Notice that an environmental impact report is determined to be required : [55 Ninth Street]

54 Pages·2002·3.1 MB·English

by  San Francisco (Calif.). Planning Dept

SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY
^
3 ,223 0766^5179 DEPARTMENT
City and County of San Francisco • 1660 Mission Street, Suite500 • San Francisco, California • 94103-2414
MAINNUMBER DIRECTOR'SOFFICE ZONINGADMINISTRATOR PLANNINGINFORMATION COMMISSIONCALENDAR
[phone] PHONE:[phone] PHONE:[phone] PHONE:[phone] INFO:558-6422
4THFLOOR 5THFLOOR MAJORENVIRONMENTAL INTERNETWEBSITE
FAX:[phone] FAX:[phone] FAX:[phone] WWW.SFGQV.ORG/PLANN1NG
NOTICE THAT AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
DETERMIND TO BE REQUIRED
IS
Date ofthis Notice: November 30, 2002
Lead Agency: San Francisco PlanningDepartment DOCUMENTS
DEPT.
1660Mission Street, Suite 500
SanFrancisco, CA 94103-2414
Agency Contact Person: ArtAguilar Telephone: [phone] °EC - 2 2002
SAN
FRANCISCO
;et PUBLIC LIBRARY
ranee Fund
Telephone: [phone]
>ts 63 and 64
San Francisco PublicLibrary ition Insurance Fund (SCLF) proposes to expand their San Francisco office at 1275
1-story, approximately 268,000 square-foot office building at 55 Ninth Street. The
i is occupiedby a surface parking with about 173 parking spaces, located mid-block
Government Information Center ie block bounded by Market, Ninth, Mission, and Eighth Streets in the Mid-Market
SanFrancisco Public Library >e approximately 175 feet high, plus a 31-foot mechanical penthouse, and would
100 Larkin Street, 5th Floor space and a two-level below-grade parking garage with about 134 parking spaces.
SanFrancisco, CA 94102 >pace with and be connected to the adjacent SCLF office building (Lot 64) by a
REFERENCE BOOK rand apedestrian tunnel connection belowthe second level oftheparkinggarage. The
off-street parking and loading would be from Ninth Street. There would be four
ground level in the center of the building. Trucks would enter and exit on Ninth
Not to be taken from the Library Mission Street. The project site is zoned C-3-G (Downtown General Commercial)
>istrict. The proposed project would require authorization by the San Francisco
;isco Planning Code Section 309 (Permit Review in C-3 Districts) and Section 321
;ht and bulk reclassification, and exception to the bulk requirements. The proposed
an FranciscoDepartment ofPublic Works ofa merge ofLots 63 and 64.
THIS PROJECT MAY HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND AN ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT REPORT IS REQUIRED. This determination is based upon the criteria ofthe Guidelines ofthe State Secretary for
Resources, Section 15063 (Initial Study), 15064 (Determining Significant Effect), and 15065 (Mandatory Findings of
Significance), and the following reasons, as documented in the Environmental Evaluation (Initial Study) for the project, which
is attached.
Deadline for Filing ofan Appeal ofthis Determination to the Planning Commission: December 30, 2002. An appeal requires:
(1) a letter specifying the grounds for the appeal, and (2) a $209 filing fee. The public is invited to comment on the scope and
content ofthe ELR. Please provide the input on scope and contentoftheEIRbyDecember 30, 2002.
REF
711.4097 Review Officer
[
F4667n
NinthStreet
1

PLANNING DEPARTMENT
City and County of San Francisco • 1660 Mission Street, Suite500 • San Francisco, California • 94103-2414
MAINNUMBER DIRECTOR'SOFFICE ZONINGADMINISTRATOR PLANNINGINFORMATION COMMISSIONCALENDAR
[phone] PHONE:[phone] PHONE:[phone] PHONE:[phone] INFO:558-6422
4THFLOOR 5THFLOOR MAJORENVIRONMENTAL INTERNETWEBSITE
FAX:[phone] FAX:[phone] FAX:[phone] WWW.SFGQV.ORG/PLANN1NG
<NOTICE THAT ANENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
DETERMIND TO BE REQUIRED
IS
Date ofthis Notice: November 30, 2002
Lead Agency: San Francisco PlanningDepartment DOCUMENTS
DEPT.
