Two new long-term retail leases have been signed at Mission Rock, and a long-awaited French bakery has opened its doors in the development.
Blue Bottle Coffee and Sweetgreen have both signed 10-year leases at the 28-acre Mission Bay development, which is owned by the Port of San Francisco and was formerly a parking lot for the Giants, according to a news release Tuesday from developers Tishman Speyer and the San Francisco Giants.
The development team is now wrapping up its first phase with two apartment buildings and two office towers, one of which is Visa’s market support center, which provides resources for the credit card company’s clients and businesses globally.
Oakland-founded Blue Bottle will occupy 2,069 square feet at the base of the Visa building at 300 Toni Stone Crossing. The 13-story tower houses nearly 1,000 Visa employees, according to the company’s website.
Salad and grain bowl shop Sweetgreen will take just under 2,400 square feet at the base of The Canyon, a residential tower at the intersection of Dr. Maya Angelou Lane and Toni Strone Crossing. A representative for Tishman Speyer said that the developer anticipates both Sweetgreen and Blue Bottle will be submitting their permits shortly. The rep declined to give any further information on tenant improvement allowances or lease terms.
CBRE’s Alex Sagues and Madeline Mandanis represented Mission Rock Partners. Blue Bottle was represented by Benzi Blatman with CBRE, while Sweetgreen was represented by AJ Schrader with Tier One Retail Group.
Sagues called Mission Bay “the most vibrant neighborhood in San Francisco.” He said retailers are drawn to the transit-friendly area because “it is a true seven-day neighborhood,” with office, life science, residential, and the UCSF hospital, as well as events at Chase Center and Oracle Park.
Beloved French bakery Arsicault, known as much for its long lines as its buttery pastries, was announced as a retail tenant in Mission Rock in the summer of 2023 and just opened this week. It is the San Francisco pastry-makers’ third location, after expanding from its original location in the Inner Richmond into Civic Center in 2020. It signed a 10-year lease for nearly 2,500 square feet at the base of the Verde apartment tower in Mission Bay, according to the developers. At least to start, its Mission Rock offerings will be the same as at their other locations.
“Our bakery honors traditional pastry-making techniques while Mission Rock represents San Francisco’s vibrant future,” Arsicault owner Armando Lacayo said in a statement. “The combination feels perfect for this community where tradition and innovation blend together seamlessly.”
In a statement, San Francisco Giants vice president of real estate development Julian Pancoast called the arrival of Arsicault, and signing of Blue Bottle and Sweetgreen leases, “exceptional additions” that were “carefully selected” to “enhance our vision of being a welcoming destination for all to enjoy.”
A Giants representative added that it is important to “curate” a variety of brands and concepts for the neighborhood to hit a wide range of price points and tastes.
“Our goal is to create a dynamic retail ecosystem that supports daily residents and office users while making Mission Rock a destination people visit often, for a variety of experiences,” the rep said via email.
Additional retailers will continue to be announced on a rolling basis, according to the press release. So far, much like Arsicault, the strategy seems to be to bring in mostly local brands with an avid following, but without a Mission Bay presence.
Ike’s Love & Sandwiches, LuxFit gym and Proper Food all opened in Mission Rock last summer. The first permanent outpost of Quik Dog, a burger restaurant that began during the pandemic as a temporary-take out window at renowned Mission cocktail bar Trick Dog, will also open in the coming months. So will Flour + Water Pizza Shop, and a full-service restaurant from the team behind Che Fico on Divisadero. The new Che Fico restaurant will presumably have more offerings than the Che Fico Pizzeria that opened blocks away at Chase Center’s Thrive City last fall.
It’s not the only crossover between the Golden Gate Warriors’ home stadium and Mission Rock. The Warriors confirmed that the team would be taking 71,000 square feet in Mission Rock’s Building B. It was the first lease signed in the nearly 300,000-square-foot building, which was built as life sciences space before pivoting back to traditional office space.
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