Oceanwide Center, San Francisco Explained

Oceanwide Center
Status:Under Construction
Location:50 First Street
San Francisco, California
Coordinates:37.7903°N -122.3985°W
Groundbreaking Date:2016
Start Date:2017
Est Completion:unknown
Building Type:Commercial offices
Residential condominiums
Hotel
Roof:Tower I: 850feet
Tower II: 605feet
Architectural:Tower I: 910feet
Tower II: 625feet
Floor Count:Tower I: 61
Tower II: 54
Unit Count:Tower I: 111
Tower II: 169 hotel, 154 residential
Floor Area:Tower I: 1432872square feet
Tower II: 631638square feet
Architect:Foster + Partners
Heller Manus Architects
Structural Engineer:Magnusson Klemencic Associates
Developer:Oceanwide Center LLC
Owner:Oceanwide Holdings
References:[1] [2] [3]

Oceanwide Center is a mixed-use skyscraper complex on hold in the South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco, California, consisting of two towers.[4]

Design

The taller tower, located at 50 First Street, is expected to rise and contain 34 stories of office space below 19 floors with approximately 111 residential units.[2] The base of the tower includes a six-story tall, outdoor "urban room" of public open space.[5] The tower will feature diagonal, exterior bracing and taper towards the top, reminiscent of the John Hancock Center in Chicago.[6] If completed as proposed, the 905feet tower would become San Francisco's second-tallest building after Salesforce Tower, surpassing the long time record-holder, the Transamerica Pyramid.

The shorter tower, at 512 Mission Street, is planned to climb and will contain the 169-room Waldorf Astoria San Francisco hotel on the first 21 floors[7] and approximately 154 residential units on the upper 33 floors.[2] [8]

History

The parcels around 50 First Street were upzoned as part of the Transit Center District Plan approved in 2012 in conjunction with the new Salesforce Transit Center.[9] The parcels were originally assembled by developer David Choo and a plan was floated in 2007 for towers as tall as designed by Renzo Piano.[10] Choo was eventually forced to sell the property during the 2008 financial crisis.[11]

In 2013, TMG Partners and Northwood Investors acquired the property out of bankruptcy court for .[12] TMG and Northwood hired Foster + Partners and Heller Manus Architects to re-design the project.[13] In 2015, Beijing-based Oceanwide Holdings acquired the property for US$296 million.[14] [15] A groundbreaking ceremony for the buildings was held on December 8, 2016.[16] [17]

Construction on the shorter of the two towers was suspended in 2019 due to economic conditions.[18] Subsequently, the construction on the second, taller tower was also halted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic[18] and had not resumed construction as of May 2024.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Emporis building ID 1212107 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160307083804/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/1212107 . dead . March 7, 2016 . Emporis.
  2. Web site: Application for Downtown Authorization . San Francisco Planning Commission . June 5, 2015 . August 18, 2015.
  3. Web site: 50 First Street Tower 1 . The Skyscraper Center.
  4. News: A gasp-inducing plan for S.F. skyline, from the ground up . John . King . July 23, 2014 . San Francisco Chronicle.
  5. News: A Closer Look At Oceanwide Center's Proposed Public Open Space . Brittany . Hopkins . March 22, 2016 . Hoodline.
  6. News: New construction means rising expectations for Transbay district . John . King . January 25, 2016 . San Francisco Chronicle.
  7. Web site: Waldorf Astoria San Francisco Hotel Announced . August 9, 2016 . Hotel News Resource.
  8. News: Plans For San Francisco's Second Tallest Tower Are Taking Shape . August 17, 2015 . SocketSite.
  9. News: Planning's Towering Transit Center District Plan Decision: Approved . May 24, 2012 . SocketSite.
  10. News: Proposal to build two massive towers in SF . December 21, 2006 . John . King . San Francisco Chronicle.
  11. News: Prime San Francisco Transbay project on the block . June 1, 2008 . J.K. . Dineen . San Francisco Business Times.
  12. News: TMG Partners, Northwood to take over massive Transbay project . June 6, 2013 . J.K. . Dineen . San Francisco Business Times.
  13. Foster + Partners to design First and Mission Towers in San Francisco . March 27, 2014 . Foster + Partners.
  14. News: China's Oceanwide Holdings Looks to Transform First and Mission Site in San Francisco . February 4, 2015 . Nancy . Amdur . The Registry.
  15. News: Chinese developer to buy iconic First and Mission site for $300 million . Cory . Weinberg . January 14, 2015 . San Francisco Business Times.
  16. News: San Francisco's second-tallest building finally breaks ground . December 8, 2016 . Adam . Brinklow . Curbed SF.
  17. San Francisco's Oceanwide Center breaks ground . December 9, 2016 . Foster + Partners.
  18. News: Exclusive: Oceanwide pauses construction on second tower due to pandemic. Waxmann. Laura. San Francisco Business Times. October 29, 2020. April 2, 2021.