Let us introduce you to Mark Friedberg, part of the Serif Sales team. Mark has called San Francisco home for the last 33 years, which is why when Serif came calling Mark jumped at the chance to be part of the team making this a rooftop town. In his spare time, Mark loves traveling and ordering up his favorite Uber Eats to entertain friends al fresco under the stars. Bringing an impressive 15 years of real estate experience to the Serif team, with 14 of those years dedicated to new home sales, you can trust a tour with Mark will be both knowledgeable and detailed. We asked Mark to share some insight on Serif, including his favorite views, finishes, and the renaissance of Mid-Market.
“Serif is truly a one-of-a-kind structure with an undulating facade creating privacy for owners that winds from street to street creating the most unique development San Francisco has ever seen. Mid-Market is the new hub and place to live and be seen in our stunning city by the Bay.”
This striking 12-story building is the result of a collaboration between conceptual architect Bjarke Ingels Group of Denmark, interior architect IwamotoScott of San Francisco, and architect of record Handel Architects of San Francisco.
“We’re curating an experience that brings the outside in.” – IwamotoScott Architecture
Step inside and take in some of Mark’s favorite features and finishes in the common spaces at Serif:
“The lobby is warm and welcoming. To start, there’s a beautiful front reception desk with lighting above that truly opens the space to showcase the entry to our gorgeous building. The rooftop solarium lounge is exquisite with its moving walls to make the space larger or shrink it for a more intimate feel, each allowing for city views of our beautiful San Francisco skyline. Every floor showcases a different art form in your elevator lobby which is so unique and bright!”
Mark gives us a hint at the finishes and views you’ll find when you tour the residences at SERIF. Each residence is a blank canvas on which residents can impart their personal style. Clean and modern, with exposed concrete ceilings and white countertops, the aesthetic is decidedly simple and urban.
“The use of white and grey finishes accent the homes to give a truly unique and artistic feel. The homes are warm with the beautiful light wood floors contrasting with the high polished concrete ceilings. The baths are very spacious and exquisitely designed with the use of whites, grey, and black faucets that truly POP!”
“My favorite view is from the 2BR/2BA stack, the 11 collection, our highest floor, that looks down Market Street towards the downtown skyline. You can see Sales Force, Transamerica and more! And obvi another view enjoyed by all is from the roof of the building where you feel like you are on top of the world looking all over our stunning city!”
Known for being the vein through the heart of San Francisco where the arts come to life and dozens of cultural destinations call home, more exciting things are in the works for Mid-Market neighborhood:
“The neighborhood will be the place to be and to be seen! Serif will transform Mid-Market to be the most coveted neighborhood in San Francisco. Hayes Valley, SOMA, and the Embarcadero had their time, now welcome to SERIF, where we will change everything. Hotels from LINE are super unique and different in every city. The LINE San Francisco will become their flagship hotel and their top in the chain complete with a locally owned restaurant, a rooftop bar and a beer garden. The Magic Theater will add its Magic Lab to the already abundant number of theaters in the Market Street corridor. The evolving re-design of a more pedestrian friendly Civic Center, 1028 Market – LUXE apartments, 50 Jones – LUXE apartment homes, IKEA San Francisco and a new addition to UC Hasting Law school are also on the way.”
Tours have started at Serif! Schedule yours soon with Mark Friedberg by emailing sales@serifsf.com or calling 415-805-8896.
Where business meets pleasure. Where cultures collide. Where everything is a little more…exciting. Welcome to the heart of San Francisco’s newest renaissance.
Handel Architects recently announced a milestone in the making, their work is wrapping up on Serif San Francisco and the LINE Hotel at 960 Market Street situated on a triangular block where San Francisco’s Union Square, Tenderloin and South of Market Districts meet. The location is often called Mid-Market, which is part of Central Market Community Benefit District in the heart of San Francisco. The stunning new architecture is stopping pedestrians in their tracks and a favorite subject of local street photographers. The bright white, textured facade takes cues from contemporary architecture, while the flatiron at Turk and Market recalls early 20th century San Francisco. “The wavy façade is expressed through glass fiber reinforced concrete panels with beveled edges. With many great partners including façade consultants WJE”, said Handel Architects. WJE is a global firm of engineers, architects, and materials scientists (who capture incredible perspectives in the course of their work. The textured façade and contemporary interpretation of surrounding masonry also caught the eye of The Architects Newspaper. Read the feature which explores the design in A concrete candy wrapper snakes around San Francisco’s Serif and The Line Hotel.
