Roland Li Oct. 18, 2023 (SFChronicle.com) Downtown San Francisco’s pandemic recovery is nearly twice as strong as previously reported, according to a revised analysis of U.S. cities led by the University of Toronto. The city’s pandemic recovery rate was 67% from March to June compared to the same period in 2019, based on cell… Continue reading
Roland Li Oct. 11, 2023 (SFChronicle.com) Silicon Valley Bank survived a near-death experience in March after its tech-heavy clientele rushed to pull out billions of dollars in deposits, leading to government seizure and ultimately its sale to First Citizens Bank. Now the bank is making its presence felt at a downtown San Francisco… Continue reading
Before Dreamforce descended upon San Francisco this week, Rodney Fong said, and even before a number of high-profile companies ordered workers to return to the offices a week ago, he wanted to document a familiar feeling downtown as he stopped for coffee on Montgomery Street. “There were so many people on the… Continue reading
By Joshua Bote Aug 14, 2023 (SFGate.com) FILE: A sign is posted on the exterior of a WeWork office on Oct. 7, 2019, in San Francisco.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Downtown San Francisco’s corporate offices have struggled in comparison with other major American cities, contributing to broader anxieties over the so-called downtown “doom loop.” A new… Continue reading
It’s hard to take the doom loop seriously at 5 o’clock in the afternoon when you’re staring out of a downtown office window at a line of cars backed up several blocks on Battery Street on their eventual way to the Bay Bridge. More people are working in offices again… Continue reading
By Stephen Council July 26, 2023 (SFGate.com) San Francisco’s high office vacancy rate has sparked worries that property tax revenue will plummet, leading to cuts in city services.Mit Desai / 500px / Getty Images San Francisco’s commercial real estate fortunes may finally be turning. Office demand in the city increased 10.2%… Continue reading
San Francisco’s downtown has hit hard times, winning global infamy for its open-air drug markets and homelessness problem. But is the city more than what the downtown doomsayers make of it? Fifth & Mission Podcast July 24, 2023 (SFChronicle.com) San Francisco’s troubled downtown has made headlines around the world, but… Continue reading
Mario Cortez July 24, 2023 Updated: July 25, 2023 (SFChroncle.com) It’s easy to miss the Felix, a hip speakeasy in Union Square with retro-cool decor and cocktails made with Asian spirits. But walk in through a hidden door on a Thursday or Friday at 9 p.m. and the bar is popping,… Continue reading
OPINION//OPEN FORUM By Bilal Mahmood July 22, 2023 (SFChronicle.com) San Francisco is at a pivotal moment. With foot traffic down 31% from pre-pandemic levels, and over 54,000 residents permanently gone, the need for a compelling new vision to revitalize our urban infrastructure is paramount — especially downtown. I recently had the privilege… Continue reading
John King July 21, 2023 (SFChronicle.com) If nothing else, the ongoing travails of San Francisco are driving home a point that many residents in recent decades have resisted or ignored: Downtown matters. Not only does the world east of Van Ness Avenue generate money for services throughout the city, it shapes how San Francisco… Continue reading
