Local architecture firm Ian Birchall & Associates has submitted plans to construct either five stories or nine stories of fresh housing at the corner of Van Ness and Pacific in Pacific Heights.
Both applications call for a complete demolition of the current five-story, 53-foot-tall building at 2101 Van Ness Ave., which currently houses Happy Donuts and office space above.
One of the proposals seeks to construct a five-story, 50-foot-tall replacement with 35 residential units. Thirty-one units would be one-bedrooms, four would be two-bedrooms and seven of the units (20 percent) would be affordable. The plans also include two ground-floor retail spaces totaling 2,101 square feet, 17 ground-floor parking spaces and 68 bicycle parking spots for residents.
With the property currently zoned for development of up to 80 feet, the alternate proposal seeks to take advantage of the State Density Bonus Law to construct a nine-story, 84-foot-tall residential building with 48 units divided equally between one- and two- bedroom dwellings. Like the five-story proposal, the application states that seven units (14.5 percent) would be deemed affordable. The plans also call for 2,101 square feet of ground-floor retail space, 24 ground-floor parking spaces and 68 bicycle parking spots.
The Planning Department has 90 days to issue its initial assessments of these proposals. We’ll keep our eyes on this development.