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The Infinity

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For the tower in Miami, see Infinity II.
The Infinity I and II
Map
General information
TypeResidential
Location160 Folsom Street
San Francisco, California
Construction started2005
Completed2008
Height
Roof106.7 m (350 ft)
Technical details
Floor count37
Design and construction
Architect(s)Heller-Manus Architects
Arquitectonica
DeveloperTishman Speyer
Main contractorWebcor Builders
References
[1][2][3][4][5]

The Infinity or 300 Spear Street is a mixed-use residential condominium development in San Francisco, California consisting of 2 high-rise towers and 2 low-rise buildings. The complex is the first phase of a massive residential development encompassing two city blocks.[5] The Infinity development will contain four buildings enclosing 640 residential units.[6]

History

The two residential projects, 300 Spear and 201 Folsom, were proposed by Tishman Speyer Properties and initially designed by Heller Manus Architects.[5] The San Francisco Planning Commission was scheduled to give its vote on the two projects on June 26, 2003, but this was delayed until September.[5][7] Eventually, the two projects were given approval by the Planning Commission in spite of heavy opposition.[8] However, 300 Spear and 201 Folsom still needed approval from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in order for the project to progress. A few months later, the Board of Supervisors gave initial approval to the projects.[9] The project was given final approval by San Francisco's Board of Supervisors on February 4, 2004.[10]

Description

Overview

The residential complex consists of four buildings with one eight and one nine story midrises and 37 and 42 story highrise towers.[11] The highrise towers are named I and The Infinity II. One of the towers, the Infinity II, rises 350 ft (107 m) and contain 37 floors.[2] The taller highrise, the Infinity I, rises 450 ft (137 m) [A] and contain 42 floors.[1] The 650-unit complex containing these the four buildings is bounded by Main Street to the southwest, Folsom Street to the northwest and Spear Street to the northeast.[1][2] The complex is located one block inland from the Embarcadero and the San Francisco Bay.[12] Pricing for the units range from $700k-$5 million.

Design

300 Spear was originally designed by San Francisco's Heller Manus Architects.[13] The 820-unit complex featured a garden on top of the midrise towers and all four buildings were connected together.[13][14] Later, the developer decided to hire Arquitectonica to revamp the design of 300 Spear along with Heller Manus Architects. The four buildings of the complex were split apart and the sky gardens were gone. In addition, the complex had its color changed to a blue-green color which adapted a simplified concrete structure with curving walls of glass curtainwall and metal. The number of units was also reduced from 820 to 640 before construction of 300 Spear began.[6]

Impact

The highrise towers are planned to rise above the current buildings in between the Embarcadero waterfront and Spear Street, making the complex prominent from places like the San Francisco Bay.[5] Along with the Millennium Tower and One Rincon Hill to the west and south, respectively, they will create a new highrise neighborhood in the South of Market district.

Buried ship discovery

Construction started sometime in April, 2005 when a surface parking lot was demolished to make way for the complex.[6] Midway through the excavation process, a buried 125 foot (38 m) ship was found just to the south of Spear Street.[15] The ship was found 20 feet (6 m) below street level on fill that was once a harbor.[15] The buried ship was later identified to be the 1818 whaling ship The Candace.[16]

  • Site on June 5.
    Site on June 5.
  • A week (July 23) after the first picture of the tower crane was taken (on July 16), the tower crane has been raised a few stories and towers over the construction site for now.
    A week (July 23) after the first picture of the tower crane was taken (on July 16), the tower crane has been raised a few stories and towers over the construction site for now.
  • The Infinity II and cladding in January.
    The Infinity II and cladding in January.
  • 300 Spear complex as viewed from the Millennium Tower in March.
    300 Spear complex as viewed from the Millennium Tower in March.
  • The Infinity II in mid-August, with exterior cladding complete.
    The Infinity II in mid-August, with exterior cladding complete.
  • The Infinity I in late-October.
    The Infinity I in late-October.
  • The Infinity I in January.
    The Infinity I in January.
  • The Infinity I in 2008
    The Infinity I in 2008
  • The complex as viewed from the east.
    The complex as viewed from the east.

Notes

A. a b The SkyscraperPage.com 300 Spear and San Francisco Project Rundown threads state The Infinity I is 400 feet (122 m) tall, as opposed to 450 feet (137 m). Source. Source.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c The Infinity, Phase II at Emporis
  2. ^ a b c The Infinity, Phase I at Emporis
  3. ^ "The Infinity". SkyscraperPage.
  4. ^ The Infinity at Structurae
  5. ^ a b c d e King, John (2003-06-15). "Heller-Manus Towers Key to Tone of Rincon Hill". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  6. ^ a b c King, John (2005-04-18). "Rincon Hill on the rise Slender towers, wide walkways would transform area". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  7. ^ King, John (2003-07-26). "S.F. planners delay Rincon Hill towers vote Commissioners want more time to think about the high-rises". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  8. ^ King, John (2003-09-05). "Residential tower plans approved by S.F. agency 4 huge structures still need supervisors' nod". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  9. ^ Herel, Suzanne (2004-01-28). "S.F. supes OK huge Rincon high-rises 4 buildings double area housing units". The Chronicle. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  10. ^ Herel, Suzanne (2004-02-04). "San Francisco Supervisors OK Rincon Hill towers". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  11. ^ "The Infinity (300 SPEAR STREET), San Francisco, CA". Webcor. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  12. ^ Site description based on Google Earth images.
  13. ^ a b "INSIGHT: RINCONoitering: How Vancouver Ideas Do - and Do Not Help - in Shaping San Francisco's First High Density Neighborhood - Part I". ArchNewsNow. 2004-01-22. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  14. ^ King, John (2003-06-15). "A New Skyline Rincon Hill". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  15. ^ a b Nolte, Carl (2005-09-08). "Few clues unearthed about mystery ship buried after Gold Rush Dug up at condo project, site of old 'maritime junkyard'". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  16. ^ Nolte, Carl (2006-01-28). "Experts dig up nautical past of long-buried 1818 whaler". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
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