Serif and The Line Hotel, designed by Handel Architects, is well underway and once complete will deliver a 12-story mixed-use hotel and residential building at the boundary of the Tenderloin and South of Market districts in San Francisco. With nearly 400,000 square feet—200,000 of residential and 140,000 for the hotel—the scale of the project was greatly influenced by both its adjacent buildings and the challenging proportions of the irregularly shaped site. The triangular lot led the designers to arrive at a building massing that carves out outdoor plazas for the public on both Turk and Market streets, without compromising on light and air for the stacked program. Additionally, the site edges the Warfield, the historic theatre, and one of the most well-known music venues on the West coast. The white crinkling facade offers a unique reinterpretation of the surrounding punched windows and masonry context.
Designed to read as a “continuous wrapper around the building,” the envelope consists of glass fiber reinforced concrete panels with beveled edges that waver like a cellophane candy wrapper. Kevin Nguyen, Associate, and George Tolosa, Associate Principal at Handel Architects, worked closely with facade consultants David Green and Leslie Schepplemann of Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates to consider the material and many geometries of the faceted facade. Feedback based on Handel’s series of studies included conceptual collaboration early in the design development while also coming from previous work on a similarly beveled precast concrete hotel in Austin, Texas. Precast concrete would not have been feasible here due to the heavyweight that would have negatively impacted the structure due to the striking depth of the facade. David Green, AIA, elaborated that, “This was especially important in San Francisco, where the weight of a heavy cladding can substantially impact the cost of the building structure which has to resist the resulting forces when that weight is accelerated by an earthquake.”
Ultimately, the team worked with Willis Construction to manufacture the sleek GFRC panels that led to the final textured design. The final resolution of the finish and detailing strategies took place during a visit to Willis’s plant. Windows provided by Reflection Window + Wall were shipped to Willis Construction’s site in San Juan Bautista, California, and installed directly into the panels to allow for more efficient enclosure of the structure.
Traditionally, pre-installation of centered windows in the panel would call for a horizontal joint in the spandrel zone between floors at the seam where two facade panels are stacked. When studied in models, Handel found that this joint detracted from the desired smooth and chiseled appearance. WJE Associates’ creativity was inspired directly by the nature of the GFRC assembly: The steel frame, completely separate from the panels, did not call for exact alignment. This allowed WJE to install a steel tube framing member—critical to the success of the design—across the top of the panel for the windows to be installed without the skin covering them. The skin of the upper panel then hides the header tube of the panel below.
Each panel corresponds to the interior space within, employing the modulation beyond aesthetic hankerings. Altogether the building will offer 242 residential units, 232 hotel rooms, retail space, and a community space run by local nonprofit, Magic Theatre.
Photo of Serif and the LINE Hotel at the corner of the lot courtesy Handel Architects
Get moving! The F-line vintage streetcar service returns to the full length of its route, from Castro to Fisherman’s Wharf, starting May 2021. Per Mid-Market Community Benefit District: the F-line will run Castro District–Fisherman’s Wharf until September, when Better Market Street construction begins; as of then it’ll turn around at Powell and run to Fisherman’s Wharf. The goal of the Better Market Street project is to revitalize Market Street from Octavia Boulevard to The Embarcadero and reestablish the street as the premier cultural, civic and economic center of San Francisco and the Bay Area. The San Francisco Market Street Railway is working with SFMTA to keep the line running during construction.
The F Line streetcar is part of San Francisco’s public transit system (known locally as Muni). A collection of historic streetcars from all over the country have been restored, refurbished, and put back into service on the F Line. Of all the cities in the world, only San Francisco offers the opportunity to see such a variety of attractions from two different types of vintage rail transit vehicles, historic streetcars and the world-famous cable cars. Lucky for residents at Serif, Market Street plays host to them both!