1660Mission Street, Suite 500
SanFrancisco, CA 94103-2414
Agency Contact Person: Art Aguilar Telephone: [phone] - 2 2002
SAN
FRANCISCO
Project Title: 2001.1039E: 55 Ninth Street PUBLIC LIBRARY
Project Sponsor: State Compensation Insurance Fund
Project ContactPerson: DeniseBurian Telephone: [phone]
Project Address: 55 Ninth Street
Assessor's Block and Lot: Block 3701, Lots 63 and 64
City and County: SanFrancisco
Project Description: The State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) proposes to expand their San Francisco office at 1275
Market Street by constructing an adjacent 11-story, approximately 268,000 square-foot office building at 55 Ninth Street. The
project site (Assessor's Block 3701, Lot 63) is occupiedby a surface parking with about 173 parking spaces, located mid-block
on the northeastern side ofNinth Street in the block bounded by Market, Ninth, Mission, and Eighth Streets in the Mid-Market
neighborhood. The new building would be approximately 175 feet high, plus a 31-foot mechanical penthouse, and would
contain about 268,000 square feet of office space and a two-level below-grade parking garage with about 134 parking spaces.
The proposed building would share open space with and be connected to the adjacent SCIF office building (Lot 64) by a
pedestrian bridge located on the secondfloor and apedestrian tunnel connection belowthe second level oftheparkinggarage. The
entrance to the new building and access to off-street parking and loading would be from Ninth Street. There would be four
loading bays and a trash compactor on the ground level in the center of the building. Trucks would enter and exit on Ninth
Street and could exit to Laskie Street onto Mission Street. The project site is zoned C-3-G (Downtown General Commercial)
and is within a 120-X Height and Bulk District. The proposed project would require authorization by the San Francisco
Planning Commission pursuant to San Francisco Planning Code Section 309 (Permit Review in C-3 Districts) and Section 321
(Office Development: Annual Limit), a height and bulk reclassification, and exception to the bulk requirements. The proposed
project would alsorequire approvalby the San FranciscoDepartment ofPublic Works ofa merge ofLots 63 and 64.
THIS PROJECT MAY HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND AN ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT REPORT IS REQUIRED. This determination is based upon the criteria ofthe Guidelines ofthe State Secretary for
Resources, Section 15063 (Initial Study), 15064 (Determining Significant Effect), and 15065 (Mandatory Findings of
Significance), and the following reasons, as documented in the Environmental Evaluation (Initial Study) for the project, which
is attached.
Deadline forFiling ofan Appeal ofthis Determination to the Planning Commission: December 30, 2002. An appeal requires:
(1) a letter specifying the grounds for the appeal, and (2) a $209 filing fee. The public is invited to comment on the scope and
content ofthe EIR. Please provide the input on scope and content ofthe EIRbyDecember 30, 2002.
Paul Maltzer
Environmental Review Officer
2001.1039E: 55 NinthStreet
1
INITIAL STUDY
2001.1039E: 55 Ninth Street
PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND SETTING
I.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
A.
TheStateCompensationInsuranceFund(SCIF)proposestoexpandtheirSanFranciscoofficeat 1275MarketStreet
by constructing an adjacent 1 1-story, approximately 268,000 square-foot office building at 55 Ninth Street (Figure
1,page3). Theproposedprojectsite(Assessor'sBlock3701,Lot63) isoccupiedbyasurfaceparkinglotwithabout
173 parking spaces, located mid-block on the northeastern side ofNinth Street in the block bounded by Market,
Ninth,MissionandEighthStreetsintheMid-Marketneighborhood. Theexisting 1275 MarketStreetSCIFbuilding
occupies the adjacent Lot 64, to the northwest.
