55 Francisco Development

Developer Doug Rosenberg is proposing to build 3 stories containing 51 luxury condominiums atop a 3-story garage adjacent to the historic McGraw Hill building also owned by Mr. Rosenberg. A recent Notice of Environmental Review drew much public response and as a result the Major Environmental Department of the San Francisco Planning Department is requiring the developer to conduct three studies: a traffic impact study, a visual impact study and a shadow study. The developer will select the consultant that will conduct each study and pay for each consultant's study. The developer has also applied for a conditional use permit through the Planning Department. A subdivision of air rights is also required to enable the condominium sales. Planner Mark Luellen and Environmental Analyst Art Aguilar are the San Francisco City employees handling this development. A group called "Stop 55 - Preserve Our Waterfront" has spearheaded an effort opposed to this development and focused on urban design, parking and traffic issues. This group's website is www.ziss.com/stop55.

THD Contact: Vedica Puri, Tel. 433-8000

Planning Dept. Contact: Mark Luellen, Tel. 558-6478, Fax 558-6409

Environmental Planner (EIR): Art Aguilar, Tel. 558-5973, Fax 558-5991

DPW Contact-Subdivision Issues: Cheryl Herrera, Tel. 554-5347 (ref. Block 56, Lot 6)

The City initially issued a Preliminary Mitigated Negative Declaration (PMND) in January 2006, which was a result of the City's environmental review of the project. The PMND concluded that although the project could have significant environmental impacts, those impacts could be mitigated and no further environmental impact study was necessary. The Stop 55 Francisco group, through its counsel Sanger & Olson, and the THD appealed the PMND and an appeal hearing was set for May 25, 2006 before the Planning Commission. The purpose of the appeal would have been to ask the Planning Commission to require the developer to prepare an environmental impact report (EIR) instead of a PMND. The hearing was then delayed to July 13, 2006.

The most recent news is that the City, in light of the opposition and pending appeal hearing, essentially reverses its conclusion that further environmental study is not needed, and has instead issued a document called "Notice of Preparation of Environmental Impact Report." The next issue up is the SCOPE of the EIR. Click here for a copy of this notice (PDF, 156KB).