Millennium Tower (San Francisco) Explained

Millennium Tower
Location:301 Mission Street
San Francisco, California
Coordinates:37.7904°N -122.3961°W
Pushpin Map:United States San Francisco Central#California#USA
Start Date:2005
Completion Date:2009
Opening:April 23, 2009
Building Type:Residential condominiums
Antenna Spire:645feet
Roof:605feet
Top Floor:592feet
Unit Count:419
Floor Count:58
Elevator Count:12
Floor Area:1151017square feet
Architect:Handel Architects
Structural Engineer:DeSimone Consulting Engineers
Main Contractor:Webcor Builders
Developer:Millennium Partners
References:[1]

301 Mission Street is a high-rise residential building[2] in the South of Market district of downtown San Francisco. A mixed-use, primarily residential high rise, it is the tallest residential building and the 6th-tallest overall in San Francisco. In May 2016, residents were informed the main tower was both sinking and tilting, resulting in several lawsuits concerning repair costs and whether the existence of the tilt had been withheld from buyers.[3]

Opened to residents on April 23, 2009, 301 Mission includes two buildings: a 12-story tower located on the northeast of the property, and Millennium Tower, a 58-story, 645adj=midNaNadj=mid condominium skyscraper. The blue-gray glass, late-modernist buildings are bounded by Mission, Fremont, and Beale Streets, and the north end of the Salesforce Transit Center site. In total, the project has 419 residential units, with 53 of those units in the smaller tower. The larger tower's highest level, 58 floors above the ground,[1] [4] [5] is listed as the 60th, because floors 13 and 44 are missing for superstitious reasons.

Description

Developed by Mission Street Development LLC, an affiliate of Millennium Partners, the project was designed by Handel Architects, engineered by DeSimone Consulting Engineers and built by Webcor Builders. At 645feet, it is the tallest concrete structure in San Francisco, the fourth-tallest building in San Francisco, and the tallest built since 345 California Street in 1986.[6] [7] [8] It was the tallest residential building west of the Mississippi River, but has been surpassed by The Austonian in Texas.[9] The tower is slender, with each floor containing 14000square feet of floor space. In addition to the 58-story tower, there is a 125feet, 11-story tower on the northeast end of the complex.[7] Between the two towers is a 43feet, two-story glass atrium. In total, the project has 419 units.

The residences are expensive; a penthouse unit sold for $13 million in December 2016.[10] [11] The bottom 25 floors of the main tower are marketed as Residences while the floors from 26 to the top are marketed as Grand Residences. As happens with many high-rises, there is no thirteenth floor because of superstitions related to triskaidekaphobia. Neither is there a forty-fourth floor, because the number four is considered unlucky by many Asians. The 53 units in the separate 12-story tower are marketed as City Residences.[6] Below street level, there are 434 parking spaces in a five-level subterranean garage located under the 11-story tower.[7] The building is located next to the site of the Salesforce Transit Center. The tower's design was marketed as resembling a translucent crystal, and was, until accompanied by much larger adjacent buildings, a landmark for the Transbay Redevelopment and the southern skyline of San Francisco.[12]

Resident services include a private concierge and access to the 20000square feet Owner's Club Level, which features amenities such as a private lounge, wine cellar, and fitness center. The development's "lifestyle" program organizes cultural events. The development accommodates the International Smoke restaurant and bar, located on the ground floor.[13] [14]

History

Millennium Partners first proposed the development in 2002 with 163 condominiums, 108 rentals and a 136-unit "extended stay" hotel.[15] The project was approved in 2003 by the S.F. Planning Commission 4–1 and construction began in 2005. The only vote against the project came from Planning Commissioner Sue Lee.[7] The development was the first high rise built downtown in 20 years. According to Modern Luxury, a proposed 52-story skyscraper at nearby 80 Natoma by developer Jack Myers which would also have a similar cast in place concrete construction, was rejected by the city's Department of Building Inspections (DBI) after an outside peer review. The Millennium Tower received no such scrutiny, since Millennium Partners would not submit to a peer review, as that study would have potentially delayed construction by years.[16] Treadwell & Rollo, the geotechnical engineer for Millennium Tower, were also the geotechnical engineer for the scrapped project at 80 Natoma.[17]

