Planning Commission advances Candlestick/Hunters Point amendments and approves 1140 Harrison housing project

The San Francisco Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of amendments to the Candlestick Point and Hunters Point Shipyard Phase 2 redevelopment documents and design-for-development standards, and separately approved a conditional use authorization for 1140 Harrison — a 371-unit mixed-use project proposed by the Hanover Company.

Planning staff described the Phase 2 amendments as a re-visioning of the shipyard after the stadium alternative was removed from earlier plans; the revisions increase residential capacity modestly (staff cited an increase of about 172 dwelling units in the development program), expand park and open space by roughly 10.7 acres, and allow a transfer of up to 118,500 square feet of R&D office entitlement from the shipyard to Candlestick Point subject to Commission on Community Investment and Infrastructure approval. Jose Campos of the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure and architect Ben Tranel described design guidance to encourage adaptive reuse of large historic shipyard buildings and to frame new public spaces.

Hundreds of pages of public comment were entered; community advisory-committee members, neighborhood leaders and labor representatives repeatedly voiced support for the plan changes, saying the revised vision prioritizes open space, jobs and housing affordability. Reverend Carolyn Scott and others framed the redevelopment as a source of local jobs and renewed investment; the Planning Commission voted unanimously to forward the amendments with positive recommendations.

Separately, the commission approved a Conditional Use Authorization for 1140 Harrison, a 6–7 story project that would replace a vacant automotive repair building with about 371 rental units, ground-floor commercial, and a mid-block pedestrian alley. Kate Hartley of the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development described an inclusionary mechanism in which the project will use a credit resulting from protections for South Beach Marina Apartments to deliver permanent affordability for 101 units, enabling the project to meet its inclusionary obligation while preserving existing below-market housing.

Scott Udall of the Hanover Company told the commission the project would provide significant bicycle parking, streetscape improvements and a mid-block public alley to improve pedestrian access. Commissioners praised the design refinements — retention of a key brick wall on the property, articulation to meet neighborhood edge conditions, and a stronger mid-block public realm — and voted 6–0 to approve the project with conditions.

Next steps: the Candlestick/Hunters Point amendments will continue through OCII and Board channels for redevelopment approvals; the 1140 Harrison project moves forward under the planning department’s conditions and will proceed toward building-permit review with the inclusionary agreement recorded as specified.