APPENDIX K TO ARTICLE 11

MINT-MISSION CONSERVATION DISTRICT

SEC. 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

It is hereby found that the area known and described in this Appendix as the Mint-Mission area is a Subarea within the C-3 District that possesses concentrations of buildings that together create a subarea of architectural and environmental quality and importance that contributes to the beauty and attractiveness of the City. It is further found that the area meets the standards for designation of a Conservation District as set forth in Section 1103 of Article 11 and that the designation of said area as a Conservation District will be in furtherance of and in conformance with the purposes of Article 11 of the Planning Code.

This designation is intended to promote the health, safety, prosperity, and welfare of the people of the City through the effectuation of the purposes set forth in Section 1101 of Article 11 and the maintenance of the scale and character of the Mint-Mission area by:

• (a) Protecting and preserving the basic characteristics and salient architectural details of structures insofar as these characteristics and details are compatible with the Conservation District;

• (b) Providing scope for the continuing vitality of the District through private renewal and architectural creativity, within appropriate controls and standards;

(c) Maintaining a separate identity from the adjacent Kearny-Market-Mason-Sutter Conservation District through the preservation of the District’s small- to medium-scale industrial, residential, and commercial buildings. (Added by Ord. 257-18, File No. 180724, App. 11/2/2018, Eff. 12/3/2018)

SEC. 2. DESIGNATION.

Pursuant to Section 1103.1 of Article 11 of the Planning Code, the Mint-Mission area is hereby designated as a Conservation District.

(Added by Ord. 257-18, File No. 180724, App. 11/2/2018, Eff. 12/3/2018)

SEC. 3. LOCATION AND BOUNDARIES.

The location and boundaries of the Mint-Mission Conservation District shall be as designated on the Mint-Mission Conservation District Map, the original of which is on file with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors under File No. 180724, which Map is hereby incorporated herein as though fully set forth and a facsimile of which is reproduced herein below. The Mint-Mission Conservation District encompasses Lot Nos. 003, 010, 012, 013, 015, 017, 018, 019, 020, 021, 022, 024, 028, 029, 034, 035, 059, 079, 113, and 144 of Assessor’s Block No. 3704 and Lot Nos. 087 and 088 of Assessor’s Block No. 3725.

(Added by Ord. 257-18, File No. 180724, App. 11/2/2018, Eff. 12/3/2018)

SEC. 4. RELATION TO CITY PLANNING CODE.

(a) Article 11 of the City Planning Code is the basic law governing preservation of buildings and districts of architectural importance in the C-3 District of the City and County of San Francisco. This Appendix is subject to and in addition to the provisions thereof.

(b) Except as may be specifically provided to the contrary in this Code, nothing in this Appendix shall supersede, impair or modify any City Planning Code provisions applicable to property in the Mint-Mission Conservation District, including, but not limited to, regulations controlling uses, height, bulk, coverage, floor area ratio, required open space, offstreet parking, and signs.

(Added by Ord. 257-18, File No. 180724, App. 11/2/2018, Eff. 12/3/2018)

SEC. 5. JUSTIFICATION.

The characteristics of the Conservation District justifying its designation are as follows:

(a) History of the District. The Mint-Mission Conservation District is representative of the post-1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire reconstruction period and the evolution of land use patterns at the northern edge of the South of Market neighborhood dating to the mid-nineteenth century. The District retains a mix of residential hotels, small scale commercial buildings, warehouses and manufacturing facilities reflective of the area’s role as the center of industrial production in San Francisco and the major supplier of mining equipment, heavy machinery and other goods to the western states. Residential hotels provided housing for the largely single men employed by the nearby factories and manufacturing

operations and in seasonal or temporary positions along the waterfront. This land use pattern was replicated during the reconstruction of South of Market following the 1906 earthquake and fire. The District encompasses a cohesive concentration of reinforced concrete and brick masonry buildings constructed between 1906 and 1930. The District is particularly notable as it is a survivor of the extensive redevelopment of SoMa in the late twentieth century during which much of the building stock from the period when the neighborhood served as the city’s industrial and manufacturing center was razed.

(b) Basic Nature of the District. The District is characterized by small- to mid-scale industrial, residential, and commercial buildings ranging in height from one to ten stories, with the predominate height between two and five stories. Most buildings in the District are constructed on through-lots with visible rear elevations. The District includes several warehouses and industrial lofts, three residential hotels with commercial ground floors, and a former bank. Twenty-two properties are located in the District, 19 of which are Category I-IV buildings.

ne to ten stories, with the predominate height between two and five stories. Most buildings in the District are constructed on through-lots with visible rear elevations. The District includes several warehouses and industrial lofts, three residential hotels with commercial ground floors, and a former bank. Twenty-two properties are located in the District, 19 of which are Category I-IV buildings.

