Upper Fillmore Revitalization Project
{{Short description|Real estate development project}}
{{coord|37.7904|-122.4344|display=title}}
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
The Upper Fillmore Revitalization Project, or UFRP, states that their goal is to restore and revitalize Upper Fillmore Street, in the Lower Pacific Heights and Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, California.{{Cite web |title=Upper Fillmore Revitalization |url=https://www.upperfillmore.org/ |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=Upper Fillmore Revitalization |language=en-US}} The project is funded by venture capitalist Neil Mehta, and operated by nightlife entrepreneur Cody Allen. Both are residents of the neighborhood.{{Cite web |last=Guzman |first=Dianne de |date=2024-08-22 |title=A Mysterious New Fillmore Street Landlord Appears to Be Forcing Restaurants and Shops Out |url=https://sf.eater.com/2024/8/22/24226336/fillmore-street-district-real-estate-landlord-legacy-restaurants |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=Eater SF |language=en}}
= Funding =
In August 2024 it was reported that Cody Allen raised $100 million for an investment fund -- Aegis Reserve Partners LP -- from a single investor. It was later revealed to be Mehta.
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."{{Cite web |date=2024-09-30 |title=Opinion {{!}} Why I'm backing a $100 million project to revive Fillmore Street |url=https://sfstandard.com/opinion/2024/09/30/neil-mehta-100-million-fillmore-project/ |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=The San Francisco Standard |language=en}} The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Allen confirmed this in an interview.{{Cite web |last=Waxmann |first=Laura |date=2024-08-26 |title=VC accused of 'hostile takeover' of S.F. neighborhood. New proposal could help legacy businesses |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/vc-hostile-takeover-fillmore-neighborhood-19719260.php |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en}} 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."
= Buildings acquired =
As of January, 2025, the UFRP has spent approximately $40 million to acquire the following buildings through LLCs it owns and controls.{{Cite news |last=Waxmann |first=Laura |date=August 20, 2024 |title=Investor who bought up buildings to 'improve' ritzy S.F. neighborhood is uprooting legacy businesses |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/sf-investor-fillmore-businesses-19659568.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250121030253/https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/sf-investor-fillmore-businesses-19659568.php |archive-date=January 21, 2025 |access-date=January 20, 2025 |work=San Francisco Chronicle}}
| class="wikitable"
|+ !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
|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 |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
= Ten-Ichi closure =
In September 2024, Ten-Ichi, a family owned and operated Japanese restaurant on Fillmore Street since 1978 closed.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-21 |title=Legacy restaurants on Fillmore Street told to vacate by new owners |url=https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/legacy-restaurants-on-fillmore-street-told-to-vacate-by-new-owners/ |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=KRON4 |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Hirai |first=Tomo |date=September 26, 2024 |title=Ten-Ichi faces imminent eviction following building sale |url=https://www.nichibei.org/2024/09/ten-ichi-faces-imminent-eviction-following-building-sale/ |work=Nichi Bei News}} Prior to the closure, ABC 7 reported that Steve Amano, the owner, felt they were "being strong-armed into closing".{{Cite web |date=2024-08-27 |title=Legacy businesses in SF neighborhood say they're being forced out by billionaire venture capitalist |url=https://abc7news.com/post/legacy-businesses-san-franciscos-fillmore-district-being-forced-out-billionaire-venture-capitalist/15232971/ |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=ABC7 San Francisco |language=en}}
= Additional closures =
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.{{Cite web |last=Pershan |first=Caleb |date=2019-09-20 |title=La Boulangerie Owners Opening Fast Food Pizza Place With Pies for $2.75 |url=https://sf.eater.com/2019/9/20/20875580/apizza-sf-pizza-open-la-boulangerie-owners-loving-cup-frozen-yogurt |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=Eater SF |language=en}}
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.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-09 |title=La Mediterranee Staying Put on Fillmore After All, With Lease Extension After Bout of Uncertainty |url=https://sfist.com/2024/12/09/la-mediterranee-staying-put-after-all-with-lease-extension-after-bout-of-uncertainty/ |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Wells |first=Madeline |date=November 21, 2024 |title=After 3 decades, SF Starbucks with controversial new owner is closing |url=https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/sf-starbucks-fillmore-closing-19934769.php |access-date=January 20, 2025 |work=SFGATE}}{{Cite news |last=Vaziri |first=Aidin |date=April 20, 2025 |title=S.F. investor outlines vision for Fillmore Street revival, including theater and diner |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/neil-mehta-fillmore-street-revitalization-20285063.php}}
= La Mediterranee =
