50 UN Plaza prepares to be one of the first historical renovation building projected to achieve LEED Platinum certification
HKS’s renovation of 50 United Nations Plaza (UNP), a 350,000 sq ft federal building in San Francisco, will be one of the first General Services Administration (GSA) historical restorations anticipated to achieve LEED Platinum Certification. The building is currently undergoing its first major upgrade since it was constructed in 1936 in the heart of San Francisco’s Civic Center.
The project is currently under construction, with an estimated completion date of mid-2013. While it can be challenging for a historical remodel project to receive LEED Certification, 50 UNP exceeds LEED Platinum Certification standards through its sustainable site, overall energy reduction and water efficiency. The current renovation project includes seismic retrofit, building systems upgrade, roof replacement, window restoration, tenant improvements and historic-materials restoration.
Criteria for LEED Platinum Certification include the high sustainability standards set by the GSA. 50 UNP is historically significant: it is one of seven representative examples of the City Beautiful movement in San Francisco, and a key element in the Civic Center Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It will house GSA’s Region 9 Headquarters - landlords and builders for the federal branch of government on the Pacific Rim - and thus becomes a showcase for appropriate sustainable measures in a significant historic building.
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