{"id":31415,"date":"2024-01-31T12:43:05","date_gmt":"2024-01-31T20:43:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=31415"},"modified":"2024-01-31T12:43:06","modified_gmt":"2024-01-31T20:43:06","slug":"youre-not-imagining-it-there-are-56-vacant-storefronts-on-mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2024\/01\/31\/youre-not-imagining-it-there-are-56-vacant-storefronts-on-mission\/","title":{"rendered":"You\u2019re not imagining it. There are 56 vacant storefronts on Mission."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"\" by\u00a0JUNYAO YANG<\/a><\/strong> JANUARY 30, 2024 (MissionLocal.org)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An
A shuttered storefront at 2829 Mission St. near 24th Street. Photo by Junyao Yang on Dec. 13, 2023.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Some 56 commercial storefronts are sitting empty on Mission Street between 14th Street and Cesar Chavez Street, according to a count conducted by Mission Local. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While vacancies were down from a post-pandemic high in 2021<\/a>, merchants and realtors all agreed the commercial environment remained in a slump \u2014 and that Mission was still a less desirable corridor than nearby Valencia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re just not going to get the same foot traffic as you might get on Valencia,\u201d said Cameron Tu, a broker at Touchstone Commercial Partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tu manages the corner space at 17th and Mission near Abanico Coffee Roasters, which has sat empty for over five years. He said \u201ca large pool of potential tenants\u201d just do not want to be on Mission Street because people don\u2019t walk in the neighborhood at night, which limits the business to daytime only. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing on Mission Street is actually quite cool, but maybe not as cool as it used to be anymore,\u201d agreed Patrick Totah, an agent with Restaurant Realty Company, which manages the selling and buying of restaurant space. \u201cPeople don\u2019t like to veer too far from Valencia, they like to stay on the \u2018primary.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valencia, too, has seen a decline<\/a> in business: Tax data shows that compared to the same period in 2019, sales on Valencia Street for the third quarter last year have actually experienced a larger decrease than Mission Street \u2014 down 21.6 percent versus 7.2 percent. Still, while commercial rents on Mission Street vary from $2 to $3 per square foot, Tu said, Valencia commands higher prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walking along Mission Street, the vacancies vary widely: a big empty corner that used to be a laundromat, a tiny storefront that once hosted a beloved Italian restaurant Il Pollaio, an entire block near the northwest of the 16th BART plaza that\u2019s almost completely unused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore the map to see where empty storefronts on Mission Street are located. Click on the dots to see what they look like.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/missionlocal.github.io\/interactives\/2024-mission-vacancy-map\/\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Real estate agents and landlords agreed commercial space on Mission Street was troubled, varying from \u201ca bit of a challenge\u201d to \u201cvery difficult.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phillip Fernandez, the 84-year-old owner of a building at the corner of 26th and Mission streets, said he \u201cnever really had a problem\u201d leasing his space five years ago and could usually find a new tenant within six months \u2014 but not anymore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The space has sat empty for about 15 months since its former tenant, Money Express, moved two doors away to somewhere less expensive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m happy that\u2019s the only commercial vacancy I have,\u201d he said. \u201cTimes are tough \u2014 and San Francisco is a difficult city to do business in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
An old thrift store, now empty, has been sitting at 2232 Mission St. since 2020, nearby businesses said. Photo by Xueer Lu on Dec. 13, 2023.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Depending on the neighbors\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While some buildings have \u201cFor Sale\u201d or \u201cFor Lease\u201d signs hanging in their front windows \u2014 some new, others there for years \u2014 most are simply empty and boarded up, with no sign of life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tu said this was especially true for space owned by landlords of an older generation, who have owned their buildings for a very long time and do not have any debt \u2014 and less financial pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey just are probably not motivated,\u201d Tu said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The impact of an empty neighbor? Middling to annoying, said merchants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ana Valle, owner of Abanico, two doors from a big vacant corner space on 17th and Mission, said \u201cnot having anything around us sucks.\u201d The corner was last occupied by Fabric Outlet, which moved to the space downstairs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor customers, there\u2019s no purpose in visiting empty blocks,\u201d she said. After having dinner at a restaurant, for example, someone might crave dessert and wander to an eatery right next door, she said. \u201cThe best case is having business next to business next to business, and we promote each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After two years on Mission Street, Valle sometimes questions her decision to be on the corridor. \u201cShould I have said yes?