The eight-story, 21-unit residential building being planned on the site of the historic Grubstake Diner (1525 Pine Street) has hit another hurdle this week, as we learn that an appeal has been filed opposing the project.
The Planning Commission approved the development last month, over the objections of some residents of the fairly new condo development next door to it, called The Austin. Now, some of those condo owners are participating in the appeal, as Socketsite reports, which could hold up further this already much-delayed project — which was originally proposed back in 2015.
As conceived by design firm Kerman Morris, the proposed development would stand 83 feet tall, and would have terraces coming out at interesting angles on both the Pine Street and Austin Street frontages. But the narrow building abuts The Austin, which also has units with street-facing terraces on both the Pine Street and Austin Street sides, and that is one point of objection.
The appeal cites the impact on the light, air, and private terraces of the existing building's units, as well as the project's lack of parking, and the "over-supply of housing in the neighborhood."
It seems unlikely, given the city's general need for housing and the Planning Commission's approval (albeit 4-2, with two commissioners objecting), that the Board of Supervisors will be sympathetic to the appeal.
The Austin, a 103-unit building that stands 12 stories tall at 1545 Pine Street, began construction in 2015 and was completed two years later. At issue for homeowners are likely the units in the smaller, six-story section of the building that abuts the Grubstake property, a few of which have windows facing down over the one-story diner that will be blocked when the new building goes up — but given that the Grubstake has been a well-publicized development site since 2015, those buyers should have known this day would come.
Once completed, the new development at 1525 Pine is promised to have restaurant space on its ground floor where the Grubstake can, hopefully, live on.
