The glorious, metal and glass Transbay Tower received final approval from the San Francisco Planning Commission on Thuesday, clearing one of the last major hurdles before crews can finally get to work erecting the 1,070-foot icon in the city's skyline.

When last we heard from the Planning Commission, the architecture team from Pelli Clarke Pelli had presented designs to connect the tower at First and Mission Streets to the new rooftop park next door with an awesome funicular. At yesterday's meeting, architect Fred Clarke showed off some of the actual metal and glass that will make up the building's outer skin. The metalwork apparently is thinner at the top, but grows thicker and denser towards the base, which is not really helping all those phallic comparisons. According to Clarke, the metalwork also gives it a "light texture" and an ambient glow.

As if things couldn't be more awesome now that San Francisco will have a downtown funicular, several of the planning commissioners requested that the developers look in to adding an observation deck on or near the building's top floor, 61 stories above SoMa. (By comparison, One Rincon Hill has 60 stories, but those views are only accessible to the spendy penthouse owners.) A senior managing director for developer Hines was a little noncommittal, telling the Examiner, "I think the request to investigate the observation deck is reasonable and we will certainly work with staff to fully investigate that topic." As fans of viewing things from above the fog, we're certainly rooting for it.

Next hurdle: Developer Hines has to buy the land from the Transbay Joint Powers Authority, but those negotiations are already underway.

Previously: Transbay Tower Gets A New Crown, Plus 100% More Funicular
All Transbay Tower coverage on SFist.
[SFEx]