On September 6, 2010, Dan Goodwin, also known as SpiderDan and Skyscraperman, scaled the outside of the tower using suction cups. Following the climb, Goodwin was arrested by the San Francisco police, who charged him with trespassing and creating a public nuisance.[18]

In 2013, the building sold its final unit, generating US$750 million in total sales, a 25 percent return on the estimated US$600 million in development costs.[19]

Sinking and tilting problem

Discovery

After developers disclosed to authorities in 2015 that the building was sinking and tilting, the public was notified of the problem in 2016.[20] Treadwell & Rollo's geotechnical design for the foundation of the main tower consists of a concrete slab built on 60to concrete friction piles through the fill and young bay mud, and embedded into dense Colma sand (sand deposited during the last ice age 12,000–100,000 years ago and the penultimate layer before bedrock). A number of other buildings in 301 Mission Street's area have used similar systems, although due to varying earth conditions, others have pushed piles directly into the bedrock 200feet below.[21] [22] An examination in 2016 showed the building had sunk 16inches with a 2adj=onNaNadj=on tilt at the base and an approximate 6adj=onNaNadj=on tilt at the top of the tower.[23] The building is leaning toward the northwest,[23] [24] [25] and this has caused cracks in the building's basement and the pavement surrounding the tower.[26] As of 2018, the sinking had increased to 18inches with a lean of 14inches.[27] Measurements in 2022 show the tilt increased to 28inches, as measured from the roof.[28]

The developer blames the sinking problem on the Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA), who were responsible for construction of the neighboring Transbay Transit Center (TTC).[23] The sinking problem had reportedly started before TTC construction even broke ground, and TJPA asserted the building had already settled 10inches, well past the original maximum vertical settling prediction of 5.5inches in 20 years, by the time TJPA began removing the timber piles under the prior Transbay Terminal in 2011.[29] The building's homeowners association, represented by general counsel Adrian Adams of Adams Stirling PLC, retained Dan Petrocelli of O’Melveny & Myers, to sue Webcor, Millennium Partners, and the TJPA.[30] Originally, the homeowners association hired David Casselman to sue the TJPA instead of developer Millennium Partners, as Casselman noted that "inverse condemnation law allows residents to collect legal fees on top of any award, whereas suing the developer will steer up to 40 percent of any award to lawyers".[23] [16]

Another group of tenants who disagree with the homeowners association, led by resident and patent litigator Jerry Dodson, is suing Millennium Partners, the City of San Francisco, and the TJPA.[31] [23] In breaking with Casselman and the homeowners association, Dodson has regarded Millennium Partners as the responsible culprit.[16]

In November 2016, the city of San Francisco filed suit against the tower's developer Mission Street Developers LLC, claiming that the developers withheld information on the sinking problems from potential apartment buyers.[32] [33] Mission Street Developers rejected the city's claims.[34]

Sage Engineers has been hired by Millennium Partners to provide an engineering study on the sinking problem. Some experts have prognosticated that the cost to fix the tilt could exceed the liability insurance held by Millennium Partners and the building's various construction vendors. If the TJPA is found to be at fault, San Francisco taxpayers could end up paying for the repairs.[31]

, a city inspection found that the building was still safe to occupy, though there was damage to the foundation and electrical system.[35]

In March 2017, the homeowners association filed suit against Millennium Partners, Webcor, Handel Architects, Treadwell & Rollo, DeSimone Consulting Engineers, Arup, and Transbay Joint Powers Authority. They are seeking $200 million to cover repairs and damages.[36]

