This Week's Top Stories

housing

Empire Theater Site Proposal Nearly Triples in Size, Sparking New West Portal Battle

A 12-story, 172-unit apartment tower has been proposed for 85 West Portal Avenue — nearly triple the 64-unit plan unveiled just months ago — reigniting debate over density and neighborhood character.

A development that first surfaced in early 2026 as a modest nine-story, 64-unit project on the site of the shuttered Empire Theater at 85 West Portal Avenue has been dramatically expanded. The revised proposal, filed by DM Development on behalf of property owner Empire West Portal LLC, now calls for a 12-story mixed-use building with 172 rental apartments above ground-floor retail and a basement garage — nearly tripling the original unit count.

transit

SFMTA Completes Final Beautification Phase at West Portal Station This Week

Decorative crosswalks are being painted this week at Ulloa Street and West Portal Avenue, wrapping up the multi-year safety and community space improvement project at the neighborhood's central transit hub.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency announced that crews are painting decorative crosswalks at West Portal Station beginning the week of September 2 — the final piece of a multi-phase safety and beautification project that was set in motion after a driver struck and killed a family of four at a bus stop near the station in March 2024. Crew will paint decorative crosswalks at all crosswalks at the Ulloa Street and West Portal Avenue intersection, as well as a decorative crosswalk on Ulloa Street crossing Lenox Way.

SFSU

GatorFest 2026 Kicks Off at SFSU With Months of Campus Events

San Francisco State University's annual welcome celebration launched this week with more than two months of activities for new and returning students, running through November 20.

San Francisco State University's GatorFest 2026 is underway, bringing new and returning students together for an extended series of events stretching from late August through Friday, November 20. The annual celebration is designed to help students find community, discover campus resources, and settle into life at SFSU and San Francisco. The opening weeks included an outdoor dance party called Noise Complaint, the Fall Pinning Ceremony for incoming students, an ice cream reception, Drag Queen Bingo, and a block party.

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, September 17

West Portal Wine Walk

📍 West Portal Avenue (starting at Armstrong Carpet, 369 West Portal Ave) · Various times

Tuesday, September 22

Author Event: Nina Schuyler — Open the Floodgates

📍 Bookshop West Portal, 80 West Portal Ave · 7:00 PM

Friday, September 26 – Saturday, October 4

SF Good Neighbor Week

📍 West Portal neighborhood and citywide · Various times

Sunday, September 27

Lake Merced Half Marathon & 4.5-Mile Run

📍 Lake Merced Main Parking Lot, Lake Merced & Sunset Blvds, San Francisco, 94132 · 8:00 AM

Tuesday, September 29

Author Event: Helene Wecker — Gates of Midnight

📍 Bookshop West Portal, 80 West Portal Ave · 7:00 PM

More from the Neighborhood

Yellowstone Real Estate Seizes Parkmerced Development Parcels Through Foreclosure

In a transaction completed in late July 2026, New York-based Yellowstone Real Estate Investments took control of four land parcels at Parkmerced through foreclosure.

Hardware Coffee Co. Opens in Former Papenhausen Hardware Space on West Portal

Hardware Coffee Co. opened its West Portal location in May 2026 at 32 West Portal Ave, taking over the site of the beloved Papenhausen Hardware store.

Stonestown Galleria Redevelopment: Phase 1 Infrastructure Work Set to Begin

The $2 billion Brookfield Properties redevelopment of Stonestown Galleria, approved by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in July 2024, is in its pre-construction permit phase, with infrastructure work for Phase 1…