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Commission approves Alexandria Theater special use district to spur housing and preserve marquee
Summary
The Planning Commission voted 7-0 to recommend approval of the Alexandria Theater Special Use District, allowing taller housing, more family-size units, and preservation of key historic features, with a time limit for permit filing.
The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of an ordinance establishing the Alexandria Theater Special Use District at 5400 Geary Boulevard, a measure supporters say will enable adaptive reuse of the long-vacant Alexandria Theater into housing while preserving the building’s historic features.
Planning staff described the SUD as tailored to the site’s uniqueness: it would increase allowed height from 40 to 85 feet, eliminate the unit-density maximum, reduce required rear yard depth to 15 feet, allow dwelling units to face the reduced rear yard, raise the proportion of family-size (2–3 bedroom) units from 35 percent to 80 percent, and reduce the inclusionary requirement from 15 percent to 12 percent. The ordinance would also eliminate the conditional-use requirement for a theater change of use or demolition and include provisions to retain the theater’s marquee, blade sign, interior mural and chandelier.
Supervisor Connie Chan, who sponsored the ordinance, told commissioners the site has a long history of failed proposals and blight; she said the SUD sets a timeline and expectations for reactivation. Tina Tam of the Planning Department said the department recommends the ordinance, noting the street width and proposed rezoning make the taller building appropriate. Staff said there is no project application yet; the owner committed to submit a project if the SUD is enacted and to seek building permits within three years of the ordinance becoming effective.
Project representatives showed preliminary massing and said they plan roughly 75 housing units with a large share of family-sized apartments and preserved theater features. San Francisco Heritage and others testified in support of reuse and preservation. Commissioners pressed about labor standards and the developer’s timeline; staff said the legislation can encourage local hire but cannot require project-labor agreements and emphasized the SUD includes a three‑year deadline for obtaining a building permit.
The commission voted 7–0 to adopt a recommendation for approval. Staff said planned next steps include monitoring preservation work and holding informational hearings before Historic Preservation and the Planning Commission when a project application is filed.
