Massive New Artist Hub Coming to SF’s Vacant Waterfront Pier 29

Thanks so much to the San Francisco Chronicle for sharing that a massive waterfront warehouse on San Francisco’s Embarcadero is getting a new life as a cultural hub for local artists and creative events.

The Community Arts Stabilization Trust (CAST), a nonprofit focused on preserving affordable spaces for arts and culture in SF, has secured a lease to transform the long-vacant Pier 29 into the city’s largest combined artist studio and exhibition space.

The 100,000-square-foot building — tucked between the cruise ship terminal and Fisherman’s Wharf — has sat mostly unused since the 2013 America’s Cup. Now, it’s set to become a vibrant creative space featuring artist studios, event areas, and flexible programming venues.

Plans include 30 artist “pods,” a section for cultural programming that can host up to 2,500 people, and room for other arts organizations to join. Renovations will begin soon, with a projected opening after a six-month construction period. The lease includes a two-year activation period, with the option to extend for another two years.

This marks CAST’s latest move to reclaim underutilized downtown properties for the arts. Earlier this year, the group purchased the Warfield Building in Mid-Market for an independent media and arts hub. They also recently acquired a foreclosed development in SoMa to serve local Filipino community organizations.

With downtown SF office vacancies at record highs, the new Pier 29 project adds much-needed creative energy to the city’s waterfront and brings fresh life to a beautiful — but often overlooked — historic pier.