Russian Hill's 1923 Tamalpais Apartments, Near Lombard's Curves, Could Get Eight Big New Family Units

One of Russian Hill's best-known old apartment towers could get eight new homes stacked above its garage, under early plans published by San Francisco's planning department.

The proposal for 1201 Greenwich St., the 11-story Tamalpais Apartments, calls for a three-story addition over the garage portion of the property, San Francisco YIMBY reported Saturday. The new space would total about 13,140 square feet and wrap around the 1923 tower without changing the historic building itself. Syncopated Architecture, a San Francisco firm, drew up the plans.

Bigger units than most new SF housing

All eight proposed apartments are family-sized: five would have three bedrooms and three would have four, according to SF YIMBY. That stands out in a city where many new buildings lean heavily on studios and one-bedrooms. Parking would barely change, dropping from 26 spaces to 25.

A tower with a Hollywood past

The Tamalpais was designed by Conrad Meussdorffer, a prolific local architect who also designed the Empress Apartments on Sutter Street and the Alta Plaza Apartments on Steiner Street. A city profile quoted by SF YIMBY calls his apartment towers probably the finest collection in San Francisco by a single architect. Hoodline notes the building has appeared on screen as a film noir backdrop for stars including Humphrey Bogart and Joan Crawford. It sits across from George Sterling Park, a block from the Lombard Street switchbacks.

Still very early

This is not a formal application yet. The plans were posted ahead of a project review meeting, the step that comes before a developer officially applies, and no construction cost or timeline has been set, SF YIMBY reported. The outlet said the project could use the city's Housing Choice Program. The lot is zoned for moderate-density residential use, Hoodline reported.

Small additions like this one won't close San Francisco's housing gap on their own: the city must plan for more than 82,000 new homes between 2023 and 2031 under its state target. But they show how owners are looking for room to build even on a crowded, historic hilltop.