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Commission approves 42‑story 95 Hawthorne tower after shadow review and community commitments
Summary
The Planning Commission approved downtown project authorization and shadow findings for a 42‑story residential tower at 95 Hawthorne, which will deliver 392 units including 55 below‑market units and provide limited parking and dedicated supportive‑housing funding streams tied to other policy actions.
The Planning Commission voted to approve a downtown project authorization and the required shadow findings for a proposed 42‑story residential tower at 95 Hawthorne Street.
The project, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and sponsored by the property owner, proposes roughly 444 feet of height, 392 apartments (199 one‑bedrooms, 144 two‑bedrooms and 49 three‑bedrooms), and 55 below‑market‑rate units. The plan provides about 107 vehicle parking spaces (a ratio well under the district cap) and a suite of bicycle, loading and car‑share accommodations.
Planning staff said the proposal meets the Transit Center and Downtown plan objectives and, after review, the Recreation and Parks Commission recommended that shadows from the project would not cause a significant adverse impact on Guy Place Mini Park. The applicant said the design intentionally steps, sets back and sculpts massing to protect neighboring light, ventilation and views and to provide improved public realm conditions, including wider sidewalks and retail activation.
Labor unions and community groups testified in support of the project, noting union construction commitments, family‑sized unit mix, and the replacement of a vacant office building. Several community organizations also asked for commitments to mitigate any local impacts and for monitoring during construction; the applicant agreed to community outreach and to provide public benefits described in the project record.
Commissioners asked detailed questions about shadow modeling, sidewalk improvements, and ground‑floor design. The commission adopted the staff recommendations and approved the downtown project authorization with conditions, including the standard project mitigation and monitoring provisions. The action was recorded as unanimous (4–0) on the roll call.
The approval relies on state density bonus law for additional units and waivers; the project will move next through the building‑permit and Mello‑Roos / public‑benefits coding steps required for downtown projects.
