza is based on the 200 ft. tall code compliant project, not the 425 ft. tall building they are trying to build.
Also, the Sunlight ordinance that prohibits casting new shadows on public parks does not apply to Sue Bierman park, because it did not exist at the time the ordinance was passed, and therefore any shadow cast on it is not a “new” shadow.
“The vote was delayed, however, after the city attorney’s office said commissioners should postpone it until after the environmental impact report for the 425-foot tower is certified.”
The proposed 555 Washington structure is a beautiful building and I agree with a comment I saw somewhere, that it would look even better if it was twice as tall. I think the Pyramid is such a frightened hypocrite to not fully support it — is it afraid of competition because it is not as attractive? I hope this project succeeds and is not stymied by obstructionist pols like Aaron Peskin.