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The corner space next to Fabric Outlet and Abanico has been empty for over five years. Photo by Junyao Yang on Jan. 29, 2024.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not good for the community, not good for the neighborhood,\u201d said Ryan Motzek, president of the Mission Merchants Association, which has a vacant storefront count of about 55. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll these inventories are just not being utilized,\u201d he said. \u201cBut a lot of landlords don\u2019t really focus too much on being an active member of the community. It\u2019s an age-old San Francisco story.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Motzek, too, identified as a potential problem those longtime landlords who can park their properties for years. \u201cI\u2019ve heard stories of landlords parking their money and just sitting on their property.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was supposed to change with the 2022 vacant storefront tax, but it has seen limited success. Of the 2,682 parcels potentially subject to empty storefront tax, only 101 were reported as vacant by the owners or tenants, according to data<\/a> from the San Francisco Treasurer-Tax Collector. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In reality, owners of vacant commercial space for more than 182 days in the tax year should be paying $250 <\/a>per linear foot frontage of vacant storefront.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But for a new tax like this, it typically takes about three years to get broad compliance, as there\u2019s \u201ca steep learning curve,\u201d said Amanda Fried, chief of policy and communications at the office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat you are largely going to see in the data [in the beginning] are the good actors. The compliance work to get the bad actors takes longer,\u201d Fried said. \u201cIt just doesn\u2019t happen overnight.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the tax, Motzek, from the merchants association said, there is at least \u201canother set of eyes\u201d on the owners pushing them to lease their space. But Tu, the realtor, said he hasn\u2019t seen any impact yet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An
While some vacant storefronts have \u201cFor Sale\u201d or \u201cFor Lease\u201d signs, most are simply empty, boarded up, with no sign of life. Photo by Junyao Yang on Dec. 12, 2023.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Some hope<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Union Station dispensary at 2075 Mission Street near 17th street, once tucked between two vacant stores, recently got a new neighbor when a grocery store opened earlier this month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quinn Williams, an employee at the dispensary, said he was excited for the new spot, as people now have a convenient place for their post-smoke munchies, he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for the space on their other side, \u201ca bar would be nice,\u201d he laughed. \u201cWe are depending on the neighbors to help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some Mission Street businesses and realtors are hopeful that the market offers opportunities for first-time buyers and business owners. Lower prices could help mom-and-pop shops afford a space. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of opportunity because the price point is a little lower than it used to be,\u201d said Totah, the real estate agent. \u201cThe city needs to probably do some incentives to help people have an opportunity to buy a business for the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless, new tenants are still coming to Mission Street: La Playa, a new seafood bar and restaurant opening in early February between 19th and 20th; Shanghai Moon, a spot for Shanghai flavors in the works near 18th Street.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An agent with Blatteis Realty said he just found a new tenant for 2744 Mission St. near 24th, previously a Barre Studio tucked between a cell phone store and a fried chicken spot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For her part, Yvonne Jones, a 28-year employee at Fabric Outlet next to the vacant corner space at 17th and Mission, was not concerned. The vacancies are a natural part of the neighborhood\u2019s cycles, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSomething comes and something goes,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s just living in the area.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Xueer Lu contributed to the reporting of the story.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

JUNYAO YANG<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

junyao@missionlocal.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Junyao Yang is a data reporter for Mission Local through the California Local News Fellowship. Junyao is passionate about creating visuals that tell stories in creative ways. She received her Master\u2019s degree from UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. Sometimes she tries too hard to get attention from cute dogs.More by Junyao Yang<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by\u00a0JUNYAO YANG JANUARY 30, 2024 (MissionLocal.org) Some 56 commercial storefronts are sitting empty on Mission Street between 14th Street and Cesar Chavez Street, according to a count conducted by Mission Local.  While vacancies were down from a post-pandemic high in 2021, merchants and realtors all agreed the commercial environment remained in… Continue reading → <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1772],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31415"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31415"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31415\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31416,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31415\/revisions\/31416"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}