There are some 50 story buildings. But cost increases pretty dramatically. Especially when you build on fill and mess up the foundation work [1]. There's a fairly consistent stream of tall buildings built over the years, not all of them are 50+ floors though [2]. There's gaps in building during economic distress, as you would expect.

Because of the expense, high rises are either offices or luxury homes. It doesn't make sense to build a 50 story flop house. Zoning also pushes you to build high rises in the neighborhood of other high rises, and land is expensive there. All in all, better to build a 6-12 story midrise flophouse in a cheaper part of town.

Also, from looking at the street view, and what a listing site said, it's pretty clear this particular 2 story building is pretty old (1919), and the neighboring buildings have been built up, but this one held out. Chances are, one day, a new, larger building will replace or subsume it. That's the circle of life, as happened to its neighbors.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Tower_(San_Francisc...

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_S...

Because that might harm retirement accounts of the rich.

The reveal that the pods building is only 2 stories is pretty funny to me. 12 Mint Plaza btw for anyone who wants to poke around the area in street-view. It's right next to an 8 story apartment building, across the block from what must be a 20+ one, so it's not like tall buildings are infeasible there.

Earthquakes. https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/events/1868calif/vir....

There's even a movie starring the Rock about it. (San Andreas)

Because while generations have passed since 1906, building codes have not forgot the fate of most of San Francisco's buildings, and the fault lines that most all Californians deal with.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1906_San_Francisco_earthquake

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Andreas_Fault

throw in some Soylent and a Macbook to lease...

I don't think NIMBY capture and restrictive zoning regulations are popular distopian SciFi tropes.

The one where soylent emerges before massive overpopulation and lack of food and housing. Who knew we wanted it?

Bladerunner is our future.

Definitely of cyberpunk genre.

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