For those that have followed the development, it’s been an amazing sight to see the tower rise since its groundbreaking only 18 months ago. Another milestone came last June where the most successful pre-sale in San Francisco’s history sold nearly 90 percent of available condos. Nevertheless, the activity at the sales center at 511 Harrison Street has been brisk in the months since, as the sales team successfully converted reservations to contracts. Meanwhile, hundreds of buyers have visited the design center to select their countertops, flooring and more.

For those still seeking one of the City’s most exclusive addresses, a handful of one- and three-bedroom homes, complete with skyline views, are still available. Moreover, this past month, the 14 townhomes ringing the base of the tower were officially released for sale, just as they begin to take shape at the construction site.

For the Bovis Lend Lease crew, which on any given day numbers several hundred, building a new icon for the San Francisco skyline has been full of unmatched experiences and treasured memories. Not surprisingly, the sunrises and sunsets from nearly 500 feet atop Rincon Hill have been truly magnificent, according to Nori Mizushima, senior project manager.

“On a clear day, you can see past the downtown skyline to the Golden Gate Bridge, Farallon Islands and Mount Diablo,” she added, “but with no other tall building nearby, every view from the tower crane is special.”

For commuters entering San Francisco from the East Bay on the Bay Bridge, One Rincon Hill is a towering sentinel to greet them. Many have remarked that it seems so close you can reach out and touch it from a passenger-side window or see what’s on TV inside a condo. In reality, the first homes are actually several stories above the highway. In addition, once realignment is complete, the road will be pushed south several lanes from the tower.

One Rincon Hill continues to be the talk of the town; a catalyst for the development of a modern, urban neighborhood; a new icon in the skyline, and, of course, a future home to some of the luckiest San Franciscans.

back to top

Civil Engineering Forum for Innovation (CEFI) has honored MKA as one of two finalists for the 2007 Charles Pankow Award for their project “Performance-based Seismic Design of High-rise Buildings,” based much on their accomplishments surrounding the engineering innovation behind One Rincon Hill.

The Pankow Award will be presented April 25, 2007 at the ACSE Outstanding Projects and Leaders (OPAL) Awards Gala in Washington, D.C. The next issue of the ORH View will reveal if MKA brings the trophy back to the West Coast.

back to top

1 :: The color trends for 2007 play off the color of the furniture. If the dominant shade in your furnishings is brown, try a soft lime green. If black is the primary shade try a creamy yellow, flannel grey or a blue grey with stainless steel accents and dark lacquer accessories.

2 :: Multiple flat screen T.V.’s: this means high tech access in the traditional places like the living room, office and bedroom, but also in the bath rooms and mounted under a cabinet in the kitchen to preserve counter space.

3 :: Hardwood floors throughout the unit with the exception of “high spill zones” such as the kitchen and bathrooms.

4 :: Secondary bedrooms that have multi-purpose functions. You might build a desk into the closet and turn it into a mini-office, position a sofa against one wall with the flat screen on the other, tuning it into a den, or create a traditional den look with a sofa that pulls out into a bed.

5 :: Beautifully stylized wall-to-wall cabinetry in dining areas and the master bedroom expands open space and maximizes storage.

6 :: Floor-to-ceiling mirrors visually double any space. Use them in the entry to create a welcoming feeling and enlarge the area. In a dining room, use mirrors over an entire wall then place a buffet or console in front of it to open the space. Don’t want a mirrored wall? Just mirror the upper portion of a built in, it will create depth. In bathrooms, raise ceiling height by installing mirrors above the sink and cover wall-to-wall.

7 :: Creating an even look throughout the unit is important in small spaces. Start with cabinetry hardware. The kitchen, bathrooms and closets all use hardware that can have a common theme and create harmony throughout.

8 :: Get rid of bedside lamps by hanging lighting from the ceiling or mounting it on the wall which allows for more room on the night stands.

9 :: Small spaces require furnishings that can have more than one function. An ottoman that doubles as a cocktail table or extra seating when entertaining, and dining chairs that are so comfortable they can be used as extra seating in the living room are important additions. In the den, good choices are an extra wide, upholstered chair that pulls out into a single bed or installing glass doors in upper kitchen cabinetry to show off collectibles.

