Mayor Breed suggests a soccer stadium as Westfield mall replacement
London Breed, mayor of San Francisco, during the Bloomberg Technology Summit in San Francisco, California, US, on Thursday, June 22, 2023. The summit focused on the rapidly changing social media landscape, the prospects for a continued regulatory cra
SAN FRANCISCO - Mayor London Breed floated some ideas about what to do with empty downtown buildings during the Bloomberg Technology Summit in San Francisco on Thursday.
Calling on investors to redevelop downtown, she said it's time to make way for new growth by converting or even demolishing empty buildings. At one point she suggested a soccer stadium could replace the Westfield mall, according to Bloomberg.
Breed said it was time to re-imagine the core and that a lot of residents only shop online now. She highlighted the potential to convert office towers to housing and the need to attract startups to plant their roots.
City leaders have been under pressure the past few months as multiple businesses have announced closures.
Nordstrom, Saks OFF 5TH, Anthropologie were among the first to announce in May and others like Old Navy and Coco Republic have followed.
On the entire block where the San Francisco Centre mall sits, only one small shoe store remains. Other nearby stores are also departing citing crime and a reduction in foot traffic.
ALSO: San Francisco's Westfield Centre owner ending operation of the mall
Earlier this month, the Westfield Centre said they are transferring management of the shopping mall to its lender, who will then appoint a receiver to operate the property.
The owner cited "challenging operating conditions" in the city's downtown have led to a decline in sales, occupancy and in foot traffic.