Pop-up program hopes to fill downtown San Francisco's vacancies
SAN FRANCISCO - With a growing number of vacant storefronts in downtown San Francisco, the City's Office of Economic and Workforce Development and non-profit SF New Deal have launched a new initiative called "Vacant to Vibrant," with a hope of re-energizing the neighborhood with pop-up experiences.
"Definitely arts and retail, but also, nightlife, entertainment, food, and beverage," said Simon Bertrang, the executive director of SF New Deal.
They're now taking applications for the first of what will be three rounds of the program that will stretch into 2024.
"We expect that we are going to have quite a bit of interest. We've assembled a jury – a selection panel – that is going to help us," Bertrang said.
There will be grant money available for program participants. Grants from $3,000-$8,000 will be available for the pop-up activators. Property owners can receive up to $5,000 for expenses and tenant improvements.
"Since we are offering these grants of up to $8,000, we expect that there is going to be significant interest, and it is going to be a competitive process," Bertrang said. "From our perspective, the limitation is not the number of spaces – there are plenty of spaces downtown that are currently vacant. The limitation is the quality of the ideas and how we're able to put together a program so that people in San Francisco and in the region will be attracted to come downtown."
Bertrang says this is just one piece of the bigger puzzle in supporting downtown San Francisco's future.
"The long-term leases and long-term changes that are going to be necessary – the timeframe is extensive. Whereas the pop-ups and our support for the pop-up program can be very immediate. We can experiment and try out things," he said. "The shorter-term commitment and also, significantly, the grants that are going to support the pop-up activators and the grants that will support the expenses from the property owners' side, are going to be able to catalyze temporary uses."
Carlos Hernandez Isava, the co-founder of Coffee Bodega, thinks the idea could help give the neighborhood a much needed jolt.
"If there are things that are happening here after hours, people will find a reason to stay," he said.
However, he says people will have to feel safe in order to populate the pop-ups.
"I think the core of the problem is security. We need to solve that. It's a deep-rooted issue," he said.
Hernandez Isava remains optimistic about downtown's future, even though he knows it's not going to drastically change overnight.
"It's going to be a matter of time. Obviously how fast this comes back will depend on how good the policies are," he said. "Eventually, people will come back. The market will adjust and find a new equilibrium."
Bertrang says the first round of applications will close in about six weeks.
"Late summer, we're going to bring those pop-ups to life," Bertrang said.
