Planning Commission approves adaptive reuse of Pagoda Theatre at 1731 Powell Street

The San Francisco Planning Commission on Jan. 8 approved a conditional-use authorization and associated variances for the adaptive reuse of the former Pagoda Theatre at 1731 Powell Street, clearing a major step for a project that seeks to convert the gutted theater into a mixed-use building with a full-service restaurant, ground-floor retail and residential units.

Tim Frey, preservation planning staff, told commissioners the proposal would convert the theater into a roughly 4,000-square-foot full-service restaurant (a sister to La Coroneta), add about 1,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space, and create 18 residential units with 27 off-street parking spaces. Frey said the building has been a “shell” since the 1990s and that the marquee blade sign is the only remaining historic feature of the site; staff recommended approval with conditions and minor revisions to the motion.

Project counsel Bridal Gladstone introduced developer Joel Campos and said the sponsor…