the project in front of you is a public/private partnership and encompasses the property known as 8 washington and the sea wall on 851. i will speak about the public portion. why we have entered a public/private partnership. i first wanted to acknowledge come to think you for this hearing. i also wanted to acknowledge those in the room. ibyrone, the planning director of the port. they have asked me to represent the interest in presenting this project today. again, this project is a public/private partnership, and we believe it it supports the mission. it is to bring this to the waterfront for enjoyment and

foster commercial interest that help maritime interest and helps with the preservation of the historic district. i wanted to remind people that the very building area has transformed quite dramatically -- the ferry building area has transformed quite dramatically in the past few years. he used to be downtown in the city by the embarcadero freeway. it used to have this very building itself in this repair. we believe this revitalizes the waterfront. we have already done a number of those projects that would

involve changing the waterfront and the changing of the embarcadero freeway and roadway. some of those projects were done as a public/private partnership. some of those words oere the fe building itself. the building of harry bridges plaza. these are pretty significant changes that have happened in that area. these have all been pursuant to the waterfront land use plan that the port completed an extensive public process with many stakeholders, including many neighborhood groups and various people in the city. i just wanted to take a moment -- this is the building as it used to be. i just want to take a moment and acknowledge there were a number of wonderful things that

happened as part of the process of building. we have had great public partners -- private partners. i want to acknowledge the work they have done and making it an office building that was in some decay come into being a private center -- vibrant center. there is a number of businesses that are thriving and topping the waterfront to thrive because of the private investment and private stewardship. we're proud to be part of that on the public's eye. there are a number of interest to make these viable. there are number of commercial things that need to happen. i also wanted to acknowledge peers one-and-a-half, 3, and five. this was the condemned building on the waterfront was significant private investment and has really transformed this whole stretch. we have other partners at pier

7. we have restaurants at pier 9. and we have pier 14. there are a number of projects. this project shown here represents the last piece of development, the change from transformation of the waterfront. this is really unique id the fact that it represents a seam in the waterfront. if you go of block to the south, you are at the embarcadero center. you have a 220 ft high residential project. we acknowledge this is a very sensitive area. it is a waterfront property. it is downtown and residential neighborhood that blends into the north. we have tried to take a very careful approach. one of the things i talked about in terms of the commercial

interest is parking. it is the host of a number of wonderful waterfront businesses. add to the vibrancy of the waterfront. there is also a number of users that really true they are dependant and people getting year by other means. specifically merchants, such as golden gate meat company, golden gate winery -- these are people that sell heavy food objects, and people that come down here will not always be taking the very available public transit. they need to get here by car. it is an area that is highly constrained in terms of parking. we are in competition for commuter parking, especially when the economy is very good. we have done some work to study how much parking is currently

available. occupancy levels are very high. we are also in an environment where there are a number of parking resources that have gone online or in the process of going off line that will be lost. specifically, no longer parking at ferry plaza. as part of the downtown terminal expansion, which emergency transit of 30 is currently exploring, 73 parking spaces will be lost around agricultural building. the parking at 75 howard has a proposal to change that from 550 parking garage to a mixed-use development that significantly less public parking. we view this as an opportunity to have permanent, reliable parking to service interest. i think that is a really important point in the public interest want to identify and this hearing. right now we work very closely

to try to accommodate that loss, because people really did a lot -- rely on that. people need to know where to go. it causes more congestion and traffic if there is not reliable parking. having 255 parking spaces out of sight will be a significant asset to the waterfront. it should also be noted that having them all the land side is very appropriate policy goal. we believe given how important the waterfront area is, the west side of the embarcadero, that we're very much in favor of getting as much parking half that area as possible so people can enjoy that area. i want to move on from parking and talk about the connections to the waterfront. this is an area that is relatively constrained right

now. in a there are connections on washington and the embarcadero that allow for public enjoyment, but the site are not conducive for connections, both visual and walking. the proposed project makes those connections. talking about a permanent open spot -- public space in the jackson st. commons and expanding the parkway and connections to the new pacific park on pacific avenue. we think these are a dramatic change from the visual, and the acceptability of this portion of the waterfront. --- accessibilitsability to thi portion of the waterfront. the sea wall lots for study, and one of the things that was

brought out in a local process, and also working with the state land commission is that the lots are there really to support the ongoing waterfront uses of the west side of the embarcadero. there should be a nice financial connection between those. we believe this project is a good use of publicly and to achieve those financial goals, as well as the land use cold i just talked about. just to review some of the benefits to the port we're talking about a $3 million land payment. and ongoing revenue stream of hot% on each condominium sale that potentially take the private property and private use and has continued public benefits and 120,000 per year read for the commercial use in the park. additionally, there is

significant revenue generated from the city and a $9 million affordable housing feet. there is $2.5 million of tax increment generated, and $1.1 million in other annual taxes are projected to be generated by the project. the 2.5 million is something that has been subject of port discussion about our financial plan and capital plan. we have been using a mechanism were proceeding to try to use a mechanism in the financial district. this would create the ability to capture that and hopefully bond for the port and city benefit to the magnitude of 25-$30 million. this is an ongoing policy discussion. we do not currently have that authority. we will start that discussion with the board of supervisors if

