San Francisco planning officials have kept the Marina Safeway site eligible for streamlined review, allowing a revised 848-home proposal from Align Real Estate and Albertsons Companies to advance. The plan would replace the existing store with two residential towers and a larger grocery space, although permits, construction drawings, and a start date remain unresolved.
Key Takeaways
- San Francisco’s planning director rejected key objections to the project’s eligibility for streamlined review under Assembly Bill 2011.
- Revised plans increase the proposal from 790 to 848 homes while reducing the towers to 22 and 18 stories.
- The development includes 86 income-restricted homes and a replacement grocery store of about 67,200 square feet.
- The decision is not a construction permit, and no building schedule or project cost has been announced.
The Marina Safeway site moved closer to redevelopment after San Francisco Planning Director Sarah Dennis Phillips rejected arguments that the property should be removed from the state-directed approval process.
Her July 20 response addressed objections raised by District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill and neighborhood groups. The dispute centered on whether the site at 11 and 15 Marina Boulevard satisfies the location and environmental criteria required under Assembly Bill 2011, or AB 2011.
City Ruling Keeps the Marina Safeway Site on Track
AB 2011 requires ministerial approval for qualifying housing developments on certain commercially zoned properties. Officials review those proposals against objective standards rather than sending them through the usual discretionary votes before the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.
Sherrill and a coalition of neighborhood groups argued that the property did not meet a requirement that at least 75% of its perimeter adjoin parcels developed with urban uses. Their position focused on the site’s proximity to Fort Mason, Marina Green, the Marina Yacht Harbor, and publicly owned parking and recreational land.
Phillips concluded that the surrounding mix of parking, retail, housing, and Fort Mason facilities could qualify as urban uses. She also stated that the property was not on California’s Cortese List of hazardous-material sites and was not in an earthquake fault zone or a federally designated flood hazard area.
San Francisco Planning Department Chief of Staff Dan Sider summarized the city’s limited role in July, saying, “If the project follows the rules, we are bound to approve it.”
The decision still leaves a gap between planning review and physical work. The Candlestick Point redevelopment also moved through years of approvals before reaching infrastructure preparation.
Revised Design Adds Homes While Lowering Tower Heights
Align submitted revised plans on July 14 that increased the residential count from 790 to 848 homes. At the same time, the development team reduced the towers from 25 and 22 stories to 22 and 18 stories.
The updated heights are approximately 258 feet and 219 feet. The changes remove about 40 feet from the eastern tower and 23 feet from the western tower while placing more apartments inside a smaller building envelope.
The proposal retains 86 income-restricted homes. It also increases the replacement grocery store to roughly 67,200 square feet, slightly larger than the retail space shown in earlier plans.
Project documents describe a development of approximately 989,500 square feet, including about 746,600 square feet of housing. Current plans also show parking for 349 vehicles and 360 bicycles.
The proposal would replace the existing one-story store and surface parking lot. Arquitectonica’s design uses curved facades, connected towers, and stepped upper floors above the grocery space.
Align has described the revision as an efficiency-driven update made as the Planning Department reviews the proposal for compliance with local code and objective design standards. The higher unit count does not change the project’s current procedural status.
Permits and Construction Still Remain Unresolved
The Marina Safeway site still requires building permits, construction drawings, engineering review, utility coordination, and other technical approvals before work could begin. Planning eligibility and construction authorization are separate stages.
The project team has not announced a construction start date, completion schedule, or total cost. Align has said the existing Safeway would close during construction and that a larger grocery store would open within the completed development.
The Terraces of Lafayette project similarly shows how a housing development can continue through several approval stages before site work begins.
San Francisco planners must still determine whether the revised Marina proposal satisfies all applicable objective standards. If it does, AB 2011 limits the city’s ability to deny the project through discretionary review, but the developer must still complete the ordinary permitting process.
For now, the Marina Safeway site has cleared a significant eligibility challenge rather than receiving unrestricted final approval. The 848 homes, two towers, and replacement grocery store remain proposed, with construction dependent on further city review and permits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Proposed for the Marina Safeway Site?
The proposal calls for 848 homes in two connected towers above a replacement grocery store. The revised buildings would rise 22 and 18 stories and include 86 income-restricted homes.
Has San Francisco Fully Approved the Project?
No. The city has kept the project eligible for streamlined review and rejected key objections to that status, but construction permits and technical approvals are still required.
Why Does AB 2011 Matter for the Project?
AB 2011 provides ministerial review for qualifying housing developments on certain commercial sites. The Marina Safeway site can therefore be reviewed against objective requirements without the usual discretionary votes if it satisfies the law.
Will the Existing Safeway Remain Open During Construction?
Align has said the existing store would close while the project is built. A new and larger grocery store is planned at the base of the completed development, but no construction schedule has been announced.
How Many Income-Restricted Homes Are Included?
The revised proposal includes 86 income-restricted homes. That number remained unchanged when the overall unit count increased from 790 to 848.
