Mayor Daniel Lurie announced legislation today to bring five more entertainment zones to San Francisco, including one on Valencia Street between 16th and 21st streets. Along with four other locations throughout the city, this would allow for legal, open-container boozing, performances and events on the commercial corridor.
The five zones are: Valencia Street; Pier 39; Ellis Street between Stockton and Powell streets; Folsom Street between Seventh and Eighth streets; and Yerba Buena Lane between Market and Mission streets, and at Jessie Square.
The legislation allows the areas to close to traffic during public events, so pedestrians can wander the streets on foot, buy alcohol from participating businesses, and publicly imbibe. Valencia, for instance, will be closed every second Thursday of the month from May through October.
The schedules of the other four zones are unclear. They join four others announced since September last year: Cole Valley, Thrive City outside Chase Center, Front Street and Harlan Place.
This is part of an ongoing effort by Lurie and Sen. Scott Wiener to revitalize San Francisco nightlife, an initiative started under Mayor London Breed. So far, much of Lurie’s push has involved various attempts to get young people out into the streets with a beer or cocktail in hand.
First concentrated downtown, where post-pandemic recovery has been particularly sluggish, proposals for new entertainment zones have since popped up across the city.
Business owners in Cole Valley and on Front Street have sung the praises of entertainment zones, and said they benefited from increased foot traffic. Merchants citywide now want entertainment zones on their corridors, but some have argued that high fees and an extensive permitting process has made securing approval difficult.
Lurie’s legislation, slated to be introduced at the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, is co-sponsored by District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder, District 3 Supervisor Danny Sauter, and District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey.
Earlier this month, Mission Local reported that a new night market will come to Valencia Street starting on May 8, transforming the street into an “entertainment zone” for the duration of the market. Valencia will close to traffic during those hours, and market-goers can drink alcoholic beverages sold by participating businesses in public areas and enjoy outdoor performances.
Valencia merchants expressed hope that the street will become a permanent entertainment zone as the official “Arts and Entertainment District of the Mission.”
This designation would allow for flexible street use, including outdoor performances, carrying an open container, and hosting events, in addition to the Valencia Night Market.
“Valencia Street and Mission have long been a destination for nightlife, arts and culture,” said Katy Birnbaum, founder of the outdoor events nonprofit Into the Streets. She said Valencia would be a “fantastic” entertainment zone.
“The energy and foot traffic that entertainment zones bring would be a great boon for the corridor, and in turn, the corridor will be a great example of what an entertainment zone can be in San Francisco.”
I’m glad to see the new mayor doing something. I walk on Valencia Street at night fairly often and it’s moribund most of the time. It would be nice to restore its nightlife.
Sad that the city doesn’t take into account the hard-working residents who don’t want their neighborhood turned into a party playground for drunk people. Some of us need our sleep! : (
The city – the whole region, for that matter – has a very large number of quiet, dull neighborhoods that _don’t_ already have a history of nightlife. Why not just move to one of them instead?
Why not stop telling people how to feel as if you run the entire show, Bernal troll 3000?
Feel free to take your puritanical preferences to the suburbs. Nightlife is a critical aspect of SF’s vibrancy and soul and deserves to be restored
That must be why downtown is a commercial ghost town, because everyone suddenly went “puritanical”…
Whatever. Wiener tactics dressing up a larger problem and calling it a “festival” etc. We’ve seen this before, well, those of us who have lived in SF long enough…
Whatever.
I especially thought the sub article that was titled “SF city’s recovery relies heavily on young people getting drunk” was humorous and disturbing at the same time
Funny – I walk on Valencia & think: like old days – not crowded.
I thought he was trying to reduce the number of people who are intoxicated, passed out, relieving themselves publicly, or otherwise engaged in anti-social behavior on our streets.
I guess I thought wrong.
Well, live and let live, I suppose – that does seem to be part of what makes this city special.
This is an exciting initiative! I think the new entertainment zones will really enhance the community vibe in San Francisco. Can’t wait to see the outdoor performances and enjoy some live music with friends.
I’m really excited about the new entertainment zones! It sounds like a great way to bring more life to the city and support local artists. Looking forward to enjoying some outdoor music and drinks with friends!
I think the new entertainment zones are a fantastic idea! They’ll really help bring the community together and support local artists. Can’t wait to check them out!
Bread and circuses before the budget cuts.
our fearless leaders are encouraging young people to publicly consume alcohol at a time when they are finally realizing the long term risks from alcohol consumption.
Get RID of WEINER.
Yeah more booze, more drunks on the road, more entertainment zones !This desperate approach to solve the ongoing issues the city is facing shows how lost the decision makers are..but keep drinking and weeding! and please open the bars in the Mission until 4am like Matt Haney is backing, the people who go to sideshows have no place to go after “hours”. ok there will be some unforeseen consequences, like some unpleasant shootings hen people who don’t like each other meet at those hours and more donuts at crossroads but it is worth trying. More booze, more taxes.