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Staff recommends case-by-case review for Union Square upper-floor retail conversions
Summary
City planning and the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development briefed the Planning Commission on March 16 about rising online retail pressures and a modest vacancy uptick in Union Square. Staff said upper‑floor conversions to office should be evaluated case‑by‑case, weighing building footprint, vacancy clustering and alternative retail‑compatible uses.
San Francisco planning staff and the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development presented an informational study on March 16 that examined whether Union Square’s upper‑floor retail should be allowed to convert to office uses.
OEWD and planning staff told the Planning Commission that national retail trends—growth in online shopping, smaller brick‑and‑mortar footprints, and pressure on large department stores—are reshaping demand. Union Square still generates a large share of the city’s consumer sales tax revenue, but staff showed a slight dip in ground‑floor vacancy and noted a rise in upper‑level vacancies, with…
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