Commission reviews preservation alternatives for Freedom West 2 redevelopment; staff to study additional height/density variants

Planning Department staff presented preservation alternatives for the proposed Freedom West 2 redevelopment — a project that would demolish the existing Freedom West cooperative complex and rebuild new mixed‑use housing across nearly four city blocks. The presentation described a range of options including a no‑project alternative, a full preservation alternative retaining the northern half of the complex, and two partial‑preservation alternatives that would retain representative contributing buildings while permitting new construction.

Why it matters: Freedom West — developed in the early 1970s in partnership with Bethel AME Church — has historic associations with redevelopment-era efforts to provide housing for San Francisco’s African American community. The proposed project would create roughly 2,200 housing units and other uses but, as presented, would demolish the existing 22‑building complex, producing a significant and unavoidable impact to the identified historic resource under CEQA unless mitigation or alternatives are adopted.

What staff presented - Site and resources: Freedom West spans almost four city blocks bisected by McAllister Street and includes 22 buildings (382 units), landscape features and two community buildings; Bethel AME Church is adjacent and historically linked. - Project: The sponsor’s proposed project would demolish existing buildings and construct about 15 new buildings with heights varying up to 335 feet, creating roughly 2,200 housing units, 69,000 square feet of commercial space and a hotel, plus new green spaces. - Alternatives presented: no project; full preservation (retain and rehabilitate northern half of site, build on southern half); partial preservation 1 (retain northwest corner to preserve spatial relationship with Bethel AME Church); partial preservation 2 (retain peripheral contributing buildings and develop along Octavia corridor).

Commissioner and public comment - Commissioners probed whether a preservation alternative could achieve housing goals by shifting density (increasing height/massing on other blocks) so total unit counts would match the proposed project. Staff said increased heights had been explored but raised potential additional impacts (shadow, wind) and neighborhood‑scale concerns; staff agreed to examine those variants further for the draft EIR. - Commissioners and staff emphasized mitigation documentation: historic recordation (HABS/HALS), oral histories, and exploring national- or local‑register designation as part of mitigation and long‑term protection. - Project counsel and the development architect described the cooperative’s governance: the co‑op will retain ownership of certain new buildings; revenues from new affordable buildings would support the cooperative; remainder of land would transfer to the market‑rate developer after delivery of replacement coop housing. - Bethel AME Church submitted a letter of support and a $10 million commitment to the revitalization effort, noting the church’s historical role as sponsor of Freedom West.

Next steps - Planning staff will document commissioner recommendations and analyze additional preservation variants in the draft EIR, targeted for publication in January 2026; the final EIR is expected mid‑2026. - Staff will also incorporate enhanced mitigation and documentation measures (heritage documentation, oral histories, exploration of formal designation options) as part of the EIR process.