San Francisco Shipyard: "Olympia"

The first 88 homes of Lennar’s San Francisco Shipyard development are in contract with prices ranging from mid-$400k to $900K, and the first closings and move-ins are slated for next month.

The construction of the second wave of units, which includes 159 units in four buildings, is underway and should be completed by the end of the year.  And the sales schedule for the second wave is expected to be announced within the next couple of weeks.

We’ll keep you posted and plugged-in.

67 thoughts on “First 88 Shipyard Homes In Contract, Second Wave Coming Soon”
  1. Hmmn, if garages are in the back I assume that means there isn’t any private outdoor space in the back which would be a shame in one of the sunnier parts of town.

    Good to know that for 900K I would have to navigate through a war zone to get to public transit.

  2. San Francisco housing crisis = 2 story flats. What a wonderful solution. Why oh why is this city so damn afraid of height? I just don’t get it.

    1. I don’t know about others, but I personally would like to be close to the ground in case of earthquakes. I’m sure modern construction is safer than older buildings, but I rather be screaming on the ground when the next big one hits.

  3. These aren’t house, but in reality condos. There’s a shared garage below the whole building (everything you see above is one building).

    1. They have private garages and I would consider them townhouses, I have a friend who went to look at them. Said they townhouses were nice but the area to get there was scary, maybe in ten years. They also have another building there that is all condos and has a shared garage. Olympia is the townhouse block/building and Merchant is the condos.

      1. Having biked around there for fun an exercise (at least in the evening before it gets dark), it’s not really that scary. Sure there are kids hanging out on the street by their homes, but that’s what they do when they’re not privileged white kids who have parents that can drive them around to their various activities, right? Unless you are scared of black people, or scared of steep hills in the bayview.

        1. It’s not about race, it’s about crime. However, given that you don’t bike there after dark and note that it’s “not really that scary” leads me to believe you do have some reservations about the area which are concealed in a lame comment based on stereotypes. Kudos.

        2. I’ve biked through the Bayview before, both on an electric bike and a carbon fiber bike. I’ve never had a problem and in fact, have had a couple of very good experiences (once on Easter a gospel choir had spilled out of the church and onto the street and we hung out and watched.) However, I have had people comment on my bike or on me, letting me know that I’m an outsider and yes, making me uncomfortable. I’m not sure if some of it is cultural thing or an envy thing, or maybe they just really like my bikes and want to make conversation. But there are things like the mugging on muni in Sunnydale today that should make us all a bit nervous. The people that did this are our neighbors.

          1. I bike through the Bayview too, I’ve had nothing bad happen, just some “you are in the wrong part of town” comments. I don’t think Bayview is as bad as most think but I also don’t think it’s as good or changing as fast as others would like people to believe either. There have been a rash of shootings down here in very public places that were a reality check for us but I still believe Bayview will continue to improve but change happens very slow in SF, it’s still another 10 or 15 years out in my mind and even then it’s always going to be gritty and a bit rough due to all the public housing but that’s part of what we like about it.

          2. Alex- that public housing is going bye bye in the next few years. You’re a local, you otta know that!

            But I agree, it’ll take years for Bayview to change. But it will: 1- pervasive housing crisis thanks to (lame) city building policies. 2- shipyard and candlestick redev’s will help imrprov the reputation.

          3. That particular public housing is going bye bye (Hunters View), to be replaced by a mix of public housing and market rate. So all public housing is not going bye bye, but the replacement should be much better, in particular as it won’t (I believe) be managed by the SF Housing Authority.

            [Editor’s Note: The Heart Of The New Hunters View Neighborhood.]

          4. SFrentier – You kinda proved my point about the misleading information being provided by some down here (especially those trying to sell a house), all the public housing that is down here that is being torn down, is being replaced with the exact same number of units of new public housing but with the addition of market rate and BMR units. Bayview will always have A LOT of public housing compared to other neighborhoods, it will definitely be better than before but it will always be a higher crime area but overall, I do agree, the area is on the way up and I do think in time 3rd will be the area with all the hot restaurants, galleries and hang out places when the Mission becomes completely gentrified.

