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North Beach project under SB 423: developers present three-family, large-unit design at 2125 Powell Street
Summary
A project sponsor presented an SB 423 notice of intent for 2125 Powell Street in North Beach proposing three family-style units (each with multiple bedrooms) over ground-floor commercial space. Commissioners praised the design and family-sized units during an informational presentation.
John Goldman of Goldman Architects presented an SB 423 notice-of-intent informational package to the Planning Commission on May 22 for a project at 2125 Powell Street in the North Beach neighborhood.
Goldman said the proposal would replace an existing building that now houses a fencing club with a new building containing three "large family units" above a ground-floor commercial tenant and a garage. Each housing floor is described as three bedrooms plus a den (effectively configured as a four-bedroom scheme), with approximately 1,500 square feet per unit, private rear-yard access for the first-floor unit, roof decks for upper units, and a garage space intended for at least one dwelling. Goldman said the design requires excavating a few feet to provide higher commercial ceilings (about 11 feet) and a ramped entrance to provide wheelchair access to the commercial space.
Goldman said the project includes a limited-use, limited-access elevator, allowed for non‑ADA three-unit buildings, and that the developer considered alternate unit-count schemes (three, five and six units) but found larger schemes would require a fully accessible elevator (3,500-pound capacity) with substantially higher costs.
Commission Chair Moore and other commissioners uniformly praised the level of detail provided in the SB 423 presentation. Commissioner Moore called it a "treat" compared with other SB 423 submittals and said the project "respects a lot of the norms" in the area. Commissioner Brown said the proposal provided "a very modest and reasonable approach to providing family housing" in North Beach, noting the units are relatively compact but family-sized. Commissioner McGehee and Commissioner Burns echoed support, describing the project as a valuable opportunity to keep family-sized housing in North Beach.
Goldman concluded the five-minute presentation after showing drawings, floor plans and renderings. The commission closed public comment for the item and had no outstanding objections on the record.
Because this item was an SB 423 informational presentation, no formal commission vote was required at this hearing.
