CASE STUDY: 
One Rincon Hill
San Francisco, CA


OBJECTIVES

  • To garner ongoing news & general public awareness of the positive impact of One Rincon Hill on the Rincon Hill neighborhood, SoMa District & the City as a whole;
  • To support One Rincon Hill’s project team through all stages of: Permitting, Construction, Sales & marketing, Phased occupancy, Second tower development; and
  • To appropriately address any construction/neighborhood issues (or crisis), should they arise, to minimize negative impact on the project.

Strategy

  • Generate consistent, ongoing media awareness efforts to maintain continuous stream of positive news coverage

  • Support sales efforts

  • Build momentum toward occupancy of Phase I (+ repeat for Phase II)

TACTICS

  • Build relations (for client) with select reporter to leverage possible “exclusive series” articles
  • Manage issues and crisis situations as they arise
  • Educate San Francisco community, real estate industry and targeted media re: One Rincon Hill’s role as catalyst to the re-emergence Rincon Hill neighborhood within the greater SoMa District.
  • Create Rincon Hill Neighborhood Association
  • Orchestrate week-long series of events to kick-off sales and marketing efforts, as well as ongoing events to coincide with landmark accomplishments to garner community, city and potential buyer interest
  •  Maintain momentum from initial reservation to closing of escrow and through same cycle with second tower.

RESULTS

  • ORH became the most successful “pre-sale” in San Francisco history, about 90% reserved after preview week.
  • More than 2000 people attended Chase’s five VIP preview events in four days, which became the high standard for the local condo market.  The signature cocktail concept was copied by nearly every other condo project. 
  • Topping off ceremony and event garnered full-scale TV and print media coverage.
  • ORH strategically launched the Rincon Hill Neighborhood Association, which has already gained acceptance of residents and other developments (including rival The Infinity).  RHNA has helped solidify the Rincon Hill name, define boundaries (vs. rest of SoMa), tackle ongoing issues related to the area and provide other venues for promoting the development and neighborhood.
  • ORH View newsletter, produced several times a year in print and html versions, keeps multiple audiences informed of the development’s progress and creates ongoing momentum, bridging key milestones.
  • San Francisco Business Times’ residential Deal of the Year for 2007 and the BuildSF Award from the SF Chamber of Commerce.
  • After 18 months in reservation, ORH successfully closed escrow on more than 100 homes in less than two months, and kicked off initial occupancy with heavy media coverage – all during a downturn in the real estate market. More than 450 people now call the tower home.
  • The announcement about the Rincon Hill Weather Beacon garnered a prominent feature story in the San Francisco Chronicle, reports on all local TV and radio news programs and ongoing blog chatter, further positioning the project as an icon on the City’s skyline.
  • Chase initiated a partnership with the San Francisco Design Center to decorate four 53rd floor homes for a designer showcase which produced ongoing buzz during a high-profile, six-week event in the fall of 2009.

One Rincon Hill continues to be the area’s most talked about development, whether it’s a story in the business section concerning condo sales or in the lifestyle section about design trends for high-rise living.