In early September 2018, residents reported hearing various "creaking sounds". At around 2:30 a.m. on the morning of Saturday, September 8, 2018, residents reported hearing a loud "popping sound". On Sunday, the following day, a resident located in a corner unit on the 36th floor discovered a cracked window. The glass used in the building's windows and façade is rated to withstand hurricane-force winds, leading to concern that the crack was a symptom of a much larger structural failure.[37]

Again in March 2023, the San Francisco Fire Department,[38] as well as numerous first-hand witnesses, reported panes of glass falling from the tower during a windstorm. These panes fell and shattered near pedestrians on Mission Street. No injuries were reported.

Underpinning Millennium Tower

On December 4, 2018, Ronald Hamburger, the senior principal engineer at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, revealed in a press release a final resolution to the Millennium Tower's tilting and sinking problem by underpinning the building. The proposed solution would have involved the installation of 52 piles along the north and west sides of the tower beneath the sidewalk that reach down 250 ft (76.2 m) into the bedrock of downtown San Francisco and be tied with the original 60–90 ft (18.3–27.4 m) deep foundation piles. It was estimated that about 50% of the tilt could be evened out over a period of 10 years as the south and eastern sides of the building would come back into re-alignment with the now sunken north and western sides of the building, at which point the remaining south and eastern sides of the building can be anchored to the bedrock, permanently resolving the tilting and sinking of the building. The fix was estimated to cost about $100 million.[39] [40] The lawsuits are being consolidated into a global agreement and work was expected to start in mid-November 2020.[41] Funding for the fix includes $30 million from taxpayers via the Transbay Joint Powers Authority.[42]

In November 2020, the $100 million "perimeter pile upgrade" repair project began with a planned 52 pilings to be sunk to bedrock. These pilings would be tied to the existing foundation to mitigate further sinking. The building's tilting problem came under renewed scrutiny following the deadly collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, in June 2021.[43] The repair project was halted in August 2021 after monitoring indicated that the building had unexpectedly sunk an additional inch on the Fremont Street side after 39 of the 52 piles were installed. The one inch drop translates to an additional 5 inches of lean on the 58th floor.[44] On September 10, 2021, San Francisco city officials told Millennium Tower management to not resume construction work until the city reviews an updated construction approach.[45] In February 2022, Hamburger had also discovered that the tower had moved one inch away from an adjacent building containing the parking garage. This gap does not pose a structural safety hazard and is unlikely to worsen during repair work, but reversing the shift would allow the reopening of one of the parking garage elevators.[46]

In August 2022, San Francisco building officials agreed to a scaled-down plan to allow engineers to do the work needed to support one corner of the building. The revised plan relies on just 18 piles, instead of the original 52, to anchor the high-rise to bedrock on the two sides where it leans and tilts the most, on Mission and Fremont streets. With the scaled-down plan, the fix was completed in June 2023.[47] [48]

Awards

The building has garnered several awards from several engineering and architectural organisations.

