California Construction News staff writer
Construction has begun on a $140 million affordable housing development that will provide homes for artists and creative workers and add performance and community spaces to San Francisco’s Market Street corridor.
Mayor Daniel Lurie joined city officials and arts leaders to break ground on Artists Hub on Market, a mixed-use development at 1687 Market St. that will include 94 affordable apartments for artists, arts workers, arts administrators, production-related arts and entertainment workers and their families.
Construction is expected to be completed in 2028. The city expects to begin the housing lottery for Artists Hub on Market in early 2027.The project is being funded in part by a $100 million private philanthropic gift.
In addition to housing, the building will feature music and dance rehearsal studios, a black box theater, office and program space, a community room, a landscaped rooftop deck, bicycle parking and on-site resident services.
“Our city is stronger and more creative when the people who fuel our arts and culture are able to live in the city where they work,” Lurie said in a statement. “Artists Hub on Market is the latest example of our commitment to being a city where working people and artists can build a future.”
Located in the Hub neighborhood at the intersection of Hayes Valley, Civic Center, the Mission District and the Castro, the project is intended to support both affordable housing and San Francisco’s creative economy.
The city also plans to launch an Artist Housing Certification Program in early 2027 to establish eligibility for affordable housing designated for artists and creative workers. Applicants will be required to demonstrate professional artistic experience through income, grants or awards, or work samples before applying for housing lotteries.
