Historic SF Bank Building to Become New Global HQ for Empire Records
Empire Records, the independent music label behind artists like Kendrick Lamar, has received city approval to turn a long-vacant historic bank building into its global headquarters in downtown San Francisco. The company plans to move about 150 local employees into One Montgomery Street, a 1908 Financial District landmark it purchased for roughly $24.5 million, with an additional $40 million planned for renovations.
The plan includes moving offices to the basement and second floor, converting one of the grand first-floor banking halls into a full-service restaurant, and using the other banking hall and rooftop primarily as private space that can also host public and community programming. In exchange for closing the building’s privately owned public rooftop space, Empire committed to hosting four free large-scale public concerts downtown each year, each expected to draw at least 10,000 people, along with frequent free public events inside the building. The proposal passed on a 5–1 Planning Commission vote after debate over public access and security concerns.
Read more at SF Chronicle
Related Story: New Rooftop Concert Venue Coming to Downtown SF? – 8/5/2025