Notable residents

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Emporis building ID 149912 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160315033836/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/149912 . dead . March 15, 2016 . Emporis.
  2. News: Dineen . J. K. . Millennium Tower soars to new heights . March 29, 2011 . . March 28, 2010 . registration.
  3. News: McPhate. Mike. 2016-09-14. California Today: A Leaning Tower in San Francisco. The New York Times. November 3, 2016.
  4. Design of the Tallest Reinforced Concrete Structure in California: A 58-Story Residential Tower in San Francisco . Derrick D. . Roorda . Nicolas J. . Rodrigues . Structures Congress 2008: Crossing Borders . 1–9 . American Society of Civil Engineers . 10.1061/41016(314)85 . March 29, 2011-->.
  5. Book: Taranath, Bungale S. . Reinforced concrete design of tall buildings . 768 . CRC Press . 2009 . 978-1-4398-0480-3.
  6. News: J. K. . Dineen . Millennium Pours on Condos . San Francisco Business Times . June 15, 2007 . January 21, 2010 . registration.
  7. News: Patrick . Hoge . Planners approve 58-story Tower; 301 Mission St. would be S.F.'s 4th-Tallest . August 1, 2003 . San Francisco Chronicle . September 29, 2007.
  8. Web site: 345 California Center . https://web.archive.org/web/20150221103644/http://www.emporis.com/buildings/118794/345-california-center-san-francisco-ca-usa . dead . February 21, 2015 . . August 14, 2007.
  9. Web site: Millennium Tower (San Francisco) . Enclos Corp . March 11, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130516012058/http://www.enclos.com/project/millennium_tower/ . May 16, 2013 . mdy.
  10. News: M. . Robinson . A tech exec just bought the penthouse in San Francisco's sinking skyscraper for $13 million . . December 16, 2016 . January 2, 2017.
  11. News: High-end home sales soar in Bay Area . San Francisco Chronicle . February 16, 2008 . February 17, 2008 . James . Temple.
  12. News: A chance to reach new heights / Towers could energize S.F. skyline . San Francisco Chronicle . John . King . December 21, 2003 . September 29, 2007.
  13. News: Damion . Matthews . RN74 at the Millennium Tower . SFLUXE . May 25, 2009 . March 11, 2011.
  14. News: Rare peek into S.F.'s ultra-luxe Millennium Tower corner unit. Anna Marie. Erwert. SFGate. September 24, 2015.
  15. News: 58-story skyscraper seeking S.F. approval / Proposal for city's fourth-highest tower . Gerald D. . Adams . May 18, 2002 . December 28, 2013 . San Francisco Chronicle.
  16. Web site: The Big Sink . Modern Luxury . November 5, 2017.
  17. News: Millennium Tower's Sinking Foretold by Earlier Project . KNTV News . Jaxon . Van Derbeken . 2021-09-30 . en.
  18. News: Bob . Egelko . Kevin . Fagan . Man scales S.F. tower to publicize his message . San Francisco Chronicle . September 7, 2010 . September 29, 2016.
  19. News: Millennium Tower in San Francisco is a $750M sellout . San Francisco Business Times . J. K. . Dineen . April 5, 2013 . April 6, 2013.
  20. News: Tarmy . James . Mehrotra . Kartikay . Unstable home life . August 11, 2023 . Bloomberg News . February 4, 2017 . The shine faded on May 10, 2016, when Agabian attended a homeowners association meeting and was informed that the building had sunk 16 inches into the earth and tilted over 15 inches at its tip and 2 inches at the base, according to suits filed by residents and the city of San Francisco..
  21. News: Associated Press . Leaning San Francisco tower seen sinking from space . . November 29, 2016 . 2016-11-28.
  22. Web site: Owners at 'Leaning Tower of San Francisco' Knock Condo Values to Zero . October 4, 2016 . Wolf Street .
  23. Smiley . Lauren . Eskenazi . Joe . The Big Sink . San Francisco Magazine . October 21, 2016 . October 24, 2016.
  24. News: Gecker . Jocelyn . Tilting, Sinking San Francisco High-Rise Raises Alarm . . . October 24, 2016 . October 24, 2016.
