The four-building development plan covers one-half of a cityblock at the intersection of Market Street and Eighth Avenue,across the street from the Orpheum Theatre, one block from CivicCenter Plaza and one-half mile from Westfield's recently renovatedand expanded San Francisco Centre shopping mall. Sangiacomo andcity officials hope the mix of tenants and community amenities aswell as the architectural concept by Miami-based Arquitectonicawill spark a renaissance in the Civic Center district.

The first phase, at 1188 Mission Street, will be a 24-storytower with 440 units. Approximately 80% of the units will berent-controlled, replacing on a one-for-one basis those that willbe demolished to make way for the three subsequent phases, whichinclude another 1,360 units and 63,000 sf of street-level retail.The project includes parking for 1,350.

How to deal with the tenants in the existing rent-controlledunits—a 1960s motel that Sangiacomo converted to 360 apartments inthe 1970s—was one of the main sticking points in six-yearentitlement process. Sangiacomo reportedly had every intention ofredeveloping the site 25 years ago but was repeatedly deterred fromdoing so by city officials and disgruntled citizens, according tomultiple sources.