Updated
Updated · The San Francisco Standard · Jul 8
Presidio Bay, Prado Exit 1.2 Million-Square-Foot SF Centre Deal After $600 Million Default
Updated
Updated · The San Francisco Standard · Jul 8

Presidio Bay, Prado Exit 1.2 Million-Square-Foot SF Centre Deal After $600 Million Default

2 articles · Updated · The San Francisco Standard · Jul 8

Summary

  • Presidio Bay and Prado Group have abandoned their bid for the 1.2 million-square-foot San Francisco Centre Mall after months of due diligence and fundraising, putting the shuttered property back on the market.
  • The two firms said they are "not currently moving forward" with the transaction, while sellers tied to the mall’s mortgage-backed securities have not decided their next steps.
  • The failed plan would have kept retail as a major use while converting a vacant department store to offices and the former fifth-floor theater into a concert and events venue.
  • The mall closed in February after years of distress: Westfield and Brookfield defaulted on a $600 million loan in 2023, and bondholders later took control with a $133 million credit bid.
  • Any future redevelopment still faces structural constraints, including preserving the historic dome and negotiating with the school district, which controls a 75,675-square-foot ground lease through 2043.

Insights

After a billion-dollar price drop, why did local developers still walk away from the SF Centre Mall?
Can city grants save downtown San Francisco if its largest property remains a ghost mall?