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Planning Commission grants three‑year extension for 1095 Market Street with benchmarks
Summary
The commission approved a three‑year extension for entitlements at 1095 Market Street, conditioning the extension on specific benchmarks (site permit application within one year and first construction permit application within two years) after hearing concerns from the supervisor's office and neighborhood advocates.
The San Francisco Planning Commission on Nov. 21 approved a three‑year extension of the conditional use authorization for 1095 Market Street, adding conditions that the developer apply for a site permit within one year and for the first construction permit within two years.
Planning staff summarized the request as an amendment to the conditions of approval to extend the performance period for a conversion of the historic Grama Building into a hotel/hostel and associated commercial uses. Jim Abrams, attorney for the owner 1095 Market LLC, said the applicant faced financing and litigation setbacks since the 2010 approval but was now ready to move forward and asked for a standard three‑year extension.
April Veneraso from Supervisor Kim’s office told commissioners the supervisor was concerned about the vacant building’s location on Market Street and preferred a shorter extension but would support a three‑year continuance if the extension were conditioned on measurable benchmarks. "We would be supportive of a 3 year continuance, but we would like to see some very specific benchmarks," Veneraso said, asking for a site permit application within the next 3 months, site permit approval within a year and construction permits within two years.
Commissioners pressed applicants about fallback plans if benchmarks were missed and discussed realistic timelines given the City’s backlog for site and construction permits. The project sponsor agreed to a condition that the site permit be applied for within one year and that the first construction permit be applied for within two years; the commission recorded its motion to grant a three‑year extension with those conditions and voted unanimously 6–0 in favor.
Outcome and next steps: The extension maintains the project’s entitlements for three years subject to the application benchmarks; if the owner fails to meet the conditions the entitlements could lapse and future approvals would have to start over.
