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Commission approves 1650 Broadway project with limits on penthouse, car‑share encouragement and construction hours
Summary
After extensive neighbor testimony, the commission approved a revised 34‑unit Broadway development with conditions: cap on penthouse expansion, encouragement of 1–2 car‑share spaces (on/off‑site), construction limited to weekdays 7AM–8PM, and direction to assist nearby Ramos property on required tie‑in work.
Following several rounds of outreach and design revisions, the Planning Commission approved a modified plan for a multi‑unit development at the 1600–1660 block of Broadway on a 4–3 vote.
Project sponsors presented design changes including a larger light well (about 160% of the minimum), reduced glazing on the facade and other architectural adjustments. They said the building could still accommodate 34 units after the light‑well and other concessions.
Neighbors and tenant associations gave extensive public comment, raising concerns about loss of light and air for adjacent properties, privacy, parking adequacy for family‑sized units, construction noise and the integrity of the sponsor’s outreach. Grosvenor Properties and other neighbors later signaled conditional support after the sponsor increased the light well and altered windows.
Commissioner discussion centered on whether to permit the sponsor’s requested reallocation of 500 square feet lost to the light well by adding penthouse area. Commissioners questioned whether a penthouse trade‑off was appropriate; the sponsor offered to limit the requested addition if the commission approved the project.
Commissioner Mike Antonini moved to approve with modifications. The commission capped any penthouse addition at 100 square feet (the sponsor had proposed up to 500), encouraged the sponsor to provide 1–2 car‑share spaces on‑site or off‑site for resident use, urged the sponsor to work with the owners of the adjacent Ramos property to reduce the out‑of‑pocket costs associated with required tie‑in work, and limited construction hours to Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., excluding noisy work on weekends and holidays. City Attorney staff advised the commission that the car‑share code trigger applies to projects of 50 units or more, so the commission should treat car‑share as encouragement rather than a code‑required condition for this project’s unit count; the sponsor indicated willingness to volunteer to provide car‑share spaces.
The motion passed 4–3, with Commissioners Moore, Seguin and Olague voting no. Staff will return with final conditions and a draft recommendation for the Board of Supervisors as required.
