Historic Preservation Commission approves 72 Ellis Street Citizen M hotel with amended conditions

The San Francisco Historic Preservation Commission on June 7 approved a permit to alter for a proposed 12‑story, 130‑foot Citizen M hotel at 72 Ellis Street, voting 4‑0 to adopt staff recommendations with one amendment that removed a proposed limestone guardrail treatment and asked staff and the sponsor to consider alternatives.

Sponsor representatives described the project as a 192‑room hotel with publicly accessible retail frontage and a new publicly oriented open space, built on a site currently used for surface parking. The proposed design uses a limestone rain screen at the Market Street frontage and a punched‑opening rhythm for guestroom facades; sponsor representatives noted material choices, vertical emphasis and alternate banding options developed in response to Architectural Review Committee guidance.

Neighbors and downtown stakeholders raised concerns at the HPC hearing about construction impacts, traffic and parking. James Flood, who owns a building across the street, said Ellis is narrow and asked how construction and loading would be managed; the Union Square Business Improvement District representative urged project outreach to district stakeholders. Dan Fratton of Reuben, Junius & Rose, legal counsel for Citizen M, said there are no plans for on‑site parking and "I don't believe there are any current plans to make arrangements with a parking operator."

After design questions and a discussion about the rooftop guardrail treatment, Commissioner (mover) proposed approving the project with two of three staff recommendations, removing the guardrail condition and adding that alternatives may be explored; the motion was seconded, and commissioners Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman and Chair Hyland all voted yes. The commission’s action approves the permit to alter with the amended conditions and records the commission’s recommendations to the Planning Commission and project sponsor.