Permit filed to demolish SF building, could displace restaurant

A permit was filed with the San Francisco Planning Department Wednesday for the demolition of 500 Brannan St., a one-story building that currently houses the 13-year-old restaurant Marlowe.

The structure proposed to replace it is a five-story, mixed-use office and retail building with a restaurant tenant on the ground floor and a usable rooftop deck. The new restaurant would span 9,931 square feet and include additional basement kitchen space.

Design Blitz is listed as the project’s architect. Renderings show the rooftop could include a central greenspace, large awning, bar and outdoor seating.

Construction is estimated to take 14 months, according to the permit application.

The new building would also replace Bamboo Reef scuba diving school at 584 4th St.

It’s unclear if Marlowe, owned by executive chef Jennifer Puccio and San Francisco designer Ken Fulk, would occupy the new restaurant space. 

This isn’t the first time planned construction could force the restaurant to move locations. In 2014, it moved from its original location at 330 Townsend St. to its current locale because that building was set to be replaced by a 31-story office tower. The plans for that site have since changed to residential units, but the approved building still hasn’t been built. 

Prior to Marlowe’s relocation, 500 Brannan St. was home to the restaurant COCO500.

590 4th Street LLC, listed as the owner of the building, did not return SFGATE’s request for comment as of publication. Bamboo Reef and Big Night Restaurant Group, which owns Marlowe, also did not return a request for comment.