          5. I’ve never even had comments when bicycling around here. To be honest, I get far more verbal nastyness directed at me on my bicycle from the Heatlander-hued Troo Americans in the suburbs. Especially the entitled upper middle class women piloting enromous SUVs while doing their makeup at 55 mph.

          6. The key to the new mixed use, public/BMR/market rate is that they will get rid of the losers/drug pushers/criminals that exist there now. Plus it will be managed by a private management company. The replaced projects in the mish, both Cesar Chavez and Valencia/15th are MUCH BETTER. Ain’t no problems selling a $1 mil condo right next door or across the street. Yes there is still a class divide, but everyone coexists much better with the new designs/mix/management. I’m quite confident the same will be achieved in Bayview…at least I hope so, as I made a big bet on the hood improving!

  4. If anyone hasn’t been down there in a while (or ever, based on these comments) the neighborhood is changing fast. Admittedly, most people will probably be using cars to access these condos. But the environment along Innes Ave and throughout Hunters View feels much better than in years past (and I expect the crime stats bear that out). Try taking a walk at Heron’s Head park some weekend and you’ll see lots of folks (of all colors) out enjoying the neighborhood.

    1. agreed. the mission is super dangerous but that hasn’t stopped people from paying an arm and a leg to live there

      1. Actually, the Mission is not super dangerous. Specific places, like around 16th and Mission, are a mess. But most of it is fine, and gang violence has ebbed.

        1. I was down at Mission and 16th this week getting my car fixed. I walked around and thought who wants to pay market rate for condos here. Then again the guy who towed my car used to be a gang member in the Mission but now lives in Hayward with his family. We just joked about the good ole days when everybody knows the hierarchy and the hookers on Capp St. Thanks for lesson on life hermano!

      2. The Mission is not “super dangerous”, Mission and 16th is a bit rough but nothing compared to the actual “super dangerous” areas of most cities.

  5. Bayview is 33% black, 30% Asian, 12% white and 24% Latino.

    According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Bayview-Hunters Point (ZIP 94124) had a population of 33,996, an increase of 826 from 2000. The census data showed the single-race racial composition of Bayview-Hunters Point was 33.7% African-American, 30.7% Asian (22.1% Chinese, 3.1% Filipino, 2.9% Vietnamese, 0.4% Cambodian, 0.3% Indian, 0.2% Burmese, 0.2% Korean, 0.2% Japanese, 0.2% Pakistani, 0.1% Laotian), 12.1% White, 3.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (2.4% Samoan, 0.1% Tongan, 0.1% Native Hawaiian), 0.7% Native American, 15.1% other, and 5.1% mixed race. Of Bayview’s population, 24.9% was of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race (11.5% Mexican, 4.2% Salvadoran, 2.6% Guatemalan, 1.4% Honduran, 1.4% Nicaraguan, 0.7% Puerto Rican, 0.2% Peruvian, 0.2% Spanish, 0.2% Spaniard, 0.1% Colombian, 0.1% Cuban, 0.1% Panamanian).

  6. No private outdoor dirt spaces. Decks yes with most units. Condo building has common garage. Townhouses have private garage on back. Lots of community park space and whatnot. Yes they are quite nice. Neighborhood is drastically changing. It is still a bit far out there and MUNI will likely extend 3rd St. line out there but when?? Right now the Shipyards will be doing shuttle service to MUNI, BART, and Caltrain. I am an agent and have lived in the central Bayview area for 8 years now. It very much is what the Mission felt like 15 years ago +/-. Difference being geographic proximity to central city.

    1. BayView will never be the Mission both for the point you bring up, proximity to downtown, but also spatially with so many SFHs.

