The Transbay District in San Francisco’s South of Market neighbourhood has seen tremendous development in recent years with the under-construction Salesforce Tower, 181 Fremont, and Park Tower.  Adding to the growth was last week’s ground breaking of Oceanwide Center, a two-tower complex whose 910-foot (277-metre) Foster+Partners tower will become the city’s second tallest building after its 2021 completion.

Politicians and project stakeholders break ground at Oceanwide Center, image by Forum contributor edwards

The complex’s shorter 625-foot (190.5-metre) tower was designed by architectural firm Heller Manus, and will feature the city’s first Waldorf Astoria hotel.

Scale model of Oceanwide Center, image by Forum contributor edwards

Scale model of Oceanwide Center, image by Forum contributor edwards

Building the towers in one of the most earthquake-prone areas in the world and on top of land once part of the San Francisco Bay, construction firms Swinerton and Webcor will dig 400 feet (122 metres) into Franciscan bedrock, creating the deepest piles on the west coast of North America.

The complex as it will look integrated into the downtown San Francisco landscape, image by Forum contributor edwards

Looking up Mission Street (center), image by Forum contributor edwards

Looking north at downtown, above the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, image by Forum contributor edwards

As with any large project in San Francisco, the city aims for social responsibility. Among developer Oceanwide Holdings’ contributions to this effort will be a large public plaza below the complex, the renovation of the adjacent historic 78 and 88 First Street buildings, and the designation of a third of all units in the residential complex as affordable housing.

Mayor Ed Lee (center), Supervisor Jane Kim, and representatives from China’s Oceanwide Holdings Group, image by Forum contributor edwards

The construction site as it stands on December 8, 2016, image by Forum contributor edwards

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