  25. News: Phillip . Matier . Andrew . Ross . August 1, 2016 . San Francisco Chronicle . SF's landmark tower for rich and famous is sinking and tilting . August 2, 2016.
  26. News: San Francisco's sinking, leaning tower adds cracked window to list of woes . Wong . Julia Carrie . Julia Carrie Wong . 2018-09-06 . . . en . 2018-09-27.
  27. News: Why San Francisco's sinking Millennium Tower is now a top tourist destination . King . John . 2018-09-15 . San Francisco Chronicle . en.
  28. News: Underground Wall Could Be Hitch for SF's Millennium Tower Fix Plan. Van Derbeken . Jason . 2022-05-12 . . en.
  29. Evidence does not support Millennium Partners' claim that the TJPA's dewatering is the cause of the excessive vertical settlement and tilting of the Millennium Tower . Boule . Scott . September 20, 2016 . Transbay Joint Powers Authority . June 15, 2017.
  30. Dorsey, Matt (February 7, 2017). “Millennium Tower Homeowners Tap Petrocelli as Lead Counsel, Rounding Out All-Star Legal Team Prior to Lawsuit”, O’Melveny & Meyers Press Release, San Francisco. Retrieved August 18, 2017.
  31. News: Tarmy . James . Mehrotra . Kartikay . Who Will Pay for San Francisco's $750 Million Tilting Tower? . February 2, 2017 . . February 1, 2017.
  32. News: Dineen . J. K. . City attorney sues Millennium developer – says buyers duped . San Francisco Chronicle . November 3, 2016.
  33. News: Skinner . Curtis . San Francisco city attorney sues developer of sinking luxury tower . Reuters . November 3, 2016 . 2016-11-03 .
  34. News: Joseph . Serna . Peter H. King . November 3, 2016 . San Francisco sues developer over sinking skyscraper . . November 3, 2016.
  35. News: Dineen . J. K. . Sinking Millennium Tower safe to live in, city report concludes . February 2, 2017 . San Francisco Chronicle . January 27, 2017.
  36. News: Millennium Tower San Francisco homeowners strike back with $200 million lawsuit . April 5, 2017 . BuzzBuzzHome News . Veteto . Valerie . September 30, 2021 . en-US .
  37. News: Millennium Tower window crack could signal bigger problem, report says. Dominic. Fracassa. John. King. San Francisco Chronicle. September 7, 2018. September 30, 2021.
  38. @SFFDPIO. March 22, 2023. @SFFDPIO. 1638554743953059841.
  39. News: New Project Aims To Reinforce, Level Out Millennium Tower. 2018-12-04. en-US. 2021-09-30. Caen. Melissa. KPIX News.
  40. News: Leaning Millennium Tower Submits $100 Million Fix Plan. Van Derbeken. Jaxon . KNTV News. en. December 4, 2018. 2019-10-01.
  41. News: Chamings. Andrew. 2020-07-28. After sinking 18 inches, SF's Millennium Tower finally has a fix. 2020-07-30. San Francisco Chronicle. en.
  42. News: Matier. Phil. 2020-10-21. Tilting Millennium Tower fix will cost taxpayers $30 million. 2020-10-25. San Francisco Chronicle. en.
  43. News: Surfside catastrophe raises concerns about San Francisco's sinking Millennium Tower. CNN. Simon. Dan. Jones. Julia. Sanchez. Ray. July 5, 2021. July 5, 2021.
  44. News: Chamings . Andrew . San Francisco's Millennium Tower fix halted after further sinking observed . 27 August 2021 . San Francisco Chronicle . August 25, 2021.
  45. News: Li . Roland . S.F. tells Millennium Tower to not resume repair work until plans are reviewed . San Francisco Chronicle . September 10, 2021.
  46. News: Van Derbeken . Jaxon . Millennium Tower Foundation Is Sliding as Building Sinks and Tilts . NBC Bay Area . 23 February 2022.
  47. News: Dineen . J.K. . 21 June 2023 . Millennium Tower: Engineer says $100 million fix has improved S.F. building's famous lean . San Francisco Chronicle.
  48. Web site: Van Derbeken . Jaxon . 20 June 2023 . Troubled Millennium Tower fix reaches key milestone . NBC Bay Area.
  49. News: Whiting . Sam . Joe Montana finds empty nest in San Francisco . San Francisco Chronicle . July 6, 2010 . April 7, 2012.
  50. Web site: Tom Perkins's Penthouse in Sinking Millennium Tower Sells . Candace . Taylor . December 16, 2016 . . subscription.