      Mission 15 years ago, 20 years ago and 50 years ago was heart of SF

      1. It’s definitely up and coming, the big rise in prices has already proved that.

        While Bayview might not be central, its location is part of why it will come up, for commuters it is very well positioned between the job centers of downtown/soma and the pennisula with easy access to Caltrain, 101, 280, Bart & Muni. We bought down here because my partner works in Palo Alto and I work downtown, he saves 30 mins a day not having to deal with city traffic and I can ride my bike or take a bus that gets me downtown from San Bruno Ave in the Portola in 15 mins via 101, try that from the Avenues. And if we want to go out somewhere in the city, the constant stream of Ubers going to and from the airport mean we never wait more than 10 minutes for a cheap ride deeper into the city.

        As traffic becomes even worse in the Bay Area, I predict that the SE SF communities with all their transit connections will become very appealing and not just Bayview, Excelsior, Silver Terrace, Portola and Vis Valley are well positioned for those who commute most places in the bay with the exception of Marin but their are few job centers up there anyway.

        1. My secret hood would be SSF between Grand and Hillside. Lots of nice old homes. Portola has some nice areas too. All of these areas though suffer from some really poor quality housing stock everywhere as well

  7. First, MUNI needs to connect the T line to Caltrain at Bayshore. That was supposed to have been part of the original design but got waylaid when the Schlage lock factory site demo was pushed back and then Caltrain decided to re-do the Bayshore station. TBD. It will be decades before MUNI even thinks about extending the T to the HP development.

    1. No need. Caltrain is seriously considering adding a stop at Oakdale near 3rd. St. That’ll be killer! Help recruit more peninsula commuting techies over there.

      And it’s so easy and cheap to make a stop there. Dugouts, train access already there. Add some stairs, some kinds platform, a sign, a few pretty shrubs and benches and it’s done. Wonder how long it’ll be?

      1. That is indeed a really good idea. I’ve followed it a bit over the years. I’m wondering where it is in the SFCTA (Transportation Authority) plans. Caltrain itself has so many other issues (electrification, etc) that I wouldn’t hold my breath to see this happen until it is a very clear city priority with money behind it.

      2. Folks need to ask Malia Cohen to present this to BOS and the mayor. I hope the supervisors can do something that’s needed instead of engaging on zero sum games only.

        1. I’d keep 22nd as a permanent stop and have a temporary stop at 16th/7th for Warrior arena events.

  8. Not sure how I feel about the garages in the back concept. Takes away space that could be used for a private backyard and gives it to an alleyway for your car…and your front yard is also a road. Double the space devoted to traffic and cars. Double the exposure to public as well. I guess a garage out front might be aesthetically offensive to some, but I’d rather have that and a backyard. To each their own.

    If those three-story townhouses are 900K, they do otherwise look pretty nice, in light of what 900K gets you in other parts in town.

    1. Lack of private backyards contributes to vibrant public space. Backyards are not essential for many city folk.

    2. It’s “new urbanism”. It is how old neighborhoods were designed. It is supposed to be more pedestrian friendly

      1. Does it work with this level of density? I’ve seen these kind of neighborhoods in Venice Beach, parts of Alameda, Palo Alto, Merced Manor, 19th Ave…and they seem no more “vibrant” than neighborhoods five blocks away with backyards. They all seem like car communities.

        Backyards provide green oases for the birds and butterflies. Shrubs, actual trees, etc. Drainage when it rains (true, it’s not raining much these days). If they’re going to just pave over the whole area, they should’ve just gone ahead and made it much more dense.

      1. Is there a backyard? I think backyards are important, as well as garage spaces. Otherwise this is a great looking project! SFR are you going to buy one? I would if I could & rent it out for sure.

  9. Shuttle to Bart, Caltrain and Downtown would be a wonderful idea.

    Actually I am wondering why there are no commuting shuttles to transport people to downtown, SOMA and Mission Bay. It seems a very effective commuting option and will cost 1% of a public transit solution that may take 50 years.

  10. Biked to Heron’s head a couple of times. Don’t feel “unsafe” at all — seems like the area is turning around. Helps that the climate there seems to be sunnier than the rest of SF.

    1. We love that bike ride too and yes, Bayview, Vis Valley and Portola are very sunny areas of the city, one of the reasons why we moved down here.

