New Retail Space Faces Challenges in San Francisco

"Developer David Rhoades has a plan for a modern, glassy retail center with stores like Toys R Us, outlets like Off 5th and perhaps a Target to replace three vacant buildings along the south side of Market between Fifth and Sixth streets.

Rhoades and others see his CityPlace project as a catalyst that would improve the mid-Market area, now largely the province of smoke shops, street characters and shuttered storefronts."

"Gabriel Metcalf, executive director of the SPUR think tank, said it's possible to balance traffic congestion and economic revitalization.

'Market Street has to be protected as the primary transit and bike street of the whole city. It's really important to get that right,' Metcalf said. 'It's also a big deal for the city to figure out how to revitalize that stretch of Market, so this is a problem worth solving.'"