first of hayward facade upgrades already visible
Esther Stephanie, a small handbag shop inside the historic Hayward Hotel, is the first retailer to undergo planned storefront upgrades by building owner Pacific Investment Group. An expanded glass entryway behind a metallic band awning gives preview to a new contemporary look-soon to encompass the hotel’s entire street level.
“We’re giving our existing tenants the option of adopting the new retail upgrades,” says Eric Shomof of Pacific Investment Group. “It’s all part of the process of weeding out problem businesses and bringing in a fresh crop of tenants.”
The renovations will affect not only the landmark structure on the corner of 6th and Spring, but also two buildings adjacent to the south and west, which together comprise the entire Hayward Hotel complex.
“These three buildings are connected inside,” explains Shomof, “but, some facade work will help give each a distinguishing look.”
He points to the smallest of the three buildings, describing how paint remover is being used to reveal original white brick, covered years ago in an attempt to match the neighboring brown facade.
“We’ll also be installing new exterior lighting and pedestrian signage for the entire property. In two months these buildings will look a lot different.”
When asked whether any renovations will extend inside the hotel, Shomof shakes his head. “The residences on the upper floors are preserved as Section 8 [Federally-subsidized] housing. That won’t change.”
Still, the company — who owns a large stake in the neighborhood with other residential properties such as City Loft Square and Premiere Towers Apartments — only wants to continue the local investment trend.
To that end, Pacific Investment Group is teaming with local developer Barry Shy — who recently completed the two adaptive-reuse projects across the street — to lure a new generation of retailers to the street.
Considering the commercial potential of SB Manhattan and the impressive roster of independent businesses now calling SB Lofts home, could 6th and Spring become the next 4th and Main?
-Hayward Facade Work Looks to Enliven 6th & Spring Retail (blogdowntown)
607 S. Spring Street ground level features original glass and architectural detail; to be modernized in a cohesive look with the rest of the complex
Dated brown, cloth awnings will be removed after an upcoming film shoot
New contemporary storefront; shoe racks to stay?
New Hayward Hotel glass storefront
7 comments
I think that they are realizing what a “little” sprucing up can do to the look and feel of a building and how it can attract tenants and more importantly customers.
With the amount of residential units coming available plus the already existing residential on just this one block alone, its hard to imagine 6th and spring wont be even bigger and better than 4th and main. I take my hat off to developers like this Eric Shomof and Barry Shy.
while i think 6th and spring has a lot of potential, the lack of a restaurant similar in profile to pete’s will be a hindrance in making it a rival for 4th and main.
maybe something could happen at sb spring, but they’re really going to need to knock out some of that horrid facade for it to engage the street.
Exactly, Jim. It’s the restaurant factor. The SB buildings tend to have extremely small retail spaces that aren’t suitable for dining, so maybe the best hope is for a Pete’s-type cafe one block east at 6th and Main in the PE Lofts. Once Cole’s reopens, we’ll see how that goes.
I hope great retail appears in these buildings. That said, Pacific Investment Group – A word to the wise – be careful doing business with Barry Shy. Since you’re already in there – all I can say is every word out of Shy’s mouth needs to be written on paper and signed by him, with witnesses. If nothing else – on all the contracts you sign with him, add an additional signature line for a witness – because he tends to claim “someone forged my name” frequently. If you’re ever in a situation where something is verbal, and Shy is claiming something will be done – get it in writing – it’s the only thing that will protect you doing business with this guy. Trust me, I know.
Until the Occidental Tower was built in the early 1960s, I believe that the two high speed elevators (operating at 600 feet/minute) in the 6Th Street Annex of the Hayward Hotel were considered to be the fastest in the downtown area.
These elevators were installed by Otis in 1925 and run by an operator on each car. In 1977, my company (which I operated from the basement of the Hersch Mercantile Building) converted the two high speed elevators from manual to completely automatic.
There were a couple of the slower drum type elevators in the older section on Spring Street that were just used for freight. Since the entire building is being upgraded, I speculate that all the elevators in the Hayward complex are now in need of a complete rehab.
Galen L. Dutch
San Francisco
Besides the facade of the building, the owners need to worry about some of the tenants of the Hayward. Shootings, people trying to jump out the windows, people spitting/throwing things at people on the sidewalk below…total trash.