Walk down Howard Street on a Tuesday morning and you’ll feel it. The fog is burning off. Tech workers are clutching overpriced lattes. Amidst the glass towers, 500 Howard St San Francisco CA stands as a definitive marker of the city’s shifting architectural and economic soul.
It’s not just an address. It’s a massive chunk of real estate that sits at the literal intersection of old-school South of Market (SoMa) grit and the high-gloss future of the Transbay District. If you’ve ever wondered why some buildings seem to survive every market crash while others sit vacant with "For Lease" signs yellowing in the window, you have to look at the bones of 500 Howard.
The Foundations of Foundry Square
You might know it better as Foundry Square II. This isn't just one building; it's part of a master-planned quartet that redefined the corner of Howard and First Streets. Developed by Wilson Meany and Equity Office back in the early 2000s, the project was a gamble. They wanted to create "large floor plate" offices. That's real estate speak for "huge open rooms where tech companies can cram a thousand desks."
It worked.
The design, led by the heavy hitters at Studios Architecture, features that iconic glass curtain wall that reflects the Salesforce Tower like a giant mirror. Honestly, the transparency is the point. When you walk by, you can basically see the hum of productivity inside. It’s a far cry from the brick-and-mortar warehouses that used to define this neighborhood before the dot-com boom—and the bust—and the second boom.
Why the Location Is Actually Genius
Location is everything, obviously. But 500 Howard St San Francisco CA is specifically lucky. It sits exactly one block from the Salesforce Transit Center. You’ve got the 5.4-acre rooftop park right there. If you're commuting from the East Bay via AC Transit or taking the bus from anywhere in the city, you’re basically dropping off at the front door.
This proximity is why vacancy rates here don't behave like the rest of the city. While the Mid-Market area has struggled with "doom loop" headlines, the Transbay area—where 500 Howard lives—remains the "Wall Street of the West." It’s the premium dirt.
Who Actually Lives (Works) Here?
For years, the headline tenant was Slack. Remember when Slack was just a cool startup and not a massive limb of the Salesforce empire? They took over 200,000 square feet here. It was their headquarters. It was where the "work from anywhere" revolution was ironically built inside a physical office.
But things change.
Salesforce bought Slack for $27.7 billion in 2021. Slowly, the identity of 500 Howard shifted from a standalone tech hub to a specialized spoke in the Salesforce campus. It’s fascinating how one company can essentially swallow a four-block radius in a major American city.
Other tenants have shuffled through over the years, including Gympass and various law firms like Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (who were anchors in the Foundry Square complex early on). The mix of high-stakes litigation and high-growth software is basically San Francisco in a nutshell.
The Architectural Flex
Let’s talk about the lobby for a second because it’s weirdly impressive. It’s not just a place to check in with security. It features these massive "living walls" or vertical gardens.
Back in the day, these were some of the largest indoor living walls in the country. They aren't just for show; they’re part of a LEED Gold certification strategy. The building uses a pressurized underfloor air system. It’s the kind of invisible tech that makes the air feel less "stale office" and more "breathable forest," even when you're staring at a spreadsheet for ten hours.
The Reality of the "New" San Francisco
People love to talk about the death of the office. You’ve seen the photos of empty streets. But 500 Howard St San Francisco CA tells a slightly different story. It’s a story of "flight to quality."
When the market gets rough, companies don't just disappear; they consolidate. They leave the B-grade buildings with the flickering lights and the weird smells and they move into places like this. Why? Because you have to give people a reason to leave their house. A glass-walled sanctuary next to a rooftop park and a Blue Bottle Coffee is a pretty good incentive.
The building sold in 2014 for roughly $350 million. In today's market, those valuations are being tested everywhere. However, because of the long-term leases and the sheer quality of the build-out, 500 Howard is often cited by analysts as a "hold" asset. It’s a trophy. You don't sell your trophy because the season is a little rough.
Surprising Details You Might Not Notice
Next time you’re there, look at the public spaces. There’s a specific requirement in San Francisco called "POPOS"—Privately Owned Public Open Spaces.
Foundry Square has these tucked-away spots where you can actually sit and eat your lunch without being a tenant. It’s a weird legal quirk that makes the city better. 500 Howard contributes to this urban fabric by opening up its corners. It feels less like a fortress and more like a part of the sidewalk.
Also, the building is surprisingly quiet. Despite being on a major artery for buses and commuters, the acoustic glazing is top-tier. You can watch a silent film of a chaotic city through the glass while sitting in total silence inside. It’s a trip.
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What’s Next for this Address?
The future of 500 Howard St San Francisco CA is intrinsically tied to the AI boom. As companies like OpenAI and Anthropic gobble up square footage in the city, the "Transbay bubble" is expanding.
While much of the AI activity is concentrated in the Mission Bay or Dogpatch areas, the executive suites and the "meeting of the minds" still happen in the Howard Street corridor. It’s where the money is. It’s where the VCs stay when they come up from Sand Hill Road.
We might see more subdivision of the larger floors. Maybe Slack doesn't need the whole thing forever. Maybe a new unicorn takes two floors and puts a neon sign in the window. That’s the cycle. San Francisco real estate isn't a static thing; it's a living, breathing, and occasionally bleeding organism.
Practical Insights for the Area
If you're heading to 500 Howard for a meeting, a job interview, or just to gawk at the architecture, keep these things in mind:
- Don't Drive: Honestly, just don't. Parking in the underground garage or nearby lots can cost you $40 for a few hours. Use the Salesforce Transit Center or BART (Montgomery St station is a short walk).
- The Food Scene: You're right by The Sentinel. Go there. Get a sandwich. It’s a tiny hole-in-the-wall by Dennis Leary that is legendary for a reason.
- Public Access: Utilize the POPOS spaces. If you need a spot to check your email that isn't a loud cafe, the outdoor seating around the Foundry Square complex is usually well-maintained and has decent Wi-Fi signals leaking from the nearby buildings.
- Security is Tight: Because of the high-profile tenants, don't expect to wander past the lobby without an invite. They take the "private" in "private office" very seriously here.
- The Park: Make time for the Salesforce Park. It’s right across the street. It’s the best thing to happen to this neighborhood in decades and provides a much-needed green break from the glass and steel of Howard Street.
The real takeaway? 500 Howard isn't just a box of desks. It is a barometer for how San Francisco is trying to reinvent itself—balancing the needs of massive corporations with a desire for a walkable, green, and modern urban core. It’s staying put, even if the names on the door continue to change.