San Francisco may be one step closer to adding hundreds of new homes in a neighborhood that desperately needs more housing supply. A proposal was recently submitted to transform the Safeway site at 1335 Webster Street into a 25-story apartment tower, marking one of the city’s most ambitious mixed-use redevelopment plans in years.
The project is still early in the approval process, but it’s already drawing attention for its scale, location, and potential impact on the surrounding area.
What’s Being Proposed
The plan calls for replacing the existing Safeway supermarket and parking lot with a high-rise residential tower that would include:
Hundreds of new apartments (exact unit count TBD)
Ground-floor retail, potentially including a new grocery option
Upgraded public spaces and safer, more walkable streets
Underground or structured parking instead of the current surface lot
If approved, the development would significantly reshape the block and bring much-needed housing density to the Western Addition/Japantown area.
Why This Project Matters
San Francisco has struggled for years with limited housing construction, tight zoning, and a growing demand for centrally located rental options. Projects like this offer three key benefits:
1. More supply in a constrained market
Large-scale developments add hundreds of units at once, something the city rarely sees. More supply usually means lower prices.
2. A better use of space
Replacing a single-story grocery store and a huge parking lot with housing is exactly the type of land-use shift city planners have been pushing for — efficiency!
3. A stronger retail corridor
A rebuilt ground-floor retail space could still maintain grocery access while improving walkability and creating a more active neighborhood hub!
How Long Could This Take?
Even with state housing laws that streamline approvals, major high-rise projects in SF often face multi-year timelines. The Safeway redevelopment would need:
Environmental review
Community input
Planning approvals
Financing and construction phases
If the process goes smoothly, groundbreaking could still be years away, but early filings show momentum.
What Renters Should Expect
For SF renters, this is a positive sign:
More inventory in central neighborhoods
More modern units entering the rental market
Potential downward pressure on prices over the long term