A planned five-story condo development at 198 Valencia Street has been delayed after the Planning Commission found reason to sympathize with popular beer garden Zeitgeist, which sits across the street and which could be very negatively impacted by the shadow cast by the new building. Hoodline reports that commissioners reviewed shadow analyses commissioned by the developer and by Zeitgeist and has sent the developer back to the drawing board to analyze how the shadow impact of the building could be lessened if the building were shorter, even as little as five feet shorter.

We learned of this potential shadow issue last month, and Zeitgeist general manager Gideon Bush told SFist that "we realized the shadow cast by this building will a have a significant impact during what we call our busy season, the months of March through about late November, when we get that late summer that sun Francisco is so well known for." The shadow, the concluded, would likely put a damper on business since it would darken the beer garden in the summer and fall months from about 4:30 p.m. to sunset.

Sternberg Benjamin Architects, who are serving as project sponsors, are being asked to test alternate designs with incremental height differences which will be reviewed at a Planning Commission meeting on February 16.

Regularly named among San Francisco's best bars, Zeitgeist, which opened in 1977 and celebrates its 40th birthday this month, recently won Legacy Business status from the city.

Previously: As Nearby Valencia Development Looms, Zeitgeist Files Review To Protect Beer Garden From Shadow