One Rincon Hill in San Francisco

We learn a lot from studying other projects in different cities. Each place has its own unique market and culture that becomes incorporated into any given design. While in San Francisco this weekend I checked out the development progress in the Downtown and South of Market areas. With each year that goes by, this neighborhood continues its radical change from warehouses to people places. One of the more dramatic changes has happened in the Rincon Hill neighborhood (See also CurbedSF's Rincon Hill's page). What began with a city initiative to bring more housing near the Financial District and the waterfront has resulted in a new way to live in the city. It’s certainly less charming and with few slopes, but rather more modern and glistening. The glass, steel, and water combine for a new way to experience the city. Some there call it “Manhattan-like.” But it’s different than that. The plan is for tall, carefully spaced, very slender, low profile buildings in order to preserve everyone's cherished views that make the city special. See more on the Rincon Hill plan here. I visited four condo projects on Saturday in South of Market, including Millennium Tower, One Rincon Hill, 829 Folsom and Blu. I found some spectacular views (and prices). See pics below of One Rincon Hill, developed by Urban West Associates in San Francisco. I'll post some pics of other buildings later this week.