Plans to raze the nine-story office building at 545 Sansome Street, which abuts the privately-owned Redwood Park at the base of the Transamerica Pyramid, between Washington and Clay, and construct a cylindrical 38-story residential tower dubbed “555 Washington” on the corner parcel were in the running to be approved back... Read More »

With no specific policies, procedures or standards currently in place, on Thursday San Francisco’s Planning Commission will vote on whether or not to initiate discussion for a planning code ordinance specifically related to bird-strikes and building design. The proposed Ordinance would amend the Planning Code to achieve the following:... Read More »

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has upheld the appeal of the San Francisco Planning Department’s certification of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the 555 Washington project voting 10 to 0 to reverse said certification. True to our headline and tone in March (“EIR Approved But…“), the Board... Read More »

With the legal appeal of the Planning Commission’s approval of 555 Washington’s Environmental Impact Report (EIR) pending (which we’ll call round three), the Planning Commission’s follow-up votes with respect to height, open space, wind and parking exceptions for the project (round four) are on an indefinite hold. We will... Read More »

San Francisco’s Planning Commission voted three to two against certifying 555 Washington‘s Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Commissioners Hisashi Sugaya, Kathrin Moore and Christina Olague voted against certification, Bill Lee and Ron Miguel opposed the motion against certification, and Michael Antonini and Gwyneth Borden were absent from the vote. Luckily,... Read More »

We’ll call the divide rather apropos considering the controversy that surrounded the development of San Francisco’s iconic Transamerica Pyramid right next door. And later today, “the commissions that oversee the city’s parks and planning departments are to meet in joint session on whether to approve the development at 555... Read More »

A collection of official Comments and Responses to the previously published Draft Environmental Report for the 555 Washington Street Project is now online. Our comment: Yes please (and not the “office variant”). Feel free to respond if you wish. Read More »

The developers behind a proposed 38-story and 248-unit condo tower in the shadow of the Transamerica Pyramid are pushing forward. From the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the 555 Washington project: The proposed new 336,585 gross square-foot 38-story, 390-foot-high project building plus 35-foot mechanical penthouse would contain about 248... Read More »

We still in need of a rendering miracle (tipsters?), but some hints at what’s in the works for the proposed 38-story residential tower at 555 Washington adjacent to the Transamerica Pyramid and by way of a tipster (and neighborhood circular): A slender and distinctive cylindrical structure that respects the... Read More »

According to J.K. Dineen at the San Francisco Business Times, “Transamerica Pyramid owner Aegon Group has tapped Lowe Enterprises to develop a 38-story condo tower on a vacant lot adjacent to the financial district landmark.” Lowe is proposing a 248-unit building that would trigger a redesign of... Read More »