      1. If only they repaved that awful “protected” bike lane. Would rather have decent pavement than the hideous cordon sanitaire they installed along the street without all that much traffic anyway.

  11. Its a sad commentary that every time any mention of the Bayview appears there are immediately comments about the area as a “war zone”, and an almost equal and immediate backlash against the notion that nobody will want to live in the Bayview. Fact is that I live in the Bayview, people do live in the Bayview, and there will be those that will choose to live in the Bayview. The Mission is the Mission, so be it, and for those who have not been in San Francisco long, the present Mission District, was a far cry from the Mission just a short decade or two ago when the Mission was the refuge for those priced out of other areas, back before Mission Street itself was not the dividing line between all possible demographics). San Francisco is full of neighborhoods that were once the subject of cringe reactions and all of them became places of destination with public and private investment and residents who chose to invest (Hayes Valley, Mission Bay, Potrero Hill, Dogpatch, Bernal Heights). The Bayview is seemingly the next upon that list, and yes maybe if only because it is the last available space to built without necessarily building vertically, but here we are. The debate over why not to develop vertically is another conversation, but to me, we are a city that is 1/10 the population of New York City, and to build-in that ideal of density is wholly overreaching without considering first the kind of infrastructure that would be needed to support that, which btw the City of San Francisco is wholly not prepared to handle.

    As far as being connected people live in the outer sunset and Richmond districts who are equally removed from major public transportation, freeways, and shopping corridors and it is a much smaller undertaking for the Shipyards to be connected to mass transit than those areas especially should MTA expand or create an offshoot of the T-line with a growing population as is to be expected. As is Caltrain will be closing off Quint St. to shore up their overpass and has plans for a station build, which one would hope spurs other transit development just as is expected to occur with the development out at Candlestick.

    Yes the Bayview and Hunters Point has had a long run of crime, drugs, unemployment, etc. and the Southeastern part of the City was a truly unincorporated part of the City, aside from Sunday 49er games, but as the City shrinks down neighborhood by neighborhood is being discovered. Mission Bay, Potrero Hill, and Dogpatch were not names on the tip of anyones tongue pre-2000, unless you were discussing various areas of crime, homelessness and wasted land. The culture of public housing exists as it does all across the country and the fact that public housing is being removed and modeled differently is a start. It then becomes up to the City, current and new residents investing in the community to end the past realities of the area. While people like to look at “The Mission” as the ideal, the mission as it were did not just appear and truthfully those considering investing in the Bayview have likely been priced out of the mission and everywhere else, so why not invest in somewhere they might be able to afford and create a neighborhood. You might be surprised at what you find in 10 years, at the very least you go in knowing it is changing for the better.

  12. I live on Potrero so I live with bay side San Francisco views and weather. Fantastic quality of life enhancements. I think this could become more popular than any suspect now. Just look at the views. BV is also getting some great restaurants and hang outs – eg. Radio Africa and Flora Grubb – 2 of my favorite spots in the city. A big part of the crime problem is economic segregation. There isn’t a big chunk of entitled upper middle class types in BV to yell at the supervisor / police when things get hairy. That will change, making the neighborhood more livable. Btw, I have no economic stake whatsoever, I am just saying what I think. If I had extra ca-ching, I would invest in BV.

    1. BV has more disadvantaged population than the Mission, but BV people are more down to earth and there is much less moochers in BV than the Mission. I’ve been wondering why all the moochers live in the Mission.

    1. except Eastern Docklands is so much cooler in design and architecture. Those individual canal houses are just awesome!

    1. I noticed that the radiation hazard signs have been removed from the fence along Donahue Ave. Maybe prematurely? This is parcel IR 7/18.

    2. I was thinking the same thing. nevermind the crime or the socioeconomic divide, I’d be more concerned about the health and the impact that would follow in the next 10-15 years of moving into this place. Prolonged exposures to low level radiation that is not immediately harmful can be potentially a public health issue when we see an increase in morbidity to cancer.

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