San Francisco Neighborhoods · Rincon Hill
Rincon Hill
also The East CutSun zoneA vertical neighborhood of glass residential towers rising at the foot of the Bay Bridge's western anchorage — one of San Francisco's densest, newest skylines.
- High-rise living
- At the Bay Bridge
- Salesforce Transit Center nearby
- Walk to FiDi & SoMa
On the map
Open Rincon Hill on the map →The story
In the 1850s and 1860s Rincon Hill was San Francisco's first fashionable address, a pre-Nob Hill enclave of garden mansions where figures like Leland Stanford and William T. Sherman lived. The controversial Second Street Cut of 1869 carved a deep chasm through the hill to ease access to the waterfront wharves, and the neighborhood lost its cachet. Through the 20th century it became an industrial district of warehouses, residential hotels, and the bridge's western approach. Rezoned for high density in 1985 and again in 2005, it has since filled with luxury condominium towers and was branded part of 'The East Cut' community-benefit district in 2015.
Things most people don’t know
Bridge anchorage
Rincon Hill is the western land anchorage of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, whose suspension span lands here.
The Second Street Cut
In 1869 crews dug a roughly 100-foot-deep cut through the hill along Second Street from Folsom to Bryant to reach the wharves — a project that ended its mansion era.
One Rincon Hill
The One Rincon Hill South Tower, completed in 2008, rises 60 stories and about 641 feet at the hill's apex.
Built for density
The 2005 rezoning planned for thousands of new residents, making Rincon Hill one of the city's densest residential districts.
The East Cut
Formed in 2015 (originally the Greater Rincon Hill CBD), 'The East Cut' unites Rincon Hill, Folsom Street, and the Transbay area under one community-benefit district.
Eating and drinking near Rincon Hill
Rincon Hill is primarily residential — these sit in The East Cut, Embarcadero, SoMa.
Restaurants
- EPIC Steak · 369 The Embarcadero
- Waterbar · 399 The Embarcadero
- Yank Sing (Rincon Center) · 101 Spear St
Bars
- Hi Dive · Pier 28 1/2, The Embarcadero
Getting around and getting care
Transit. The Salesforce Transit Center (bus hub for AC Transit transbay, Muni, Golden Gate Transit and SamTrans) sits a few blocks north. Embarcadero BART and Muni Metro station and the F-Market historic streetcar along the Embarcadero are within walking distance; the Bay Bridge bus approach runs overhead.
Nearest hospital. CPMC Van Ness Campus, 1101 Van Ness Ave (about 2.5 mi)
Thinking about Rincon Hill?
Send me an address and I will come back with its sun, wind and fog, what is under it, and what has closed on the block.