Millennium Tower (301 Mission Street)

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The Millennium Tower or 301 Mission Street is a blue, all glass, 60-story highrise condo tower currently under construction on the border of the South of Market and Financial District in San Francisco. This $400 million project was developed by Millennium Partners of New York City and designed by Handel Architects ([1]). Rising 645 ft. (197 m) into the air, it will be the fourth-tallest building in San Francisco and tallest building to be constructed (currently) since 345 California Street in 1986. The Millennium Tower complex in which the tower rises from (on the south end) is located on Mission Street and bounded by the Fremont and Beale Streets and the north end of the Transbay Terminal. In addition to the 60-story tower, there is a shorter, 125-foot (38 m) 11-story tower on the north end of the complex with more condos and residential amenities. In between the two towers, there will be a two-story glass atrium at about 43 ft. (13 m) tall. In total, the project will have 437 units, some of which (~120) will be extended-stay hotel units and the others residential units. The will be 350 parking spaces in a 4 story underground garage, with a parking space to unit ratio of about 0.8. The tower is designed to resemble a translucent crystal and to be a landmark for the Transbay Redevelopment and the southern skyline of San Francisco.

1 History
2 Construction
3 Condo units and views
4 Effects on the skyline
5 Gallery
6 See also
7 Links

[edit] History

The current design replaced an earlier design which included a ~550 foot (168 m) and a ~350 foot (107 m) tower linked together by a six story podium. The earlier design was never built and a newer plan replaced it sometime around 2003. Soon afterward, the project was approved 4-1 and construction began in 2005. The only against vote came from Sue Hestor.

[edit] Construction

Construction on this tower began in August 2005 and will continue until the tower and the entire project is completed in April 2009. The massive concrete foundation mat for the 60-story tower is complete. Steel rebar for the elevator core, floors and columns currently poke above street level as of March 2007. Forms for the massive structural comumns were manufactured by Gates and Sons, Inc. of Denver, Colorado. The first 17 floors have been built and the concrete core is 19-20 stories tall. Curtainwall glass has been placed on the third to fourth floors of the tower and vent panels have been placed on the second floor. Unlike the other projects in the area, the Millennium Tower is progressing very slowly. There is also a tower crane on the one-acre worksite and the crane was raised in November, January, and March. Excavation has started on the dirt that the midrise will eventually rise on; currently it is three to four levels below street level. Another crane is on the site, sitting on an elevated platform. The main contractor is Webcor Builders; see here for more info on the project. This is one out of several new highrise projects completed or under construction on Mission Street since 2000, like The Paramount, the St. Regis Museum Tower, the JP MorganChase Building, 101 Second Street, and 555 Mission Street.

[edit] Condo units and views

With more than 430 residential units, the Millennium Tower, like many other projects in the area, will help to ease San Francisco's housing crush. However, many of the units in the tower will be for the upper-middle to upper-class who can afford them. According to renderings, the lower and middle levels of the taller tower will only offer views to the northeast to the southeast due to densely clustered, tall ~250 to ~600 feet (76 to 183 m) skyscrapers of the Financial District, South of Market and waterfront surrounding the building on the other three sides. Only the upper floors that tower above the surrounding buildings will have 360-degree views. Some notable landmarks viewable are the Bay, Bay Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge, Marin, and the second and tallest buildings in San Francisco. However, possible continued redevelopment of the South of Market area could possibly cut off some of Millennium Tower's views.

[edit] Effects on the skyline

Being the city's fourth tallest building, the building will moderately alter the city's skyline, poking a little above the shelf of buildings on Market Street. Despite being slightly taller than the ultra-prominent South Tower of One Rincon Hill and 300 Spear Street, due to its location adjacent to the dense cluster of buildings in the Financial District (the same reason for the limited views mentioned above), the building will only be prominent from viewpoints that don't have taller Financial District skyscrapers blocking the view. In contrast, the South Tower of One Rincon Hill currently has no significantly tall buildings adjacent to the complex. Nevertheless, the Millennium Tower will be a significant addition to the skyline, being the tallest 21st Century skyscraper built in San Francisco. However, that may change in the future, with at least five towers taller than 200 meters proposed currently in San Francisco.

[edit] Gallery

The Millennium Tower in early June 2006.	The tower starting to emerge on July 25, 2006.	Similar view.	Construction site on August 16, there are lots of equipment and items lying around.
Construction equipment and pieces lying around.	The short crane as of August 16.	Concrete core and columns.	Worker hosing down site to keep the dust down.
Wooden forms forming a rectangular box, it's probably the entrance to the parking garage located under the shorter tower.	The crane and worksite overall.	Site on August 18.	The crane looming over the worksite and construction items.
Crane on September 17.	The site, crane, concrete core, rebar, etc.	Site in October.	Site in late October.
Another crane for the excavation of the underground parking garage and midrise, 300 Spear is in the back.	View from the corner.	301 Mission in December.	Close up.
Work on the excavation and second crane.