A group of residents gathered outside the Marina Safeway Wednesday in protest of the proposed redevelopment of the property into a 25-story mixed-use tower, which they say would unfavorably impact the neighborhood, and the city is required to finalize the design review by August 1.
As SFist reported in December, the proposed Marina redevelopment by developer Align Real Estate would include 790 housing units — 86 of them affordable/below market rate. The project includes 485 one-bedroom apartments, 88 studios, 132 two-bedroom units, and 85 three-bedroom units, along with 473 residential and 164 commercial parking spots. A new Safeway store in the building's base would also be 57% larger than the current one.
Based on the renderings, the majority of the units would be concentrated at the bottom of the structure, with a tower tapering upward, which would reportedly preserve some of the views from behind the structure.
As to be expected, Marina residents opposed the proposal from the start. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie also opposes it, as it conflicts with his family upzoning plan, which stipulates a maximum height of 40 feet, but local leaders have little say over the project, which is being fast-tracked under state housing laws — many of them authored by Senator Scott Wiener.
The San Francisco Planning Department has issued a conditional approval of the project, and under state law, the city must complete its design review by August 1, according to KRON4.
During the protest Wednesday, Marina residents said the 25-story tower would drastically alter the skyline.
“We’re going to make our own neighborhood unlivable, and our politicians are selling us down the river,” said resident Stephen Street.
Some questioned the affordability of the units. “The idea that this is being sold as affordable housing is just a joke. There’s nothing affordable about this,” said Victoria Spiegel.
In a phrase pretty familiar to the NIMBY cause everywhere, Erin Roach, president of the Marina Community Association, told KRON4, “We’re not anti-housing, we’re anti this development.”
Roach later sent SFist an email clarifying the group's stance on the topic. “The Marina Community Association supports the creation of housing at the Marina Safeway site,” she said. “We are simply asking that Safeway/Align make it in the 6-8 story height range as they are doing in Bernal, Outer Richmond and San Mateo.”
The Marina Community Association sent letters to Safeway owner Albertsons outlining their concerns, but the group has yet to receive a response. Roach criticized the company for what she described as a lack of engagement with the neighborhood.
This is one of four Safeway redevelopment projects that Align currently has in the pipeline in San Francisco. The firm is also planning to add thousands of units of new housing at the former Fillmore Safeway, the Ocean Beach Safeway, and the Bernal Heights Safeway, and those projects are also still in their entitlements.
The post has been updated with a quote from Erin Roach clarifying the Marina Community Association's position. An additional quote about affordable housing was also added.
Previously: Marina Safeway Also on the Redevelopment Docket With Plans For 790 Units In 25-Story Complex
Image: Arquitectonica and Align Real Estate