you choose to support the project. finally, there are significant financial benefits to the project. there are significant benefits from the parking that will help stabilize the commercial interest and help the private partners such as the ferry buildling. there is also significant connection to the waterfront and permanent open space made by the connections. with that, i am going to thank you for your time and referred to the private sponsor of this project. >> good morning, commissioners. and [inaudible] with san francisco waterfront partners. thank you for hearing our presentation here today. i would also like to thank the city planning and park and

recreation staff, the port development staff, and our only partners in this project, the port of san francisco and california state teachers retirement system. i would also protect the like to thank our neighbors and the hundreds of people who from left across the city and the entire waterfront have participated in this process. it is almost six years since we made our first public presentation in april 2006. since then, we have held over 70 public meetings, presentations, community workshops and planning sessions. taken together, the input told us that the project should be a balance. a balance between overdue improvements to the waterfront, maintaining the private recreation opportunities that are important to the community,

while opening up the area for doublet and families for the city. with an active urban park, a children's play area and opened the road fare thoroughfares. we want to thank everyone who has contributed. my partner and i come and our entire team, have approved and passion for delivering excellent public spaces to this waterfront. if you peruse -- approved our proposal today, we will lomake each and everyone of you proud that you voted for it. here is creeks part meant to represent our proposal. -- craig haeartman. >> good morning. i am privileged to be the architect of this project and

bring this before you today. it will be transit-oriented, socially and environmentally sustainable project. it will provide long-term benefits to protect the waterfront. it is city-wide. and regional importance. the site itself is the embarcadero freeway area, which cut the city off from the waterfront. the 1989 earthquake made it possible to bring together the city and waterfront, despite opposition in some quarters. we are left today with fragmented properties that once offered the city from this freeway and are meant. hours includes a service parking lot, and tennis court. with the combination of port of private investment we have the opportunity to create an integrated holistic fabric. opposition to taking down the

freeway reminds us how difficult change can become even the most positive change. quarter mile walk reveals parking lots and walls that indicate how important change is for this site. the residual of the freeway is still with us, despite the civil aspirations for the embarcadero. the opportunity to reconnect the city to the waterfront is extraordinary. to take this enormous privatized realm in create a public space. this begins with urban mobility. the district is flat, walkable and bicyclable, and also one of the most transit-rich areas in the city. despite the extraordinary promise, the walk still low wall.

our plan is to open up these waterfront with fully accessible pedestrian walkways. new public open space will be created. this includes comments on jackson street in a new waterfront park. the entire project is made feasible economically through the creation of 134 dwellings at the southern tip of the site. this occupies less than 30% of the entire street frontage, and this will be housing that will be family-friendly, 2 and 3- bedroom units, supported one-one of bicycle parking, and 1-1 parking for cars. it will be supported by a wide variety of amenities. you have heard about it opens based restaurants and parking to support the waterfront. that is public parking, as well as commuters bicycle facilities.

as mr. snowgrove pointed out, this project has been 100 community meetings and detailed embarcadero study done by the planning department staff at the request of supervisor chu. results are fully reflected in this plan. they include a wide and pedestrian well, st. front retail, and the complete redesign of the original scheme to accommodate the recommendations of the plan. as a result, more than 70% of the area will be devoted to public and neighborhood-serving uses, and it resulted in a reduction of the square footage by over 10,000 square feet. the street level will be made very engaging for pedestrians. it will have many points of access. we are removing curb cuts to approve this brother, and that urban form that has resulted

from the process will permanently locked in her urban form along the entire northeast embarcadero edge. the current zoning along the northeast embarcadero is from north point down to broadway, 40 feet as shown in orange. the purple section is the site of 8 washington from broadway to washington street. this crossesthis is currently 8n height. shown here in yellow, the entire embarcadero street front from washington to broadway will be reduced from the current 84 feet. from this point, i too will step back and away from waterfront and away from neighborhood of to address the city. this can be seen in detail. this outline shows the waterfront. you can see the insertion and

how it steps down the neighborhood from the city and perhaps even more graphically here, for stepping down from the city alcoa building down to our smaller 8 washington shown in yellow and makes the transition from the city to the waterfront. but perhaps it would be best shown in three dimensions. it is a three-dimensional plan as well as the process. the current on global as 84 feet across the entire length and width of all three blocks. it also allows up to 600 dwelling units. our first design began with piercing this envelope through jackson and pacific to create a cree legend between neighborhoods and the embarcadero. the design we have proposed, working with an 84-foot height, proposed two developments with a courtyard separating them, stepping down to the fitness center and eventually to a park on the north.

