This Week's Top Stories

downtown revival

Downtown's Numbers Hit New Highs — But the Tenderloin Asks: What About Us?

A new SF Standard investigation finds that the wave of private investment reshaping the Financial District and Union Square has yet to reach the Tenderloin and Mid-Market, even as the Downtown Development Corporation pledges $60 million to the city's core.

San Francisco's downtown recovery is showing up in hard data. The Downtown SF Partnership's Q2 2026 Market Report, published this month on downtownsf.org, recorded a record 10.54 million non-resident visits, hotel revenue per available room up 15.8 percent year over year, and falling office vacancy across all building classes. Average daily visits to the Financial District and Jackson Square were up 34.7 percent over Q4 2025, a surge the Partnership attributes to major events and new ground-floor openings.

Embarcadero

Embarcadero Plaza Overhaul Cleared to Break Ground This Fall — Here's What the $40 Million Park Will Look Like

The San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission unanimously approved the final design for the $40 million Embarcadero Plaza waterfront park in June, with construction targeted for late 2026.

The foot of Market Street is about to look very different. On June 18, 2026, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission unanimously approved a final concept design — produced by architecture firm HOK — for a sweeping overhaul of Embarcadero Plaza and the adjacent Sue Bierman Park. The $40 million public-private project would transform the combined five-acre site into a cohesive park anchored by an expansive central lawn, playground, community gathering space, and outdoor dining area.

Ferry Building

Ferry Building's Final Vacant Suites Are Finally Filling Up — Including a New Mediterranean Restaurant

Restaurateur Kaïs Bouzidi's Hayati and Shelley Lindgren's Lucania are the two most-watched openings as the Ferry Building approaches full occupancy for the first time since 2020.

After years of pandemic-era vacancies, the Ferry Building is approaching full occupancy. Two of its highest-profile incoming restaurants — Hayati and Lucania — are both expected to open in the second half of 2026, completing a transformation that has also seen the building push into evening programming and longer hours. Hayati, from Paris-born restaurateur Kaïs Bouzidi of Sens, Barcha, and Bon Délire, will take over the former Boulettes Larder space in Suite 48 at the back of the building.

Upcoming Events

Sunday, September 13

Pickwick Vintage Show at the Ferry Building

📍 Ferry Building Mezzanine, 1 Ferry Building · 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Ongoing — Saturdays (also Tuesdays & Thursdays)

Ferry Plaza Farmers Market — Saturday Market

📍 1 Ferry Building, Embarcadero · 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Sat); 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Tue/Thu)

Wednesday, September 16

People in Plazas: Soul/Funk Free Lunchtime Concert

📍 555 California Street, Financial District · 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Thursday, September 17

Waterfront Walkabout — Free SF Art Stroll (Launch Night)

📍 Ferry Building North Plaza to the Exploratorium, Embarcadero · 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Thursday, September 17

People in Plazas: Country Concert at Rincon Center

📍 Rincon Center, 101 Spear Street · 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

More from the Neighborhood

Downtown SF Partnership's Q2 2026 Report Records Best-Ever Visitor Numbers

The Downtown SF Partnership published its Q2 2026 Market Report this fall, showing non-resident district visits hitting a record 10.54 million and hotel revenue per available room up 15.8 percent year over…

San Francisco Retail Vacancy Falls Below 6% for First Time Since 2023

Citywide retail vacancy fell to 5.8 percent in Q2 2026, down from 6.3 percent in Q1 and 6.9 percent a year ago, according to Cushman & Wakefield's Q2 2026 MarketBeat report released…