The prospect of a large mixed-use development on a 17-acre parking lot in the center of San Francisco took a substantial step forward this week.
"San Francisco Mayor London Breed has finalized an agreement with the developers of the Balboa Reservoir, a key milestone in winning approvals of a controversial plan that would add 1,100 homes to the 17-acre parking lot next to City College," reports J.K. Dineen in a paywalled article for the San Francisco Chronicle.
"The development agreement includes a commitment that the developers — Bridge Housing, AvalonBay and Mission Housing — make 550 of the units affordable," adds Dineen "It will also include 4 acres of open space, a large child care center, a community center, and $10 million in fees to the city for transit and infrastructure improvements."
Ida Mojadad also reported on the project at the beginning of April, before the recent agreement, providing additional background on the most recent iteration of a project that has fought against local opposition for years. Additional background on the project is available at the project website and the San Francisco Planning website.
Read the full story: Mayor London Breed seals deal for 1,100 new homes near Balboa Park BART
After Decades of Failure, 1,000-Plus Homes Coming to the Balboa Reservoir in San Francisco
Four developers tried, and four developers failed, until the San Francisco Board of Supervisors changed the story in August 2020.
San Francisco to Reconsider Inclusionary Zoning as Development Slows to a Crawl
Critics of inclusionary zoning frequently point to San Francisco as an example of what not to do. A sluggish year of development has some local politicians ready to reconsider the city’s program.
900 Affordable Housing Units on Multiple Sites Planned by San Francisco
The city has selected developers for an ambitious approach to affordable housing development on nine sites across the city.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
In Texas, data centers are swallowing promised parkland
Residents who moved to Taylor, Texas for a rural community now have to contend with three data centers in their backyard.
How a Chicago-sized wind farm beat the odds and powered on
The project spanned five presidential administrations and a standoff with a U.S. military base.
MTA gives itself 30 days to transform pit into basketball court
The site has been under construction since 2022; the city originally estimated it would finish the court in 2024.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority