Location: San Francisco, California
Developer: War Horse and Tidewater Capital
Site Size: 0.35 acres

Siting at the intersection of the burgeoning Mid-Market district and the historic Tenderloin neighborhood, The Hall seeks to foster a connection among members of the community by creating a space for them to convene, hold events, and enjoy small, local food places. It was created to bring new energy to a site that had been vacant and blighted for nearly 7 years while its development team undertakes the entitlement of a mixed-use apartment building that will eventually replace the existing property. The development is an experiment in 4,000 sq. ft. of temporary retail space as a means of urban revitalization. The next and final phase will redevelop the site into a 186 unit mixed-use apartment building with approximately 10,000 sq. ft. of ground floor retail. Rehabilitation of the site and construction of the temporary retail space has an estimated total cost of $825,000.

Inspired by War Horse’s Belvedere Square Market located in Baltimore, MD, The Hall is committed to supporting local food economies and creating thriving community gathering places. The Hall features six local food vendors and a bar with outdoor seating. With most of the vendors originating from food truck backgrounds, the site provides these vendors an opportunity to experiment with brick and mortar retail without making the financial commitment usually required for such an endeavor. Since opening in October 2014, on average over 4,000 meals per week have been served and 15 full time workers have been employed in addition to the staff maintained by its vendors. The Hall was named by the Wall Street Journal as one of the “Great New American Food Halls” in January 2015 and was included in the Top 10 of San Francisco Eater’s “Heat Map” of the top new restaurants in the City of San Francisco.

The Hall creates a gathering space for non-profits, businesses, workers, and residents in the Mid-market/Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco to come together and strengthen the community. The Hall has hosted 36 different non-profits for events and fundraisers, and has donated nearly $10,000 to 25 of them through its operations. Live music, art exhibits, and private events have added to the active community calendar, ensuring that all members of the surrounding neighborhood are welcome to gather and build community.