Proposal to turn abandoned SF Centre mall into data center and AI lab faces pushback from Mayor Lurie
KG Growth Partners CEO Jared Kreiger confirmed that an unnamed client is considering converting the shuttered San Francisco Centre mall into a data center and AI lab. The proposal faces opposition from Mayor Daniel Lurie, who recently approved a 45-day moratorium on city permits for new data centers, as well as mixed reactions from nearby residents.
An unnamed prospective buyer is exploring the purchase of San Francisco Centre, the shuttered downtown mall, for conversion into a data center and artificial intelligence lab. KG Growth Partners CEO Jared Kreiger confirmed the proposal, which would preserve public space on the ground floor and provide water for a rooftop community garden serving food-insecurity nonprofits, but said no buyer has yet been identified and the property remains on the market.
The concept comes as San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie implements a 45-day moratorium on city approval of permits for new data centers. Lurie said he was unaware of the proposal and expressed hope that the property would attract a project bringing people back downtown. Nearby residents voiced concerns about data centers' resource use and community impacts, while some visitors said an AI facility could create jobs and help revitalize the area.