the final revision in this is a step further. the entire street front is along the embarcadero down to under the 84 feet, and steps further down in with the aquatic and recreation center and then steps up away from the neighborhood to be the city, so you can see back away from the waterfront. as i mentioned, this reduces the overall project by 10,000 square feet, achieving this scope the mass, as recommended by the steady. finally, we pressed further the envelope down, and as a result, we have also taken a green carpet, a tapestry, the sweeps across the entire site. these roofs and walls are a symbol of a high sustainable level of this project. we are right now on a status of

lead platinum for the project. it is interesting that the city recommendations would be permanently locked in by the project, as we can see here. maybe you can see the project nestled in the neighborhood. you can see how it is a natural part of the city. you can see how this project actually brings a kind of gentle transition from the neighborhood back to the city and to the waterfront. it currently is very abrupt and does not exist. we think it is a very important quality of the city's recommendations for the plan. some of the other issues emerging in the process work public view corridors. the most of 11 identified as this one shown on the screen, the green line between the ferry building and click tower -- coit tower. you can also see the yellow, partially obstructed views, and the green representing views that are currently unobstructed. we are changing nothing except a tiny piece here.

you can see i read just north up very terminal and south of pier 1. just so you'll remember, if you look right now, this is the important view that was identified from ferry terminal building footsteps but to court -- up to coit tower. you can see there is no change. i will outline it so you can see more clearly. there is no change in the visibility. likewise, from the other key public spaces around telegraph hill. pioneer park, for example, you can see that there is no encumbrance of views on these pieces. preserving light and sun lights basis, this is part of the project design. we are including 30,000 square feet of new sunlit public spaces. as you saw this morning, the effect on sue bierman park. by computer, you can identify

two rivers. previously less than 1/1 thousand of 1% of any effect. believe me, this is imperceptible from the point of view of us as human beings using the site. design excellence. the project requires the highest level of design. to this end, we are designing a building which is quiet and elegant, designed to be a strong urban edge, defining the civic space that it fronts. the intention is to withstand the changes in fashion and trends over time and make this a project that wears well in terms of aesthetics but also in terms of materials used. we are using limestone, naturally patinad materials. hardwood with a buy the building of high quality end age naturally over time. there's not much time this morning, so quickly, here is an overall view of the project from

washington to broadway. you can see the housing piece on the far left-hand side of the image there, designed with a series of smaller almost brownstone scale buildings. will do a quick view from the corner of washington along the embarcadero -- restaurants, cafes, retail, the entire public first floor of all these buildings, starting with this restaurant and then moving north, walking along the embarcadero, we are sliding along here. you can see the qualities of very lively, pedestrian scale space. very important. this new aquatics center, recreation fees, overhanging park is a big restaurant, which will anchor this new child- friendly, family-friendly park at the northern end. if we look then at the details

looking back, here is an elevation of the building. you can see how it is punctuated at the quarter that separates the building from the left and the embarcadero building on the right. to look at the street level view of what this will actually be, here we are in washington street. you can see a sidewalk of 30 feet, which will accommodate both new public benches as well as indoor/outdoor dining. likewise, looking back along washington toward the alcoa building, you can see this new urban edge that replaces the current surface parking lot and blank wall. this will now be a very engaged urban edge with public art throughout. looking back toward washington, again, indoor/outdoor dining, to be connected to the public realm, to make this a very lively, active, socially vibrant edge to the city.

here is the current view at jackson street, looking back toward the embarcadero. our proposal is to take down the pedestrian freeway and replace it with this. this is a view of the new jackson st., is. you can see it supported by cafes and retail. finally, back along pacific park. likewise, open spaces, looking at places in which children can play, adults can enjoy espresso, picnics, and have a child- friendly place. we can review the details later. i too will be one of the most environmentally innovative buildings in the city. the values then talked about, fiduciary values. more and would leave the value this brings to a new waterfront for our city that would permanently affect, we think, a great new civic edge for a global city of san francisco.

>> we can now have the block of time for ms. astor and her group. let me change the microphone, just a moment. ok, go ahead. >> sue hester. first, i want to incorporate the written comments that we have submitted and others have submitted on the project and specifically as the planning commission to turn down the eir workers insufficiencies. the city has gone through a series of visions. in the 1950's when golden gateway and embarcadero center were planned, a division was tied to the embarcadero freeway. the said they wanted the site for housing and paid $1 million

beside the $6 million land payment for community facilities because this is hud-finance, middle-income apartments. the vision of the city evolves. that was 1959. in 1970's, there were huge, huge discussions about a corporate heights -- appropriate heights and urban design plans. there was a ballot measure in 1979 on height limits. when the last phase of golden gate we came up for approval, the area, what is now known as golden gate commons -- there was an environmental impact report. one of the first in the city. it found that the heights that were approved for golden gateway were a violation of ceqa, and they made a unanimous recommendation that they could not be built without violating ceqa -- unanimous recommendation by the planning commission.

that triggered a three-year process. in the end, they changed the height limits in golden gate way to 84 feet. the findings were the view impact on the slopes of the hill. there was not one mention of coit tower. significant adverse impact was found by this planning commission based on those findings and those corridors, which are not even discussed, let alone made findings. the city has made a finding, and there has been no intervening change, but that -- that there are significant adverse impacts on views towards the ferry building across this site. after golden gateway was built, golden gate we started on 83- series -- a series of three attempts to build on this si.