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Commission approves Family House schematic design for Mission Bay Block 7 East
Summary
The Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure approved environmental findings and the schematic design for Family House’s Block 7 East building in Mission Bay South, an 80‑unit free temporary housing facility for families receiving medical treatment, with conditions to refine ground‑floor activation, parking and security.
The Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure on March 18 approved environmental review findings under the California Environmental Quality Act and conditionally approved the combined basic concept and schematic design for Family House’s institutional building on Block 7 East in Mission Bay South.
Catherine Riley, the commission’s Mission Bay project manager, described the project as an 80‑guest‑room facility with office and activity space, 42 on‑site parking spaces, and a LEED Gold pursuit. Architect Richard Stacy presented the schematic layout, including L‑shaped clusters of rooms with central common areas, a landscape courtyard, transparent ground‑floor storefronts along Third Street, and an orange perforated scrim at a primary corner.
The project team said Family House has coordinated with UCSF on parking and shuttle access. Lorkin Kearney, the owner’s representative, estimated the project value at about $40,500,000. Alexandra Morgan, executive director of Family House, stated that “there is no rent. Everybody who stays at Family House stays for free,” and said the organization funds operations through private donations from individuals, corporations and foundations.
Commissioners raised several design concerns to be resolved in subsequent design development, including activation of the ground floor along the shared pedestrian walkway and Third Street, the visibility of active uses versus the garage face, and measures to ensure a single, secure public entrance. The architect said the team will pursue green‑screen plantings, strategic glazing/opaque glass decisions and coordination with the adjacent related project and streetscape elements to avoid blank walls and improve pedestrian interaction.
The commission approved the schematic design and environmental findings on a roll call vote (5 ayes). Staff said the approval is conditional: if design development results in significant departures from the current schematic, the project will return to the commission for further review; otherwise staff will handle the refinements during the design‑development phase.
Next steps: staff and the developer will proceed to design development and construction drawings; the project team anticipates mobilization in July, construction starting in August, and occupancy targeted for December 2015, subject to final approvals and any changes in the design.
