In an ambitious endeavour to rejuvenate San Francisco’s Mid-Market neighbourhood, a group of city leaders is drawing inspiration from Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles and initiating a $15 million plan to transform the area into a thriving arts and culture hub, named Market Street Arts. The Mid-Market Business Association and Foundation are spearheading the effort to revitalize the district, leveraging its rich history as a theater and arts hub.
This ambitious initiative is geared towards addressing the challenges posed by remote work, high vacancies, and difficult street conditions that have plagued the area. By infusing a mix of public and private funding, the project aims to invigorate the community through arts and creative entrepreneurship, filling vacant storefronts and activating public spaces.
Steve Gibson, Executive Director of the Mid-Market Business Association and Foundation, articulated the objective: “We’ll measure success by the change in the experience of walking down Market Street. But we’re not naive with where we are, where we’re going, and the challenges and difficulties in getting there.”
The Market Street Arts plan draws inspiration from a larger strategy to rejuvenate downtown San Francisco. Collaborating with 15 local arts organizations, the initiative seeks to occupy vacant storefronts, host public events like live mural paintings and concerts, and breathe life back into the area.
Key arts organizations including Another Planet Entertainment, the Strand Theater, Counterpulse, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, and the Asian Art Museum have joined forces with the association as partners. The project’s launch will feature limited lunchtime entertainment and live music, with an aim to replicate the revitalization witnessed after the Twitter Tax Break in 2011.
While exact financial details remain confidential, it’s revealed that the project is seeking a $15 million budget over the next two years. Instead of short-lived pop-ups, the initiative’s 15 “Creative Hubs” aim for sustainable, long-term presence, with a minimum tenure of one year and the potential for even longer engagement.
Negotiations with property owners are ongoing, with the first hubs expected to open in late fall. Over the next year, four to five hubs with various themes like literature and makers’ makerspace are anticipated to launch.
Gibson emphasized that the success of the project isn’t solely dependent on a return to pre-pandemic employment levels. He stated, “This program is not based on employees coming back in the numbers they were here before the pandemic. If that happens, then it’s gravy, but we’re not holding our breath.”
The Market Street Arts plan is underpinned by the belief that neglecting the neighbourhood’s revitalization could have cascading effects on the city’s economy and reputation. The initiative acts as a call to action, emphasizing that investing in the district’s recovery today is crucial for its future vitality.