Residential tower proposed for South City: Condos could be built in the second leg of Centennial Tower project

Economic and Community Development Director Alex Greenwood said the project is still in its exploratory stages, but was optimistic it might move forward through the city’s planning process.

“We feel this is potentially a really interesting project,” he said. “It introduces high-quality housing with stunning views of the Bay, directly adjacent to our biotech cluster.”

Myers completed the first tower and opened it for office space rental in 2008. But a slow economy delayed the construction of the second tower.

Susy Kalkin, chief planner for the city, said officials are beginning to inspect the potential environment impact of the project and suggested that it could move quickly through the planning stages.

If everything goes smoothly, it could be approved by City Council as soon as this summer, said Kalkin.

“We are excited to see this building go up,” she said.

Councilwoman Karyl Matsumoto echoed those sentiments, and advocated for the possibility of the housing being built in the tower, as the project fits in nicely with the city’s revitalization effort.

“I’m hopeful it comes to fruition,” she said.

Matsumoto, who described the initial phase of the project as the “creme de la creme,” expressed her admiration for the way Myers built the first tower.

The council recently passed its downtown plan, which is a reenvisioning of how the region around the Caltrain station. But there is a larger effort to rejuvenate the economy in South San Francisco.

Greenwood said the proposal also includes building a restaurant in the second tower, which would diversify the region near San Bruno Mountain currently home mostly to biotechnology companies.

He expressed hesitation about addressing the project in any certain terms, due to it being only in initial planning stages. He also said the city needs to ensure that housing was the correct proposal for the area, which is not zoned for residential development.

“It is badly desired by our community,” he said. “But whether it is the right project for that location, we have to look at that very closely.”

Original plans for the project came to the city in 2006, which called for spending $325 million to build two towers on 8 acres of land bringing in two large office buildings. The proposal also featured a grocery store, small retail shops, a 150-seat theater and plaza area.

Initially, the new north tower was slated to be taller, featuring 21 stories, about 17,000 square feet per floor and a football shape with the point directed at Highway 101.

Kalkin said that most recent proposal envisions the second tower as a taller, more slender model of the glass-exterior office building designed by Skidmore Owings and Merrill.

Should the project move forward as a residential development, it would be unique for the city and the rest of the region.

“It could be the type of housing project we do not have in this part of the Peninsula,” Greenwood said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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