(c) Architectural Character. The buildings are primarily constructed of reinforced concrete and brick masonry and are largely industrial in style and feature Classical Revival detailing typical of early 20th century commercial architecture in San Francisco. Ornament on residential and mixed-use buildings consists of belt courses, arches, moldings and drip pendants, applied cast shields or swag, and corniced rooflines often featuring brackets, modillions, and dentil moldings. The District’s buildings are largely clad in smooth finish stucco or brick, with a few structures clad with rusticated stucco, terra cotta, and concrete.

(d) Uniqueness and Location. The District is comprised of one of the few intact concentrations of residential hotels, small-scale commercial buildings, warehouses and manufacturing facilities remaining in the South of Market neighborhood. The District is reflective of the land use patterns developed in SoMa in the late nineteenth century and continued following the 1906 earthquake and fire. Twenty-two buildings are located in the District. Five of the buildings located within the District were constructed between 1906-1907, one of which is a partial survivor of the 1906 earthquake and fire. The District is unique in that most of its buildings are constructed on through-lots with visible rear elevations. The District is adjacent to the Kearny-Market-Mason-Sutter Conservation District and borders the 6th Street Lodginghouse Historic District. The Old Mint, a National Historic Landmark, is located across from the eastern border and pre-dates the period of significance of the District. The District is particularly noteworthy as it survived the midtwentieth century redevelopment of SoMa during which much of the area’s building stock dating to the period when the neighborhood served as the city’s manufacturing center was razed.

(e) Visual and Functional Unity. The District is a cohesive mix of small- to mid-scale buildings with common architectural character and vocabulary.

(f) Dynamic Continuity. The District is located at the intersection of the major large-scale retail and commercial function of Market Street and the mix of small-business storefronts, residential hotels and industrial buildings converted to office and residential use that characterize the South of Market neighborhood.

(g) Benefits to the City and its Residents. As the anchor to the district, the Old Mint is surrounded by the mix of residential hotels, industrial, manufacturing and warehouse structures found in the District. Mint-Mission is unique to San Francisco as it is one of the few remaining intact clusters of buildings that reflect South of Market’s nineteenth-century function as the city’s industrial and manufacturing center.

and its Residents.** As the anchor to the district, the Old Mint is surrounded by the mix of residential hotels, industrial, manufacturing and warehouse structures found in the District. Mint-Mission is unique to San Francisco as it is one of the few remaining intact clusters of buildings that reflect South of Market’s nineteenth-century function as the city’s industrial and manufacturing center.

(Added by Ord. 257-18, File No. 180724, App. 11/2/2018, Eff. 12/3/2018)

SEC. 6. FEATURES.

The exterior architectural features of the Mint-Mission Conservation District are as follows:

(a) Massing and Composition. Buildings in the District are rectangular in plan, with the exception of two L-shaped structures. Multi-story buildings feature multiple bays and two- or three-part vertical compositions consisting of a base and shaft or a base, shaft and capital. The majority of the buildings within the District occupy the entirety of their lots and are built to the front property line. One and two story buildings largely feature flat roofs with simple cornices. Projecting

cornices with modillions, scrolled brackets, shield motifs, egg and dart molding, and decorative low-relief panels are found on several of the District’s multi-story buildings.

(b) Scale. The buildings are small- to medium-scale with heights ranging from one to ten stories, with the predominate height between two and five stories. The majority of the buildings are built on the entirety of their lots and are primarily 1500-9000 square feet in size, with the exception of three buildings that are approximately 12,000 square feet.

(c) Materials and Colors. Buildings in the District are primarily clad in terra cotta, smooth and polychrome brick, stone tiles and smooth or rusticated stucco or concrete. Masonry is the predominate framing, but two buildings located in the district are steel frame. One is a brick masonry structure and the other is reinforced concrete. Ornamentation materials are largely stucco, brick, terra cotta tile, and wood. Wood is commonly used for window framing, millwork and ornamentation. Materials and paint are generally light colors and light to medium earth tones.

