Folsom Street Revival: A Model for Future Cities

San Francisco's downtown commercial core is at a crossroads. Vacancy rates have skyrocketed since the pandemic, but meanwhile, our neighborhoods are thriving. Can we look to them for inspiration? In this panel, stakeholders with connections to the Folsom Street corridor (a NCT zone) will discuss how adaptive reuse, affordable housing developments and City programs are encouraging a vibrant mix of live, work and play.
The neighborhood is currently undergoing SFMTA’s Folsom-Howard Streetscape Project. It prioritizes safety, accessibility, and cultural richness, aiming to foster a shared space that is not only livable but also advantageous for businesses. The initiative represents the kind of development we now understand our city needs more of. It’s a significant shift towards building a future-oriented city by blending residential and commercial uses, improving livability, and supporting economic diversity.

1. Summarize the purpose of a Neighborhood Commercial Transit (NCT) zone.
2. Identify strategies for designing in synchronicity with these urban districts' requirements and city codes.
3. Discuss successful coordination efforts among the various project team members, including the architect, developer, building owner and The City, through all project phases.
4. Explore how a variety of building types, including adaptive reuse, affordable housing and mixed-use, can enrich and preserve rich neighborhood character.

Host or Publisher Center for Architecture + Design