10 :: Bathrooms can be space challenged, so try mounting shelving above the tub as a display unit or to store towels and bathroom products.

Patterned from the best of trailblazing efforts by similar associations in NoPa (North of the Panhandle), Hayes Valley and Barbary Coast, the RHNA incorporated April 2007 as a non-profit organization complete with a board of directors, bylaws and regular meetings.

“This will enhance the quality of life for everyone living and working in Rincon Hill,” said Giulio Tempesta, owner of Ristorante Umbria which has served the neighborhood since 1996, “This is a distinctive section of the City, with both residents' and merchants' interests to consider, all of which will help create a unique urban neighborhood.”

Prior to this new era in San Francisco’s history, Rincon Hill has had its ups and downs. Once home to the upper crust of society, the industrial age, as well as the great earthquake and fire of 1906, took a toll on Rincon Hill, even the hill itself was hacked away considerably. Eventually, the rich fled to Nob Hill, and factories, warehouses and flats for the working-class dominated. In the mid-80’s, the entire South of Market District began a rebirth, although Rincon Hill was among the last places to catch renewal. Today, sparked by the construction of One Rincon Hill and other high-rise developments, the area is poised to become the City's most futuristic new neighborhood — marked by tall, slender towers with a lively street scene below.

Today’s trend has Greater SoMa sub-dividing into smaller, more distinctive neighborhoods: those bordering Rincon Hill include South Beach, South Park/Multi-Media Gulch and Mission Bay to the south, Yerba Buena Gardens and Mid-Market to the west, Central Embarcadero to the east and northeast, and across Market St. to the north, Barbary Coast.

Rincon Hill is becoming increasingly residential with high-rise towers changing the landscape and defining a new neighborhood, bounded, roughly, to the north by Mission St., to the south by Bryant St. to the west by 2nd St. and east to The Embarcadero.

“The time is right for this neighborhood association to help define and promote this booming area,” said Michael Kriozere, developer of One Rincon Hill. “Since One Rincon Hill has been a catalyst, of sorts, to the area’s transformation, we are proud to help nurture this neighborhood association along and are pleased that Giulio has offered to help lead the effort.”

• to help merchants and residents of the neighborhood exercise greater involvement in the economic, political, environmental and social forces that influence their ways of life;
• to promote initiatives and “reciprocal education” among property owners, residents, government and business interests;
• to foster neighborhood identity and a sense of community;
• to cooperate and/or affiliate in appropriate ways with other local organizations having compatible goals.

back to top

When it comes to dining, Rincon Hill residents can already head a few blocks in any direction to hit popular spots, such as Slanted Door at the Ferry Building, to Chaya, Gordon Biersch and Palamino along The Embarcadero, to Town Hall, Salt House, Ame and Ristorante Umbria, to Roy's, MoMo's and more at South Beach. But, Rincon Hill’s boom times are already bringing new hotspots too. On the 300 block of The Embarcadero, local restaurateur Pat Kuleto will debut two new Rincon Park restaurants in Fall 2007: Waterbar, for seafood lovers and EPIC Roasthouse, for steak-lovers. The two restaurants will sit at opposite ends of an outdoor piazza with million-dollar views of the Bay and seating for 120 people for lunch, dinner and cocktails.

Along Folsom Street, a promenade of new shops and restaurants are planned, creating the retail hub for Rincon Hill.

Meanwhile, the City’s vision for high-rise residential towers dotting Rincon Hill is becoming reality. The Lansing, The Metropolitian, The Avalon and The Watermark already exist, while ORH and The Infinity are rising. In addition, at 45 Lansing Street, Miami Developer Turnberry Asssociates is proposing a luxury tower with 305 units. What's more, an international design competition is in the works for a new Transbay terminal with even more high-rises, some reaching as high as 1000 feet. It may be years until these plans happen; however, there is no doubt San Francisco is embracing high-rise urban living.

As the neighborhood evolves, ORH residents will have the best of both worlds; they can either sit back and enjoy the view from up high, or take a quick stroll in any direction to absorb the ever-changing streetscape.

back to top