Buyers selected for downtown S.F.’s shuttered shopping mall

March 5, 2026 - 06:07

A significant step has been taken in the long-running effort to revitalize a key part of San Francisco's struggling downtown core. The massive, vacant shopping mall at 835 Market Street, formerly the Westfield San Francisco Centre, has secured buyers.

While the final sale price remains officially undisclosed, it is believed the transaction will exceed $100 million. The move signals a major investment in the future of the city's Union Square area, which has been grappling with high vacancy rates and a slower return of office workers and tourists since the pandemic.

The sale represents a pivotal moment for the prominent property, which has been closed for over a year. The departure of its anchor tenants and the general malaise in the retail sector left its fate uncertain. City officials and business leaders have expressed cautious optimism, viewing the sale as a critical opportunity to reimagine the space for a changing urban landscape.

The focus now shifts to the new owners' plans for the complex. The expectation is that any redevelopment will move beyond traditional retail, potentially incorporating a mix of office, residential, entertainment, or other experiential uses to draw people back to the neighborhood. The transformation of this landmark site is seen as a bellwether for the broader recovery of downtown San Francisco.