San Francisco Business Times
October 4, 2017
By Roland Li
An industrial building in San Francisco’s South of Market district could be replaced by 185 units of housing.
The proposed residential project at 975 Bryant St. will seek Planning Commission approval on Thursday. If approved, developer Trammell Crow Residential plans to break ground by next summer. The four-story project could open in 2020.
Trammell Crow Residential was attracted to the site because of its proximity to offices and retailers like Trader Joe’s. The site is on the same block as the headquarters of Airbnb, which is expanding a block away.
“It’s very well located near important job centers and very desirable urban amenities,” said Tyler Evje, development associate at Trammell Crow Residential. The project is also walking distance to BART and Caltrain, he said.
The project is within the Eastern Neighborhoods Plan, which streamlined its approvals. “This is the exact kind of project that the city wants to see implemented under the plan,” said Evje.
In 2015, Dallas-based Trammell Crow Residential launched a $500 million fund with Mill Valley-based Thompson Dorfman Partners, focusing on Bay Area multifamily development.
Trammell Crow’s other projects include 243 apartments under construction at 2330 Webster St. in Oakland. It’s also working with John Hancock Life Insurance Co. on a 32-story tower proposal at 95 Hawthorne St. in Central SoMa.
Trammell Crow is a partner in the Alameda Point Site A redevelopment, which has run into financial trouble. A separate company, Trammell Crow Co., is working on a massive office project for Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG)’s Google Inc. in San Jose’s Diridon Station.
At 975 Bryant St., Orchard Supply Hardware sought to build a new store in 2013, but the city rejected the plans, opening the way for housing. A Trammell Crow affiliate bought the land for $27.5 million in August 2015, according to property records. The site currently has a temporary commercial tenant, said Evje.
Kwan Henmi Architecture designed the project. It doesn’t have a general contractor yet.
The developer plans to add new trees and plants along Kate Street, which will “activate the alley,” said Evje. It is also planning to work with local artists for public art and hire SoMa residents for 30 percent of construction hours.
The project, which has 135 parking spaces, will include a mix of studios, one-, two- and three-bedrooms, ranging from 500 square feet to 1,150 square feet. The project would include 30 affordable units, or 16 percent.
“We want a really diverse demographic for the building,” said Evje.
