SAN FRANCISCO | 85 West Portal Avenue | 119 FT | 9 FLOORS

[38 Geary]

S.F. theater to be replaced by a 9-story family housing development in West Portal
By J.K. Dineen, Staff Writer
Jan 6, 2026



West Portal’s long-closed Empire Theater will be knocked down to make way for the biggest development that neighborhood has seen in generations, a nine-story, 64-unit building that the property owners hope will inject more vitality to a strip that has been attracting new restaurants and retail in recent years.

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Appleton grew up in St. Louis but summered with grandparents in San Francisco, where he would frequent the family-owned movie palace. He said his group looked into reviving it as a theater, but the poor condition of the building — it had a hole in the roof — and the opening of the nearby Stonestown Regal 12 multiplex meant there was zero interest from operators. In contrast, housing seemed like a better bet in a neighborhood where, according to Redfin, prices have skyrocketed 30% in the last year to a median sales price of $2.8 million. The 64 units will be mostly “family-sized” with two and three bedrooms, and will be rental.

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Supervisor Myrna Melgar, who represents West Portal, said the project has her full support, although she acknowledged that it would likely face stiff opposition from some merchants and residents. Several leaders of the merchants group have threatened to recall Melgar for her support of Lurie’s rezoning. “I want more family housing and I want more rental units specifically, so I’m glad that’s what we are getting,” she said. “I know folks are going to be upset no matter what, the merchants are going to be upset. In the long run it would be fantastic to have that many more customers. It will be short-term pain for a great gain.” The project is within walking distance to two elementary schools — West Portal and Commodore Sloat — and in an area where many empty-nesters would love to downsize if there were options, Melgar said. The last significant multifamily building nearby, the six-story, 12-unit art deco structure built into the hillside at 330 West Portal, was completed in 1933. “There is no place to go in District 7 for people who want to downsize and don’t need the big home anymore,” she said. In September, the Chronicle reported that representatives of both the Greater West Portal Neighborhood Association and West Portal Merchants Association warned that Melgar could face a recall effort over her backing of taller and denser housing. The nine-story building, which will be three times the height of most neighboring structures, is being designed by Handel Architects, with contribution from two members of the Appleton family — Michael and Andrew Appleton — who are longtime San Francisco architects. One section of the L-shaped complex will feature terracotta pre-cast concrete with dark bronze paneling and vision-glass Juliet balconies. The podium, which will face West Portal and include the building lobby and retail space, will be pre-cast concrete and take design cues from the existing art deco theater, according to MacDonald. There will be 26 two-bedroom units and 12 three-bedroom units. It will have 27 parking spaces.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/empire-theater-razed-housing-21277801.php