The tightly-packed SoMa (South of Market) neighborhood of San Francisco will soon have a new addition in the form of an arresting mixed-use tower that’s likely to set a new cultural direction for the area. The ship-like, 14-story project developed by Boston Properties and designed by international architecture, engineering and urban planning firm HOK has recently been unanimously approved for construction by the San Francisco Planning Commission. Joel Koppel, Vice President of the Planning Commission, stated that “Boston Properties has, once again, outdone themselves in creating a unique development project that raises the bar in innovation and sustainability and provides direct benefit to the surrounding community.”
When complete, the 185-foot-tall 725 Harrison Street will contain over 770,000 square feet of rentable office space, 36,000 square feet of retail space on its lower floors, and over 16,000 square feet of additional space for public use. As one of the tallest buildings in the area, the complex will also feature five roof decks with views across San Francisco. Bob Pester, executive vice president of the San Francisco Region for Boston Properties, expressed that the development “combines an ideal location, a city-leading sustainability program, and thoughtful design to create the best workspace to recruit and retain top talent.”
The project signals the further gentrification of SoMa, as five older, garage-programmed buildings and a parking lot will have to be demolished to make way for the new development. With close proximity to some of the city’s biggest cultural attractions, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMoMA), Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and the Children’s Creativity Museum, the new building will likely have little trouble finding tenants for its retail and office spaces.
Construction of the new development is expected to happen in two phases, the first of which will take place in late 2020 with an anticipated completion date in 2021. The second phase will include the construction of an adjacent, eight-story-tall building dedicated entirely to affordable housing with approximately 140 units.