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."{{Cite web |date=2024-08-27 |title=Tech investor's Fillmore Street plans spark fears and legislation |url=https://sfstandard.com/2024/08/26/upper-fillmore-street-real-estate-neil-mehta/ |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=The San Francisco Standard |language=en}} However, in December, 2024, it was reported that La Med, as it is referred to, was given a four-year lease extension.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-09 |title=La Med lease extended to 2028 |url=https://newfillmore.com/2024/12/09/la-med-lease-extended-to-2028/ |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=The New Fillmore |language=en-US}}
= Other impacts =
In December 2024, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that at least one residential tenant has been affected by the UFRP acquisitions.{{Cite news |last=Waxmann |first=Laura |date=December 9, 2024 |title=Longtime S.F. restaurant wins fight to stay on Fillmore with controversial landlord, for now |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/sf-la-mediterrannee-restaurant-lease-neil-mehta-19969704.php |work=The San Francisco Chronicle}}
In January 2025 it was reported that the vacant storefronts owned by UFRP, including the historic Clay Theatre, were boarded up.{{Cite web |last=TRAINA |first=Cynthia |date=2025-02-15 |title=A logo in lieu of action |url=https://newfillmore.com/2025/02/15/a-logo-in-lieu-of-action/ |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=THE NEW FILLMORE |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2025-01-23 |title=A piece of the past |url=https://newfillmore.com/2025/01/23/a-piece-of-the-past/ |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=The New Fillmore |language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-18 |title=NoNo, relocating, becomes Ninniku |url=https://newfillmore.com/2025/01/18/nono-relocating-becomes-ninniku/ |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=The New Fillmore |language=en-US}}
Pushback and legislation
The building acquisitions and business closures have resulted in op-eds and letters to various local news outlets.{{Cite news |last=Mattes |first=Kathy |date=August 21, 2024 |title=Letters: Investor's plan to upscale this S.F. neighborhood is misguided. Here's why. |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/letterstotheeditor/article/fillmore-street-prop-d-19666893.php |access-date=January 20, 2025 |work=The San Francisco Chronicle}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Examiner {{!}} |first=Justin Dolezal {{!}} Special to The |date=2024-10-14 |title=Opinion: Fillmore land grab gaslights neighborhood |url=https://www.sfexaminer.com/forum/neil-mehta-gaslighting-fillmore-about-neighborhood-land-grab/article_464f2ca2-8a25-11ef-9920-47b9271c7ade.html |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=San Francisco Examiner |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Sydney |date=2024-08-26 |title=Legacy Fillmore Businesses at Risk of Being Pushed Out Could Get New Protections {{!}} KQED |url=https://www.kqed.org/news/12001883/legacy-fillmore-businesses-at-risk-of-being-pushed-out-could-get-new-protections |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=www.kqed.org |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Guzman |first=Dianne de |date=2024-10-23 |title=Legacy Businesses Get Special Protection Under New City Council Resolution |url=https://sf.eater.com/2024/10/23/24277898/san-francisco-legacy-business-resolution-eviction-protection |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=Eater SF |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Waxmann |first=Laura |date=October 22, 2024 |title=S.F. supes agree to protect city's legacy businesses from potential displacement |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/sf-legacy-business-evictions-19854935.php |work=San Francisco Chronicle}}
In response to increased scrutiny on the building acquisitions, UFRP hired public relations firm Singer Associates to represent them.
In April 2025, Neil Mehta gave an interview in which he stated that Aaron Peskin "had picket signs with my face on them, marching down the street, 'billionaire taking over city.'"{{Cite web |last=Traina |first=Cynthia |date=2025-04-15 |title=How investor sees his Fillmore project |url=https://newfillmore.com/2025/04/15/how-investor-sees-his-fillmore-project/ |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=THE NEW FILLMORE |language=en-US}} In response, Peskin described Mehta's comments as "defamatory and untrue" and requested that Mehta issue a public retraction.{{Cite web |last=Traina |first=Cynthia |date=2025-04-18 |title=Peskin seeks retraction from investor |url=https://newfillmore.com/2025/04/18/peskin-seeks-retraction-from-investor/ |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=THE NEW FILLMORE |language=en-US}} Mehta declined to retract his comments, stating through his spokesperson Sam Singer, "We respect Mr. Peskin, but what was said on the record reflects the spirit of the situation. We do not intend to apologize or issue a retraction.”{{Cite news |last=Morris |first=J.D. |date=April 21, 2025 |title=S.F. billionaire says he won’t take back comments that Aaron Peskin calls ‘untrue and defamatory’ |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/aaron-peskin-clashes-with-billionaire-neil-mehta-20287358.php |work=San Francisco Chronicle}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
[https://www.upperfillmore.org/ Official Website]