A vacant lot at 720 Masonic Avenue in North of the Panhandle is finally set to come back to life, with the San Francisco Planning Department signing off in July on a three-story residential infill to replace the site of a devastating 2023 fire. The new project will stand roughly 31 feet tall and encompass around 4,400 square feet overall, with two four-bedroom apartments and a two-bedroom accessory dwelling unit tucked into the design.
The approval, reported by San Francisco YIMBY, closes out a long and painful chapter for the 0.07-acre parcel, which sits between Grove and Hayes streets less than two blocks from the Panhandle. Xie Associates filed the application, and per the outlet's report, the plans cleared city review in less than six months from formal submission — an unusually quick turnaround for a lot with this kind of history.
That history is grim. The house that once stood at 720 Masonic Avenue was destroyed by a three-alarm fire on December 11, 2023, according to the San Francisco Standard; the first call came at about 3:20 a.m., as reported by KTVU FOX 2. The blaze displaced seven residents and sent two people to the hospital for fire-related injuries. KTVU also reported that a third person was hospitalized with serious injuries after crossing the perimeter and attempting to climb an aerial ladder; that injury was not caused by the fire itself. More than 100 firefighters, 17 engines and trucks, and five battalion chiefs responded to the fire, which firefighters battled for more than an hour to get under control as it spread to two adjacent residential buildings, the San Francisco Standard reported at the time.
From Charred Duplex to Downsized Design
The gutted structure was demolished in 2024, and the site became vacant. The current proposal calls for two four-bedroom apartments and a two-bedroom ADU.
The proposal also includes an ADU. San Francisco Planning Department rules exempt ADU projects from mandatory neighbor notification requirements, per reporting from The Front Steps.
What's Actually Getting Built
Beyond the housing units themselves, the approved plans call for 380 square feet of common open space and 580 square feet dedicated to a two-car garage, plus additional space for three bicycles. Construction is estimated to cost around half a million dollars, excluding all development costs. The plans also include a two-bedroom ADU.
A Lot's 2023 Sale
The parcel sold for $1.35 million in 2023.
For a neighborhood that watched a fire tear through one of its residential blocks and injure multiple people, the rebuild at 720 Masonic Avenue marks a tangible, if incremental, step toward closing that chapter. With the planning application approved and building permits filed, the next milestone for neighbors to watch will be when construction crews actually break ground on the replacement building.
