Upper Fillmore Revitalization Project
The Upper Fillmore Revitalization Project (UFRP) is a real estate development project in San Francisco, California, US. The project has led to controversy, pushback from local officials, and a new San Francisco City Ordinance.
Ownership and acquisitions
[edit]The Upper Fillmore Revitalization Project, or UFRP, states that their goal is to restore and revitalize Upper Fillmore Street, in the Pac Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, California.[1] The project is funded by venture capitalist Neil Mehta, and operated by nightlife entrepreneur Cody Allen. Both are residents of the neighborhood.[2][3]
On September 30, 2024, Neil Mehta penned an op-ed in the San Francisco Standard stating that he donated his "entire interest to a nonprofit, I have zero financial interest in these properties and will receive nothing in return."[4] The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Allen confirmed this in an interview.[5] However, the Chronicle couldn't find evidence of the non-profit organization, and the Standard reported that "The organization has no website, and no record of it could be found with federal tax officials."[5][6]
Buildings acquired
[edit]As of January, 2025, the UFRP has acquired the following buildings through LLCs it owns and controls.[2]
| Building | Sale Date | LLC Name | Purchase Price | Current/Former Tenant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 Fillmore | April 9, 2024 | White Birches, LLC | $5.5 million | Noosh (shuttered) |
| 2035-2047 Fillmore[3] | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | apizza (shuttered) |
| 2207-2211 Fillmore | April 3, 2024 | Shaded Flame, LLC | $4.3 million | L'Occitaine (shuttered) |
| 2208-2010 Fillmore | April 3, 2024 | Pointed Blue, LLC | $9.7 million | La Mediterranee and Eileen Fisher (both current as of Feb 2025) |
| 2213-2217 Fillmore | April 8, 2024 | Temperate Lands, LLC | $5.6 million | Joe & The Juice (current as of Feb 2025) |
| 2220-2222 Fillmore | April 15, 2024 | North Room, LLC | $4.9 million | Starbucks (shuttered) |
| 2235-2237 Fillmore | Unknown | Great Stage, LLC[7] | Unknown | Ten-Ichi (shuttered) |
| 2259-2261 Fillmore | January 12, 2024 | Fillmore Reserve, LLC | $11 million | the Clay Theater and Alice + Olivia (both shuttered) |
Closures and neighborhood impacts
[edit]Ten-Ichi closure
[edit]In September 2024, Ten-Ichi, a family owned and operated Japanese restaurant on Fillmore Street since 1978 closed.[8][9] Prior to the closure, ABC 7 reported that Steve Amano, the owner, felt they were "being strong-armed into closing".[10]
Additional closures
[edit]In June 2024, Apizza, an "elusive affordable" pizza shop owned by a local restaurant group, and Noosh, a Mediterranean restaurant, both of which were located in buildings the UFRP purchased, shut down operations.[11][3]
In December 2024, a Starbucks location that had been "open since the early 1990s" and Alice & Olivia, a high end boutique connected to the Clay Theater closed.[12][13]
La Mediterranee
[edit]La Mediterranee, a restaurant with legacy business designation, and which has been in its current location since 1979, was told they would need to move out when their lease was up in May 2025 so that UFRP could conduct a seismic retrofit and then bring in a "high-end retail tenant."[6] However, in December, 2024, it was reported that La Med, as it is referred to, was given a four-year lease extension.[12][14]
Other impacts
[edit]In December 2024, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that at least one residential tenant has been affected by the UFRP acquisitions.[15]
In January 2025 it was reported that the vacant storefronts owned by UFRP, including the historic Clay Theatre, were boarded up.[16][17] Additionally, Zero&, a boba tea shop at 2252 Fillmore, closed in January 2025. However, there is no evidence that UFRP owns the building where they were located.[18]
Pushback and legislation
[edit]The building acquisitions and business closures have resulted in op-eds and letters to various local news outlets.[19] One opinion piece in the San Francisco Examiner by a local bar owner and president of a small business association accused the UFRP of misleading the public about the true purpose of acquiring buildings on Fillmore Street.[20] The opinion piece went on to question why the UFRP owned vacant storefronts, while declining to extend Ten-Ichi's lease.
Soon after the San Francisco Chronicle began to report on the UFRP, San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin held a live press conference in front of La Med.[21] In the August 26, 2024 press conference, he detailed a plan to protect Legacy Businesses, a designation given by the city, from eviction. He subsequently introduced and passed legislation requiring a public hearing before a Legacy Business can be evicted.[22][23]
References
[edit]- ^ "Upper Fillmore Revitalization". Upper Fillmore Revitalization. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ a b Waxmann, Laura (August 20, 2024). "Investor who bought up buildings to 'improve' ritzy S.F. neighborhood is uprooting legacy businesses". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on January 21, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
- ^ a b c Guzman, Dianne de (2024-08-22). "A Mysterious New Fillmore Street Landlord Appears to Be Forcing Restaurants and Shops Out". Eater SF. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ "Opinion | Why I'm backing a $100 million project to revive Fillmore Street". The San Francisco Standard. 2024-09-30. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
- ^ a b Waxmann, Laura (2024-08-26). "VC accused of 'hostile takeover' of S.F. neighborhood. New proposal could help legacy businesses". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
- ^ a b "Tech investor's Fillmore Street plans spark fears and legislation". The San Francisco Standard. 2024-08-27. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ "46-Year-Old Sushi Restaurant, Other Longtime Businesses Getting Evicted By Upper Fillmore Real Estate Investor". SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports. 2024-08-20. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ "Legacy restaurants on Fillmore Street told to vacate by new owners". KRON4. 2024-08-21. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ Hirai, Tomo (September 26, 2024). "Ten-Ichi faces imminent eviction following building sale". Nichi Bei News.
- ^ "Legacy businesses in SF neighborhood say they're being forced out by billionaire venture capitalist". ABC7 San Francisco. 2024-08-27. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ Pershan, Caleb (2019-09-20). "La Boulangerie Owners Opening Fast Food Pizza Place With Pies for $2.75". Eater SF. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ a b "La Mediterranee Staying Put on Fillmore After All, With Lease Extension After Bout of Uncertainty". SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports. 2024-12-09. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ Wells, Madeline (November 21, 2024). "After 3 decades, SF Starbucks with controversial new owner is closing". SFGATE. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
- ^ "La Med lease extended to 2028". The New Fillmore. 2024-12-09. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ Waxmann, Laura (December 9, 2024). "Longtime S.F. restaurant wins fight to stay on Fillmore with controversial landlord, for now". The San Francisco Chronicle.
- ^ TRAINA, Cynthia (2025-02-15). "A logo in lieu of action". THE NEW FILLMORE. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
- ^ "A piece of the past". The New Fillmore. 2025-01-23. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
- ^ "NoNo, relocating, becomes Ninniku". The New Fillmore. 2025-01-18. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ Mattes, Kathy (August 21, 2024). "Letters: Investor's plan to upscale this S.F. neighborhood is misguided. Here's why". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
- ^ Examiner |, Justin Dolezal | Special to The (2024-10-14). "Opinion: Fillmore land grab gaslights neighborhood". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ Johnson, Sydney (2024-08-26). "Legacy Fillmore Businesses at Risk of Being Pushed Out Could Get New Protections | KQED". www.kqed.org. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ Guzman, Dianne de (2024-10-23). "Legacy Businesses Get Special Protection Under New City Council Resolution". Eater SF. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ Waxmann, Laura (October 22, 2024). "S.F. supes agree to protect city's legacy businesses from potential displacement". San Francisco Chronicle.