California Construction News staff writer
Construction has begun on a 22-story mixed-use housing tower at 1111 Sutter St. in San Francisco’s Lower Nob Hill neighborhood, marking a milestone for a project that moved forward after years of planning and regulatory review.
The development will include 303 housing units ranging from studios to four-bedroom apartments, according to project backers. Of those, 101 units will be offered at below-market rates. The building is planned to include a two-level fitness center, a public child care center, a dog park, interior courtyards and a landscaped rooftop terrace for residents.
Mayor Daniel Lurie, District Supervisor Danny Sauter, representatives of the San Francisco Building Trades Council and members of the development team attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the project.
Project supporters credited labor organizations with helping advance the development through the city’s approval process, which included hearings before land use and planning bodies and votes at City Hall. Sauter and Lurie were cited by labor representatives as supporters of the proposal.
Martin Builders is developing the project, with Nibbi Brothers serving as the general contractor. All construction work is expected to be performed by union labor.
Financing for the project includes funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust, along with other sources. The Housing Investment Trust invests capital from union pension funds in residential developments nationwide, generating returns through project completion and construction employment.
According to the trust, it has helped finance 23 housing projects in the Bay Area and hundreds more across the country, contributing to the construction of more than 600,000 housing units nationwide.
City officials have said the Sutter Street project is part of broader efforts to increase housing supply in San Francisco amid ongoing concerns about affordability and development delays.