What’s the difference?
Streetcars like the F Line run above ground and get their power from overhead electrical wires. While they come in many different color patterns, all of San Francisco’s streetcars have a similar shape and size. They’re about as big as a city bus and they look like they rode in right out of an old movie.
Cable cars are smaller and boxier. Like streetcars, cable cars run above ground; but unlike streetcars, they are propelled by steel cables hidden beneath the pavement.
End to end, the F Line runs six miles each way and passes through more than 150 years of history. The F Line runs from the Castro along Market Street all the way to the Embarcadero, passing through Civic Center and the Financial District, before turning north and following the waterfront to Fisherman’s Wharf. The F Line is also convenient for exploring Union Square and SoMa.
Near Serif, in the Upper Market & Civic Center area, as you enjoy a ride you’ll spy The Asian Art Museum, home to one of the world’s finest collections of Asian art, boasting more than 18,000 awe-inspiring artworks. You’ll also pass the San Francisco Opera and Ballet, sharing the War Memorial Opera House, and Davies Symphony Hall, home to the Grammy Award-wining San Francisco Symphony.
As you explore the Union Square & Convention Area you’ll discover a shopping spree of your dreams at the iconic Union Square and the Westfield San Francisco Centre, with a myriad of luxury retailers within a few tight blocks.
Be part of the movement. Find the F-line streetcars running right now on the live map and hop aboard.
The next chapter in San Francisco’s story is unfolding, and it’s happening right here. The heart of the City is getting a makeover. The Civic Center Public Realm Plan recasts the plaza as a larger, tree-encircled space, connected to Market Street via a long park. Civic Center’s public realm will be designed as a flexible place that welcomes daily life, with diverse activities over the course of the day and evening, weekdays and weekends. The plan also calls for a bike and pedestrian-friendly redesign of surrounding streets. It’ll all unfolding steps from SERIF.
The Civic Center Public Realm Plan will create a unified vision for long-term improvements to Civic Center’s plazas, streets, and other public spaces. Civic Center shares the details on the released plans:
Civic Center Plaza grants garden rooms framing new lawns and the playgrounds create a lively, verdant frame for a large gathering space centered on City Hall. Throw in a mirror fountain and you have the perfect place to reflect.
Fulton Mall features lawn terraces between the Library and the Asian Art Museum, framed by benches and places to sit in sun or shade. New pavilions and seating on the Library terrace create a quiet place.
Leavenworth Street will be transformed to a neighborhood park with a dog park, fitness park, community message board, and game tables. Dramatic lighting and special paving serves as a welcome mat that connects the Tenderloin to Civic Center’s public spaces.
UN Plaza will include an adaptation of the existing fountain. A civic promenade from Market Street to City Hall is a space for commemoration of the UN Charter, the history of Civic Center, and of local/neighborhood heroes. New places to eat and recreate on Leavenworth St and at BART add vitality at the plaza’s edges.
The War Memorial Gateway plaza concept includes a gracious western entry into the War Memorial Complex and Historic Civic Center District by regrading and repaving the existing pathways and roadways to create a flexible use plaza that forms a beautiful civic gateway between Hayes Valley and the War Memorial Complex.
Self-expression is not limited to public spaces. SERIF. Find your kind.
Image Credit: civiccentersf.org
San Francisco happens here. Welcome to Mid-Market, where SoMa meets the Tenderloin meets downtown. Stretching from Fifth Street to Van Ness between Mission and Market, discover a new generation of restaurants and bars cropping up alongside long-standing landmarks of the City’s theater, music, and LGBTQ scenes. For decades, this location has served as a vibrant portion of the Market Street corridor. This is home to some of the hottest names in tech, and the stomping ground of San Francisco’s famously colorful characters. Where some see disorder, we see a mosaic.
Serif rises 12 stories in the heart of San Francisco at 960 Market Street, surrounded by some of San Francisco’s most notable architecture, cultural venues and reminders of the City’s rich history.
Catch a Show… The Debut is Around the Corner.
