Developers have released updated plans for a major redevelopment project at the Golden Gate University Campus located at 536 Mission Street in San Francisco's South of Market (SoMa) district. The development team, consisting of Lincoln Property Company and McCourt Partners, is still evaluating two different 47-story tower concepts for the site: a 698-foot-tall mixed-use building that would include residential units, or a 752-foot-tall office tower.
The taller office variant would reach approximately 752 feet and contain nearly 1.3 million square feet of space. This version would feature 1.25 million square feet dedicated to office space, 7,370 square feet for retail establishments, and 39,730 square feet for a podium-level parking garage. The building would provide parking accommodations for 60 vehicles and 264 bicycles.
The shorter mixed-use option, standing at 698 feet, would offer just over one million square feet of total space. This design includes 575,570 square feet of office space, 465,440 square feet designated for housing, 2,290 square feet of retail space, and 76,650 square feet for a basement parking garage. The residential component would consist of 396 units with varying layouts: 86 studio apartments, 221 one-bedroom units, 54 two-bedroom apartments, and 35 three-bedroom units. This variant would accommodate parking for 184 cars and 380 bicycles.
Both proposed designs incorporate Privately-Owned Public Open Space at street level. The office tower variant would feature an indoor park connected to an outdoor plaza, while the mixed-use version would include an outdoor plaza linked to the main lobby area. Renowned architectural firm Skidmore Owings & Merrill is leading the design process for both options.
The updated renderings provide more detailed views of both tower concepts, though the overall design approach remains consistent with previously released plans. The office variant maintains a sculptural appearance with a curved setback from Ecker Street that leads to a tapered rooftop design. A notable feature of this version is the 29th-floor amenity lounge, which will include an outdoor deck that serves as a visual focal point against the building's curtain-wall facade.
The mixed-use tower presents a more rectangular form with terraced setbacks on the 10th and 21st floors. The facade design will include subtle variations to distinguish between the commercial and residential sections, with operable windows planned for the residential areas to provide fresh air access for residents.
According to the development team's planning application, San Francisco's office market currently faces not a demand shortage but rather a supply mismatch. They argue that there's a gap between the type of office space available and what many tenants actually need and want, particularly regional and international companies seeking substantial amounts of office space.
Market data supports some of these claims, with a third-quarter 2025 office report from Cushman & Wakefield indicating that rents for Class A office space are gradually increasing. The report notes that Class A Tier 1 properties are experiencing just 10.2% vacancy rates. Class A Tier 1 asking rents remained strong throughout the quarter, closing at $104.88 per square foot, which demonstrates continued demand for premium office space. However, broader city data shows that overall office vacancy stood at 35.3% during the third quarter of 2025, representing a slight improvement from 35.7% in the second quarter and 35.4% in the first quarter of 2025.
The financial projections for both options show the office project would be slightly more expensive to develop. The office variant carries an estimated budget of $349.6 million, while the mixed-use alternative is projected to cost $342.9 million. However, these estimates do not account for all development costs associated with the projects.
The development team has not yet established a definitive timeline for when groundbreaking might begin on either version of the project. The decision between the two concepts will likely depend on various factors including market conditions, regulatory approvals, and financing considerations as the project moves through the city's planning and approval process.
