SF New Developments

Shorenstein to pare office space, go full steam ahead on ships
by J.K. Dineen

In an effort to increase support from the state commission that regulates waterfront development, Shorenstein Properties is proposing to cut back the amount of office space developed on Piers 27-31 and instead make a new cruise ship terminal a central part of the project.

The revised plan, which is still being hashed out between the developer and the Port of San Francisco, would make Pier 27 the city’s primary cruise ship terminal and help shore up the burgeoning cruise ship business, which saw 80 port calls in the last fiscal year and pumped $60 million into the city’s economy. It could also include a water taxi service.

On May 9, the Port Commission voted unanimously to give Shorenstein a three-and-a-half month extension to come up with a new proposal that would include the cruise ship terminal on Pier 27.

A new cruise ship terminal, to accommodate larger ships and modern facilities, was originally planned for Piers 30-32, but had stalled recently when the developer that promised to build it pulled out, citing high seismic and construction costs.

While the details are still in flux, the revised plan for Piers 27-31 could represent a substantial reduction in new office space. The original plan, submitted in October 2006, called for a total of 440,000 square feet of office. This included about 140,000 square feet of renovated historic space on Piers 29 and 31 and 300,000 square feet of new construction on Piers 27 and 29. Of the new construction, 150,000 square feet was slated for Pier 27, which would be severely reduced or eliminated altogether if the cruise ship terminal is built there.

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