Alonzo King Lines Ballet is a celebrated contemporary ballet company that has been guided since 1982 by the unique artistic vision of Alonzo King.
American Conservatory Theater (ACT) is a Tony-Award Winning Nonprofit Theater that hosts The Strand Theater and acts as a ticket house to the nearby Geary Theater in Union Square.
The Strand Theater, housed in ACT you cannot miss this striking red performance center featuring some of the most talented artists in the Bay Area. An intimate playhouse, it holds just under 300 people and is mostly ground level seating with a small balcony section.
Golden Gate Theater is another classic in Mid-Market. You will see Broadway shows, musicals, and so much more.
The Warfield is one of San Francisco’s most legendary music venues. The Warfield originally opened as a vaudeville theatre in 1922.
Asian Art Museum features a world-class collection of over 18,000 rotating artworks from across Asia, plus exhibitions and installations.
Eat, Drink & Be Merry.
While there are plenty of fine dining and drinking options to be had in nearby neighborhoods like Hayes Valley and SOMA, SF’s Mid-Market is holding its own with a few inventive entities and flavors from around the world. Dive into a bowl of lunchtime noodles at Kagawa-Ya Udon, and enjoy a taste of Rome at nearby 54 Mint or Montesacro Pinseria Romana, the first Roman Pinseria Romana to open in the US.
Dottie’s True Blue Café or Mavelous is the perfect spot to start your day and Charmaine’s rooftop bar 120 feet above Market Street is the perfect place to end it. Enjoy the bold flavors of Burma at nearby Burma Club in Mint Plaza or grab some Flying Falafel to-go. The Market on Market at the foot of Twitter HQ is brimming with an upscale selection of groceries, beer and wine, plus houses a city-wide destination food hall.
Happy Hour is never far with popular spots like The Cavalier and BIIG set to make a grand return and there’s always something on tap at Fermentation Lab or Mikkeler. Just south of Market, City Beer Store features a selection of hard-to-find bottled beers to-go, beer snacks, sweets and a weekly meal package.
Wednesdays and Sundays year-round at UN Plaza, the Bay Area’s best selection of farmers set up shop offering goods and the finest picks from their harvest at the Heart of the City Farmers Market. And if you are looking for an espresso or some local grind to go with your stroll, Mid-Market even has a map for that, visit the Mid-Market coffee map.
Market Street is flat, pedestrian-friendly and equipped with well-utilized bike lanes, but you can also travel up and down the city’s main thoroughfare riding one of the restored streetcars (some 150 years old) along the F-Market & Wharves Muni line.
Boredom Free. Mid-Market is the confluence of the eclectic. Where business meets pleasure. Where cultures collide. Where everything is a little more…exciting. SF is at your fingertips when you live at SERIF. Come take a look around and enjoy the heart of San Francisco.
Welcome to our new blog for SERIF, where you’ll be right at home with everything San Francisco has to offer. Street art. Local music. 7 am nightcaps. And that’s just our block. Boredom free, we’re connected to the beating heart of the City. Artistic, cultural, fun – SERIF is a reflection of San Francisco. It’s our natural habitat – our backyard. We plan to bring you the inside scoop on what’s happening at 960 Market, Mid-Market and the surrounding neighborhoods, plus the City of San Francisco.
We’re going behind-the-scenes to share the stories behind the design of Serif – meet our team of placemakers and get to know some of our favorite spots in the neighborhood to make the most of the lifestyle. Find a curated list of local happenings, read about our latest milestone, discover a new neighborhood destination, dig deeper into our amenities or the art, architecture and culture that makes our neighborhood one of a kind. Trends come and go, San Francisco is forever. The next chapter in San Francisco is unfolding. And it’s happening right now. The thriving energy of Mid-Market is just getting started, join us for the latest milestones in the making.
Most cities welcome you. San Francisco embraces you. Find your kind at Serif.
Watch our story unfold. Home is only the half of it. Residences, retail, hospitality and more are on the way. Help us showcase some love for the city we call home by sharing your urban love story in photos, tag us on Instagram @SerifSanFrancisco #SerifSF. Check back often for the latest news and updates.
Your friends at SERIF