1 Oak Project Advances After Affordable Housing Deal

1 Oak Project Advances After Affordable Housing DealThe One Oak Tower. | Renderings: Build, Inc. 
Fiona Lee
Published on September 27, 2017

To overcome opposition to the proposed 40-story One Oak development at Market and Van Ness via an environmental appeal, Supervisor London Breed brokered a deal that would create additional affordable housing in the area.

Under the proposed terms, developer Build, Inc. would contribute $3 $29 million toward 103 permanently-affordable units on four parcels in Hayes Valley. Initially, Build was expected to provide funds for just 72 units.

The city, through the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, would control and develop the ground-floor retail space for the parcels. The compromise also includes a public plaza as part of the One Oak complex, which Build, Inc. would maintain for 100 years, the Chronicle reported.

One Oak public plaza. 

SFSU professor Jason Henderson, a member of the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association, filed an appeal in July after the Planning Department released an environmental impact report (EIR) for the project. 

Henderson said that Planning failed to consider the impact of companies like Lyft and Uber, how wind would affect cyclists in the Market Street bike corridor, and how added parking would affect traffic congestion in the area. 

He also said the amount of parking in the proposed tower, at 136 spots, was excessive, considering the site's proximity to the transit-rich hub of Van Ness and Market. Henderson also cited plans for another complex, 10 Van Ness, which could add 518 parking spaces to the neighborhood. 

"The EIR for the One Oak Project is inadequate," Henderson wrote in the appeal. "Van Ness and Market is not a Bay Area suburb." 

The One Oak St. Project. 

With the deal, Henderson withdrew his appeal. Planning said it will work to "develop rigorous criteria for measuring wind impacts on bikes" and study the impact of ride-share companies like Lyft and Uber on future projects. In a statement, Henderson said he was pleased.

"We have moved the dial on transit-oriented development, ensuring more affordability, and we’ve raised awareness about the need consider bicyclist safety and comfort," he said. "We absolutely need more housing in San Francisco, but not more cars."

“It’s been a long road, but I’m incredibly proud of what we were able to accomplish for the community with this project,” said Breed in a statement. 

One Oak is slated to be completed in 2021.