So who knew that there is enough land left to not only build 34 new homes, but add a new street, too? That’s the plan being floated for a new development on the northwest side of Mount Sutro called San Francisco Overlook. The new street, the name of which I haven’t been able to determine, would be accessed via Crestmont Drive in the Forest Knolls neighborhood.
The plans call for 34 new duplex townhomes and attached single townhomes, the maximum number of parking spaces allowed by city planning code per home (1.5), at least one car-share parking space, lots of fire-safety features (important when living in a eucalyptus forest), and of course, many green building features such as radiant floor heat, skylights, and recycled cotton insulation. The parking allowance is definitely contrary to the “transit first” approach taken in South Beach and Rincon Hill, where there is less than one parking space allowed per new condo unit, but in this part of town, there are simply no public transit options.
There were rumblings a few years ago about new development in this area, with yard signs protesting it in abundance, but the issue seemed to fall off the radar. Now San Francisco Overlook is getting the word out about two community meetings, to be held at the Clarendon Elementary School auditorium, 500 Clarendon Avenue, on May 3 and May 4, from 7-9 pm.
Because this is San Francisco and we need housing (“just not near ME!” cry the NIMBYs), these meetings will no doubt provide all manner of impassioned theater. I just read about the project the first time this morning so I haven’t formed an opinion yet, but I signed up for updates from the developer and I’ll make up my mind when I have more information.
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Very nice of our friends at Zephyr to float this plan so uncritically on the web for Overlook LLC. Is it that hard for a Realty firm to see the advantage of leaving good enough alone?
There are still a very few remnants of virgin dirt and rock left in San Francisco where anyone can walk their dog, pick blackberries with their kids, spot a garter snake or sit and watch the Pacific roll in from the Farallones, small remnants that should not be sacrificed to the bulldozer and concrete of out of town investors.
The Overlook LLC partners who are from Russia, Connecticut and elsewhere undisclosed got that one acre view site on the S.F. courthouse steps really cheap as distressed property for a mere $1.25 million. Why so cheap? Because it is in the words of its former owner unbuildable: an extremely steep and unstable cliff with mud and rock slides every rainy season. One such slide dumped an entire new 3 storey house in the middle of Warren Drive. Talk about a slippery slope!
And the residents of the neighborhood (some your loyal clients) hate the idea of such an outsized development quite literally right in their front room window. We are not talking affordable housing here. To stabilize the slope would cost $20-30 million and drive the unit price upwards of a million. Huge trucks of concrete and drilling rigs would destabilize the residences above irreparably. The minimum required insurance would not suffice. Overlook goes belly up and walks away because that is what Limited Liability Corporation means. .
I don’t think San Francisco has forgotten the huge fiasco of the slide off Telegraph Hill of existing homes into the newly developed construction below it. Or the slide of that house down Warren Drive. We will see.
Paul,
Thanks for your comment. It sounds like your mind is firmly made up, but as I wrote in my post:
” I just read about the project the first time this morning so I haven’t formed an opinion yet, but I signed up for updates from the developer and I’ll make up my mind when I have more information.”
Development in San Francisco is inevitably fraught with controversy, with neighbors in areas adjacent to proposed construction sites almost always feeling that there are other locations that are better options.
Balancing our city’s need for housing with the need for open spaces and recreational opportunities will always be a challenge, and I look forward to learning more about this proposed development before taking a personal position (if, indeed, I ever do).
I also want to be clear that the information shared on my website does not represent the views of my brokerage, and I do not speak for Zephyr.
Thanks for taking the time to comment and to share the information that you did.
Britton
There are numerous issues regarding the proposed SF Overlook Development that make the neighbors in the Mt. Sutro and Forest Knolls neighborhoods lose sleep. These are serious issues that relate to our safety first and foremost.
SAFETY FEARS
The proposed development would
- Extend an already long, narrow and winding cul-de-sac even farther (Crestmont Drive is San Francisco’s longest cul-de-sac)
- Add much more traffic endangering drivers, pedestrians and children (Keep in mind that there is no easy access to public transportation)
- Create additional risk regarding access and passage for emergency vehicles
- Destabilize the hillside above and below
NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACT
- Change in the character of the neighborhood
- Loss of green space
- Insufficient parking
- No public transportation
- More traffic and parking congestion in Forest Knolls
… and these are only some of the major issues regarding this proposed development!
The neighborhood is justly terrified of the impact that this massive 34 condo development will impose on the community.
Please visit http://www.CrestmontPreservation.org for additional information and updates.
Britton:
You uncritically and unabashadly pass on the hype you get from the developer who is pouring money into the Planning Commission. That’s my point. Get a community conscience. It may help your bottom line.
Paul,
I’m not sure if you are aware of it or intend it, but your comments are coming across as mean-spirited attacks on Britton’s character and motives.
While I respect your passion on the issue, I’m going to ask you politely to treat others on our site with the same respect I believe you are entitled to. If I believe any future comments reflect an inability by you to do so, you will be banned from commenting on our site.
I believe from looking at the Crestmont Preservation website that was helpfully shared by Samuel Sobol, MD that you are the same Paul Gorman listed as the “Information” contact. I’d hope that as an ambassador of your organization you’d be interested in engaging in meaningful dialog, not personal attacks.
Britton didn’t uncritically and unabashadly pass on information from the developer – in her research for the post she was unable to find your website, or any other that presented a differing viewpoint.
We spend a lot of time doing SEO for our client’s properties. This is something we could probably help your organization with, it’s unfortunate that our first interactions have been characterized by such negativity.