100 VAN NESS in San Francisco (32/58)

100 VAN NESS AVENUE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA

100 Van Ness Avenue is a skyscraper in San Francisco, currently undergoing a conversion from office to residential use. It is located in the Civic Center neighborhood near the San Francisco City Hall on Van Ness Avenue. The building, completed in 1974, stands 400 feet (122 m) and has 29 floors of former office space that housed the California State Automobile Association.

The building was sold by CSAA to VNO Patson, LLC in 2008 and was leased back to CSAA until 2010, at which time they relocated to a new corporate headquarters campus near Walnut Creek. VNO Patson’s interest in the building was foreclosed on by its lender and is now owned by Civic Center Commons Associates, which took title to the property in 2011. The new owner is planning a conversion of the building to 400 rental apartments. Construction on the apartment conversion is expected to be completed by 2015.The interior design will be completed by New York-based Irish Interior Designer Colum McCartan, founder and principal of McCARTAN.

Initial architecture renderings of the upcoming 400 unit building showed an emerald green jewel-like structure.  After alterations made through the planning approval process, the newly hung panels are representing a more conventional glassy facade with solid colored elements sprinkled throughout.   Despite being toned down, the new glass skin is a sharp departure from the blockish concrete walls they replaced.  The new facade covers six of the building’s 29 floors.  Judging by the rate of progress and barring any hurdles, the structure should be fully wrapped this year with NREA ( and co-developer Emerald Fund) expecting project completion in 2015.

Developer : Ness developer Emerald Fund

Architect : Albert F. Roller