Efforts underway to save Macy’s in San Francisco’s iconic Union Square
San Francisco, California – The upcoming closure of Macy’s in San Francisco has left many questioning the future of Union Square. Supervisor Aaron Peskin mentioned that there are ongoing efforts to potentially extend Macy’s presence in the area.
Peskin revealed that discussions are taking place with senior leaders at Macy’s national headquarters to explore options to prevent the San Francisco store from shutting down.
Despite these efforts, Peskin remains hopeful about keeping Macy’s operational in Union Square. The company had previously announced plans to close 150 stores across the country, including the one in Union Square. Peskin noted that top executives from Macy’s have been involved in these discussions. However, he also emphasized that the closure of Macy’s does not affect the broader redevelopment plans for Union Square. These plans may involve transforming vacant office spaces into residential units, establishing a cable car museum, and setting up a main stage for performances, potentially starting this summer.
“We are working on getting money in this coming year’s budget to activate Union Square with everything from music to dance, almost everyday,” he said.
At a panel held at Manny’s in San Francisco, experts in development discussed potential uses for the Macy’s building if it closes as expected.
“I think that’s one things that is going to be really important is activation and getting different types of uses,” said Kazuko Morgan, executive vice chairman of Cushman and Wakefield.
Amidst the uncertainty of when Macy’s will officially close in San Francisco, Supervisor Aaron Peskin mentioned that the city is moving ahead with plans to revitalize Union Square.
“Part of our mission is to make Union Square more of a neighborhood and when you have more of a 24-hour place, Union Square hasn’t been a 24-hour place,” he said.
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