301 Mission Street is a development in the South of Market district of downtown San Francisco. A mixed-use, primarily residential development, it is the tallest residential building in San Francisco. The blue-gray glass, late-modernist buildings are bounded by Mission, Fremont, and Beale Streets, and the north end of the Transbay Transit Center site. 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, 645-foot-tall (197 m) condominium skyscraper. In total, the project has 419 residential units, with 53 of those units in the smaller tower. The tower's highest level, 58 floors above the ground, is listed as the 60th, because floors 13 and 44 are missing for superstitious reasons. The French restaurant and wine bar RN74 is housed on the ground floor of the skyscraper. Resident services include a private concierge and access to the 20,000-square-foot (1,900 m2) 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. In May 2016, residents were informed the main tower was both sinking and tilting, resulting in several lawsuits concerning repair costs and whether the tilt had been withheld from buyers.
Video Millennium Tower (San Francisco)
Description
Developed by Mission Street Development LLC, an affiliate of Millennium Partners, the US$350 million project was designed by Handel Architects, engineered by DeSimone Consulting Engineers and constructed by Webcor Builders. At 645 feet (197 m), it is the tallest concrete structure in San Francisco, the fourth tallest building in San Francisco overall, and the tallest since 345 California Street in 1986. It was also the tallest residential building west of the Mississippi River when finished (later surpassed by The Austonian in Texas). The tower is slender, with each floor containing 14,000 square feet (1,300 m2) of floor space. In addition to the 58-story tower, there is a 125-foot (38 m), 11-story tower on the northeast end of the complex. Between the two towers is a 43-foot (13 m), two-story glass atrium. In total, the project has 419 units.
The residences are said to be the priciest on the West Coast, with the penthouse unit selling for US$13 million in December 2016. The bottom 25 floors of the main tower are called Residences while the floors from 26 to the top have the name Grand Residences. The 53 units in the separate 12-story tower are called the City Residences. Below street level, there are 434 parking spaces in a five-level subterranean garage located under the 11-story tower. The building is located next to the site of the future Transbay Transit Center. Overall, the tower's design is intended to resemble a translucent crystal, and is a landmark for the Transbay Redevelopment and the southern skyline of San Francisco.
The development is also home to International Smoke, a restaurant and bar under the direction of Ayesha Curry and Chef Michael Mina, located on the ground floor of the skyscraper.
Maps Millennium Tower (San Francisco)
History
Millennium Partners first proposed the development in 2002 with 163 condominiums, 108 rentals and a 136-unit "extended stay" hotel rooms. The project was approved in 2003 by the S.F. Planning Commission 4-1 and construction began in 2005. The only against vote came from Planning Commissioner Sue Lee. 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 poured 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.
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.
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.
Sinking and tilting problem
After the issue was apparently disclosed in 2015, in 2016, the public was notified that the building was sinking and tilting. The foundation of the main tower is a concrete slab built on 60-90-foot-deep (18-27 m) concrete friction piles through the fill and Young Bay Mud, and embedded into dense Colma sand. 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 200 feet (61 m) below. An examination in 2016 showed the building had sunk 16 inches (41 cm) with a two-inch (5.1 cm) tilt at the base and an approximate six-inch (15 cm) tilt at the top of the tower. The building is leaning toward the northwest.
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). However, the sinking problem had reportedly started before TTC construction even broke ground, and TJPA asserted the building had already settled 10 inches (25 cm), well past the original maximum vertical settling prediction of 5.5 inches (14 cm) in 20 years, by the time TJPA began removing the timber piles under the prior Transbay Terminal in 2011. 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. Originally, the homeowners association had 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".
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. In breaking with Casselman and the homeowners association, Dodson has regarded Millennium Partners as the responsible culprit.
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. Mission Street Developers rejected the city's claims.
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.
As of 2017, a city inspection has found that the building is still safe to occupy, though there has been damage to the foundation and electrical system.
In March 2017, the homeowners association filed suit against Millennium Partners, Webcor, Handel Architects, Treadwell & Rollo, Langan, DeSimone Consulting Engineers, Arup, and Transbay Joint Powers Authority. They are seeking $200 million to cover repairs and damages.
Awards
The building has garnered several awards from several engineering and architectural organisations.
- 2008: American Concrete Institute Awards, Northern California - Construction
- 2008: Concrete Industry Board - Roger H. CIB Award of Merit
- 2009: American Society of Civil Engineers, Region 9 - Structural Engineering Project of the Year
- 2008: American Society of Civil Engineers, San Francisco Section - Outstanding Structural Engineering Project
- 2009: Metal Architecture Magazine - April 2009 edition Top Honor
- 2009: California Construction - Outstanding Project Management
- 2009: California Construction - Multi-family/Residential, Award of Merit
- 2010: San Francisco Business Times - Deal of the Year Award
- 2010: San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Business Awards - Building San Francisco Award
Notable residents
- Joe Montana
- Hunter Pence
- Kevin Durant
- Craig Ramsey
- Tom Perkins
- Drew Houston
Gallery
See also
- List of tallest buildings in San Francisco
References
External links
- Official website
Source of article : Wikipedia
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