(d) Detailing and Ornamentation. Ornament on the District’s residential and mixed-use buildings consists of belt courses, decorative millwork, brick corbelling, and projecting bracketed cornices with dentil molding, applied cast shields and molding. Industrial buildings commonly feature simple cornices, flat facades with little ornament, and punched window openings. These shared details, along with the common height, scale, and materials found in the district create a cohesive grouping of buildings.

(Added by Ord. 257-18, File No. 180724, App. 11/2/2018, Eff. 12/3/2018)

SEC. 7. STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FOR REVIEW OF NEW CONSTRUCTION AND CERTAIN ALTERATIONS.

(a) All construction of new buildings and all major alterations, which are subject to the provisions of Sections 1110, 1111 through 1111.6, and 1113, shall be compatible with the District in general with respect to the building’s composition and massing, scale, materials and colors, and detailing and ornamentation, including those features described in Section 6 of this Appendix. Emphasis shall be placed on compatibility with those buildings in the area in which the new or altered building is located. In the case of major alterations, only those building characteristics that are affected by the proposed alteration shall be considered in assessing compatibility. Signs on buildings in conservation districts are subject to the provisions of Section 1111.7.

The foregoing standards do not require, or even encourage, new buildings to imitate the styles of the past. Rather, they require the new to be compatible with the old. The determination of compatibility shall be made in accordance with the provisions of Section 309.

(b) The guidelines in this Subsection are to be used in assessing compatibility.

(1) Composition and Massing. New construction should maintain the district’s essential character by relating to the prevailing height, mass, proportions, rhythm and composition of existing Significant and Contributory Buildings. The height and massing of new buildings should not alter the traditional scale of existing buildings, streets and open spaces. In addition to the consideration of sunlight access for the street, an appropriate streetwall height is established by reference to the prevailing height of the buildings on the block and especially that of adjacent buildings. If the adjacent buildings are of a significantly different height than the rest of the buildings on the block, then the prevailing height of buildings on the block should be used as a guide. A setback at the streetwall height can permit additional height above the setback without breaking the continuity of the street wall.

Most existing buildings are built to the property or street line. This pattern, except in the case of carefully selected open spaces, should not be broken since it could damage the continuity of building rhythms and the definitions of streets. The standard proportions of new buildings should be established by the prevailing streetwall height and width of lots. To ensure that an established set of proportions is maintained, it is necessary to break up the facades of new buildings into smaller sections that relate to those existing proportions.

The design of a new structure should repeat the common pattern of two and three part vertical compositions. A base element is necessary to define the pedestrian environment. This division of a building allows flexibility in the design of the ground story while encouraging uniformity of the upper stories.

(2) Scale. A major influence on scale is the degree to which the total facade plane is broken into smaller parts (e.g., by detailing, fenestration, and bay widths) which relate to human scale. The existing scale of small- to medium-sized buildings found in the District should be maintained. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, including a consistent use of size and complexity of detailing in regards to surrounding buildings, continuance of existing bay widths, maintenance of an existing streetwall height, and incorporation of a base element (of similar height) to maintain the pedestrian environment. Large wall surfaces, which increase a building’s scale, should be broken up through the use of detailing and textural variation.

Existing fenestration (windows and entrances) rhythms and proportions which have been established by lot width or bay width should be repeated in new structures. The spacing and size of window openings should follow the sequence set by Significant and Contributory structures. Large glass areas should be broken up by mullions so that the scale of glazed areas is compatible with that of neighboring buildings. Casement and double-hung windows should be used where possible.

(3) Materials and Colors. The use of like materials can relate two buildings of obviously different eras and styles. Similarly, the use of materials that appear similar (such as substituting concrete for stone) can link two disparate structures, or harmonize the appearance of a new structure with the architectural character of a conservation district. The preferred surface materials for this District are brick, stone, and concrete simulated to look like terra cotta or stone.

The texture of surfaces can be treated in a manner so as to emphasize the bearing function of the material, as is done in rustication on historic buildings.

Traditional light colors and earth tones should be used in order to blend in with the character of the district.

Dissimilar buildings may be made more compatible by using similar or harmonious colors, and to a lesser extent, by using similar textures.

(4) Detailing and Ornamentation. A new building should relate to the surrounding area by picking up elements from surrounding buildings and repeating them or developing them for new purposes. Detailing of a similar shape and placement can be used without directly copying historical ornament. The new structure should incorporate prevailing cornice lines or belt courses and may also use a modern vernacular instead of that of the original model. (Added by Ord. 257-18, File No. 180724, App. 11/2/2018, Eff. 12/3/2018)