Multifamily Developments Bake in Touchless Features

SAN FRANCISCO—Some multifamily communities are adding touchless features and some had the foresight to include those features in the design process well before COVID was a reality. One of these developments is Presidio Bay’s 38-unit The Quinn, starting in the $800,000s, which is set to begin selling in early 2021. The multifamily property will include a wide array of special tech-, sustainability- and wellness-driven amenities, along with unique community spaces.

“Really when we looked at the site’s hustle and bustle, we saw opportunities and COVID makes these even more appealing,” Cyrus Sanandaji, managing director of Presidio Bay, tells GlobeSt.com. “It’s a mid-block site fronting Rodgers and 8th Street near Pinterest with unique physical aspects, i.e. walk-up units with front yards. Every unit facing Rodgers has a large deck and unobstructed views of San Francisco. And, units on 8th Street are looking at Sutro Tower.”

Moreover, Sanandaji says six of the units are affordable and all are sustainable.

“The Quinn has a 98 Walk Score and a 99 Bike Score,” he tells GlobeSt.com. “We also offer rental bikes and an oversized bike room.  There is no on-site parking at all. It’s truly a transit-oriented site.”

As for other sustainable features, the development has stormwater recycling and solar panels. The new restrictions for COVID are already baked in, including smart touchless entries for deliveries and locker rooms for secure package pickups, smart keyless entry on each unit, smart lighting systems and HVAC including Nests temperature controls.

“These amenities are akin to the single-family home but are now being incorporated into the most modern high-rises,” Sanandaji tells GlobeSt.com. “We emphasize function over form. Although we love designing beautiful buildings, we test new ideas as new technology is available.”

The Quinn will also feature a series of commissioned artwork by artist and muralist Kelcey Fisher, known as KFiSH. These works can be found throughout the building, from the courtyard mural to the lobby to actual residences and have been curated to create a truly gallery experience. This furthers the project’s mantra of “home as art and art as home”.

The Quinn will also provide the first series of homebuyers with a Mirror digital home gym. In response to COVID-19, most public gyms and communal fitness facilities in condo and apartment buildings have been forced to shut down. Digital fitness has very quickly become an integral component of the Bay Area lifestyle and providing a fitness solution within the privacy of residents’ homes was a good solution.

The San Francisco multifamily market recorded only $64.1 million in investment volume and was at 31.4% of last year’s total capital invested going into fourth quarter, according to a Transwestern report. With 926 units delivered in the quarter, the development pipeline ended the period with 3,724 units under construction.

Thanks to the 50 Jones (Civic Center/Tenderloin) and Common City Gardens (Haight/Castro/Mission/Noe Valley) developments, 503 units were added to market. The average rate per square foot dipped to $3.76 in third quarter compared to $4.14 in second quarter, says the report.