The new building would be approximately 175 feethigh, plus a 31-foot mechanical penthouse, and would contain
about268,000squarefeetofofficespaceandatwo-levelbelowgradeparkinggaragewithabout 134spaces(93 self-
park and 41 tandem), as shown in Figures 2 through 10, pages 3 to 12.
The proposed building would be connected to the existing adjacent approximately 325,000 square-foot State
CompensationInsuranceFundofficebuilding(occupyingLot64)byapedestrianbridgelocatedonthesecondfloor
and apedestrian/servicetunnel connectionbelowthe second level oftheparking garage. These connectionswould
allow for movement ofsupplies and would be accessible by freight elevator. The proposed steel frame building
would feature glass curtain walls with the southeast and southwest corners constructed ofnatural stone material to
echo the facade ofthe 1275 Market Street building.
Theproposedprojectwouldprovideapproximately25,392 squarefeetofexterior, landscapedopenspace available
to the public, that would be shared with the proposed new building and the existing 1275 Market Street building.
The entrance to the new building and access to off-street parking and loading would be from Ninth Street. There
would be four loading bays and a trash compactor on the ground level in the center ofthe building. Trucks would
enter and exit on Ninth Street and could also exit on Laskie Street, which connects with Mission Street.
Theprojectsite(Lot63) isapproximately35,800squarefeetinsizeandis located intheMid-Marketneighborhood.
The site is zoned C-3-G (Downtown General Commercial) and is within a 120-X Height and Bulk District. The
Floor Area Ratio is 6:1. The proposed project would require authorization by the San Francisco City Planning
Commission pursuant to Planning Code Section 309 (Permit Review in a C-3 District) and Section 321 (Annual
Limit on Office Development), a height and bulk reclassification, and an exception to the bulk requirements. The
proposed project would also require approval by the San Francisco Department ofPublic Works ofa merge ofLot
63 (the project site) and Lot 64 (the existing 1275 Market Street SCIF building).
2001.1039E: 55 Ninth Street 2
Source:DuringAssociates
REGIONAL LOCATION FIGURE
1
2001.1039E: 55 Ninth Street 3
MarketStreet
1275 Market Street
ExistingStateCompensation
InsuranceFundBldg
CD
to
Stevenson Street
55 Ninth Street
ProposedProject
ProperlyLine
Source:Hellmuth,Obata&Kassabaum,Inc.
SITE PLAN FIGURE 2
2001.1039E: 55 Ninth Street
03
CD
Source:Hellmuth,Obata&Kassabaum,Inc.
GROUND FLOOR PLAN FIGURE 3
2001.1039E: 55Ninth Street 5
li il
Connection
Bridge
Source:Hellmuth,Obata&Kassabaum,Inc.
SECOND FLOOR PLAN FIGURE 4
2001.1039E: 55 Ninth Street 6
Source:Hellmuth,Obata&Kassabaum,Inc.
TYPICAL UPPER FLOOR PLAN FIGURE 5
2001.1039E: 55Ninth Street 7
. 1
Storage
iElevLobby: ,[:fyi OS ' E ES El rl
y I! !!
n. . ,1
X.EIec.
Parking a
l-J o Elev
CO
JZ.
Q/C_O H M Jk ParkingI ^7V/1»S5 iH /Wat/erTa\nk\siXt" 0C-D I!i
/...A.. \
n
Hj CO
.••j •i st«.o
.-. I
..y.
ii Parking Bicycles
Pi
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,1.:
Source:Hellmuth,Obata&Kassabaum,Inc.
BASEMENT FLOOR PLAN—LEVEL FIGURE 6
1
2001.1039E: 55 Ninth Street 8