Plans have been submitted for a makeover at the FiDi's One Maritime Plaza (300 Clay St.), namely its distinctive 25-story office tower, marked by dark criss-cross external trusses. If approved, the additions could include more office space, a more welcoming façade and a warmer lobby. But don't worry—the city-run park space on the third floor won't be going anywhere.
One of the parks at One Maritime Plaza. (Photo: Geri Koeppel/Hoodline)
All neighbors at the nearby Gateway Apartments and Townhomes received a notification of environmental review from SF Planning on March 24th. Though the notification means the proposed changes are still in a very preliminary phase, the letter raised some concerns with Gateway residents, as wasn't clear what exactly would happen to the city park space on the third-floor plaza level. Some Gateway residents who walk to Embarcadero Center via the skybridge were concerned they'd be affected.
As it turns out, the changes will be relatively minor. Only the area tucked under the building's overhang—a dark, empty concrete space along the edges of the building—will be enclosed by glass walls. It would be repurposed for new office and retail space, and a rendering also shows an updated lobby with seating.
Proposed building lobby. (Rendering: Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP)
"In total, the project would enclose 16,230 additional square feet on the plaza level," the application reads. The square footage of the tower as it stands is 523,521 square feet, so this should get the building a bit more tenant revenue in these hot economic times, not to mention fill in some dead space. There's more info in the full application for downtown authorization (which includes a bevy of architectural plans and renderings, if you're feeling wonky).
This shows the area that'll be enclosed by glass. (Photo: Geri Koeppel/Hoodline)
Work also will be done to create a "larger and more dramatic and active entrance to the building, to make the lobby an extension of the streetscape" on Clay near Front Street. Currently, the entrance from Clay is muted and blends into the city-owned Golden Gateway Garage, which is not part of the privately owned One Maritime Plaza. The project proposes to widen the 15-foot sidewalk along Clay to 21 feet, and refurbish the existing 1,300 square feet of commercial space, which includes a sundries shop, deli and barber.
Current building façade. (Photo: Geri Koeppel/Hoodline)
Proposed building façade. (Rendering: Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP)
One Maritime Plaza, which was completed as the Alcoa Building in 1967, also includes two single-story, plaza-level buildings that house offices and the Punch Line comedy club; neither of those will be affected, according to the plans. Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP, which designed the original project, is the architect for the updates.
Photo: Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP
As a trivia note, the tower was featured as the office of crime boss Nicholae Schiller (played by Goran Visnjic) in the short-lived, San Francisco-set 2013 ABC TV series "Red Widow."
