San Francisco's skyline could soon be dominated by a new architectural giant that would claim the title of the tallest building on the entire West Coast. The Salesforce Tower, designed by Pelli Clarke Partners and currently holding the distinction as San Francisco's tallest building and the second tallest on the West Coast at 1,070 feet, may soon face significant competition in the race for height supremacy.
Houston-based real estate development company Hines has recently submitted ambitious plans to the city for a massive 1,225-foot supertall skyscraper. This proposed tower is part of a comprehensive mixed-use redevelopment project planned for the former Pacific Gas & Electric campus located at 77 Beale Street in San Francisco's bustling financial district. The proposed site sits roughly one block away from the existing Salesforce Tower, creating a potential cluster of super-tall buildings in the area. Pacific Gas & Electric is currently in the process of relocating its headquarters operations to downtown Oakland, making the prime real estate available for redevelopment.
If constructed as planned, the proposed tower would stand an impressive 155 feet taller than the current 61-story Salesforce Tower, which was also originally developed by Hines before being sold to Boston Properties in 2019. More significantly, the new building would surpass the Wilshire Grand Center in Los Angeles, which currently holds the West Coast height record at 1,100 feet and stands as the tallest skyscraper in the United States outside of New York City and Chicago.
According to reporting by the San Francisco Chronicle, if the tower reaches its proposed height upon completion, it would rank as the 11th-tallest building in the entire United States. This would place it just 25 feet shorter than the iconic Empire State Building in New York City, putting it in truly elite company among America's architectural landmarks.
While an architect has not yet been officially named for this tentative project, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat has noted that Pickard Chilton has been selected to handle the master planning for the overall site development. This represents a significant architectural undertaking that extends far beyond just the proposed supertall tower.
The comprehensive redevelopment plan encompasses much more than the record-breaking tower alone. This current proposal follows an earlier development scheme by Hines for the same site that was ultimately scrapped, which had involved the renowned architectural firm Foster & Partners. The new plan includes the careful restoration of two historic office buildings located along Market Street, both of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, ensuring that the city's architectural heritage is preserved alongside modern development.
Additionally, the redevelopment scheme calls for converting a third existing office building on the site into a 120-unit residential complex, addressing San Francisco's ongoing housing needs. The plan also incorporates the creation of a new public park that would span more than one acre, providing valuable green space in the dense urban environment. The entire project would generate approximately 1.6 million square feet of new office space, significantly expanding the commercial capacity of the financial district.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie expressed enthusiasm for the project in a social media post, stating that Hines' proposal demonstrates "what's possible when people believe in our city's future." This endorsement from the mayor's office suggests potential political support for the ambitious development.
The proposed tower would mark another significant milestone in San Francisco's evolving skyline. Until the Salesforce Tower opened in 2018, the city's tallest building was William Pereira's distinctive Transamerica Pyramid, which was completed in 1972. The pyramid, which was recently renovated by Foster & Partners, held the title of San Francisco's tallest building for an impressive decades-long period in a city that was historically resistant to skyscraper development.
The construction timeline for the proposed supertall tower remains uncertain and is entirely dependent on the city's approval of the comprehensive development plan. The project will need to navigate San Francisco's complex planning and approval processes, which can be lengthy and involve extensive community input and environmental review.
