McDonald’s Site Near AT&T Park Slated For 10-Story Hotel
July 22, 2014
The plans for the SoMa parcel upon which McDonald’s sits on the southeast corner of Third and Townsend near AT&T Park have been revealed: Stonebridge Companies, a Colorado-based hotel development and management company, plans to build a 10-story, 225-room hotel on the 701 Third Street site which is zoned for development up to 105-feet in height.
In terms of timing, McDonald’s lease expires in January of 2017.
Comments from Plugged-In Readers
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Outrageously underbuilt corner – check
One of the top 5 tackiest structures in SF – check
Something I will miss as a “funky little oddity” that keeps the city human-sized – check
It’s zoned for that height limit.
Legally.
Again, legally.
Uh? You misunderstood my post. I said it’s under built as a McDonalds.
what a pointless comment
futurist was a bit trigger happy. There are always posters saying “too short!”. He misunderstood my post.
OK everyone, go grab a cup of chamomile tea and take a deep breath.
It’s a great location for a hotel – the linked article on SFGate is actually interesting, and discusses a couple other SoMa hotels in the works. And I agree w/Fonzi, it’s such an odd building, a drive-thru slice of suburbia in that dying-industrial-cum-hipster ‘hood… won’t be missed in terms of economics or the urban fabric, but it is kinda neat to have these bizarre oddities plopped down here and there.
Yeah, a bit like the Whiz burger joint at SVN and 18th. Remainders of more simple times. Perfect at the end of long rides or out-of-town drives.
A “funky oddity”? You’ve got to be kidding. That McD’s is a hideous waste of space. And the drive-thru causes traffic chaos for both cars and bikes on Townsend.
I agree it’s hideous and a waste of space. But it’s still so oddly out of place it’s almost a landmark. Case closed. Tear it down.
You’re a newbie without the ability to understand Sierrajeff’s comment.
I’m looking forward to seeing the design, and hope it integrates nicely with the surrounding buildings. I’ve been pretty happy with most of the new buildings on this block (mostly the new ones facing King).
My one reservation here is how the height and top will interact with the ‘public art’ at the top of the building to the east. It’s kind of cool, I’d hate to see it materially blocked.
From Stonebridge’s website, I read that they typically develop corporate chain type accommodations (Hampton Inn, Residence Inn etc), which would not be at all that interesting for this corner. A Kimpton-esque concept with a higher price point and interesting offering seems like a better fit…..that said, a nice hotel of any kind is better than that dumpy mickey dees… The timing on the HBU appears to be “right now”.. Wonder if they can buy out the remaining term from the McDonalds operator.
genius place for a great hotel: tech business travelers, ball park people, basketball people eventually, bio-tech business travelers. i could see various gangs around there specifically opening accounts, no matter what the branding. might as well go up-market.
What are the chances of a “great” hotel going in here? I’m speculating that “low-touch, high margin” takes the cake.
Now if we can only tear down the McDonalds on Fillmore.
and the one on Stanyan and Haight.
But where would we go for Happy meals without toys(?)
That one on Stanyan is the most incongruous of all – right where the Haight-Ashbury funk and vibe meets Golden Gate Park, there’s this suburban McDonalds. Tourists must think we’re insane.
Thank you Brad; the parking lot there alone is a major car break-in zone; huge scam there. McD manager “we can’t do anything about the break ins”.
We live in lookaway San Francisco — anything goes. Including the fu ominous iron gate enclosures on the govt housing across Street. The SPCA is far more humane than this.
This isn’t the “famous” McDonald’s from Dirty Harry, is it?
[Editor’s Note: Yes, it is.]
And it wasn’t a McDonalds then.
Seems like more [than] at least a few posters to this site want SF and probably the entire planet be developed like a Borg cube. As if that would somehow be an improvement. Guess they are developers or in the RE business.
A McDonalds getting redeveloped as a relatively small 10-story hotel equals the entire earth getting developed like a “Borg cube”? Did a high rise beat you up as a child or something? Also, lots of us are not connected to developers or the real estate business (for the record, I’m a working class SF native, and I’m tired of NIMBY BS leading to a constant housing shortage/skyrocketing prices). What is it with NIMBYs thinking that anyone who’s pro-development is a paid corporate shill or an evil CEO twirling their mustache?
Nah, h is just a shill for corporate Big Food. People like Anom are terrified that people may realize that their textured protein product and “Shakes” are not real food. Every McDonalds lost is a nail in the coffin of the corporate plastic food machine.
See, anom…one can be ridiculous in other ways as well. Although the nonsense I posted above is closer to the “truth” than your sillyness.
Good grief people, it’s a MCDONALD’S. This isn’t some unique family owned diner that adds “quirk” or “character”. It’s a behemoth corporate chain who’s sole purpose is to peddle crap food. There’s nothing abut this that needs saving. A new hotel can’t be built fast enough.
Has any single comment on here, including my own, lobbied for saving the McDonalds? No.
Shocking as it may seem, it’s possible to have more than one thought about a given subject. One can be entirely and wholeheartedly supportive of building here, of increasing density a.s.a.p. … and still recognize that doing so removes one more unique oddity from the fabric of San Francisco (not to mention, as noted above, a location for a scene from Dirty Harry). It’s possible to support change, while recognizing that that change comes with a price.
Good grief, indeed.
The hotel will be allowed to boast you’re sitting in the location where Harry Callahan shot a couple of thugs.
Someone could open an “Acorn Cafe” on the first floor of the new hotel exactly in the style of the movie. This will allow them to sell bad drip coffee for the price of a Starbucks Frappuccino.
But what is odd or unique or special about another piece of generic corporate suburban junk? Turlock has plenty of McDonalds if one is looking for quirk. heck, drive down to San Bruno. Plenty of opportunities to enjoy the whiff of plastic food product and 1970s design. Even if the replacement hotel is also bland, as you acknowledge, it will better reflect the market and the neighborhood.
What’s odd and unique is that this surburban-style, reverse-mansard roof McD’s is in the middle of SoMa.
But AGAIN, no one’s arguing to preserve the McD’s or block the hotel. We’re just making observations.
Fair enough. We are all being trigger happy here! Peace out!
Oh no, what are they doing to San Francisco’s “affordable meals” program? NIMBYs, please save this poor misunderstood and under-appreciated establishment.
Here’s a photo when it was a Doggie Diner:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2118888480/doggie-diner-makeover/posts/722501
Wow that’s great. Talk about another era…
Will the building behind the McDonalds become completely blocked? They will have great views of nothing.
One has to wonder….there is a fully entitled hotel site on King street mid-block between 2nd and 3rd directly across from AT&T park. If the hotel market is so hot how come no hotel?
(see name link)
Why does the city want so many large apartments, hotels and condos. Can’t they just sometime go for suburb size hotels and condos. Also why so many housing here and there in the city. Every thing I read on this site are just those things.