AI Data Center Eyed for Shuttered Downtown Mall as San Francisco Weighs City Hall and Transit Issues

Plans for downtown real estate and the technology sector are drawing attention in San Francisco this week. In an exclusive report, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that San Francisco's shuttered downtown mall is being eyed for an AI data center. The Guardian also reported that an AI plan has been floated for the boarded-up San Francisco mall, raising the prospect of a downtown datacenter, while SFist noted that someone wants to turn part of San Francisco's downtown mall into an AI data center. At the same time, the spread of AI promotions in the city has met local resistance, with SFist reporting that San Francisco artists are fighting an AI ad blitz using profane guerrilla posters.

Land use, public facilities, and internal leadership are also in focus at City Hall. According to The Voice of San Francisco, Supervisors are mulling labor, land use, and school policy questions this week, while raising the question of what Lurie will tell them. Meanwhile, competition for leadership on the legislative body is intensifying, as The San Francisco Standard reported that a battle royal is brewing over the San Francisco board presidency. Elsewhere in the city, the San Francisco Examiner reported that a new behavioral health facility is slated for Treasure Island, and the Yale Daily News reported that Yale is weighing a San Francisco office, though McInnis said it is not considering a satellite campus.

Transit riders across San Francisco are following several developments involving Muni and BART. The San Francisco Standard reported that a man who was stabbed on Muni for protecting women has no regrets, quoting him as saying, "I would do it again." For local transportation followers, Streetsblog San Francisco highlighted this week's lineup of Politics 101, the 20th Street Bikeway, and Muni Trivia. On the regional rail system, KALW examined what it called the other story of BART in the Mission, while the San Francisco Chronicle published a letter from a writer who stated they wanted to vote for the Regional Transit Measure but did not because of BART. Additionally, Patch reported that BART canceled single-tracking between San Leandro and Bay Fair, and CBS News reported that Oakland is preparing to tow an RV encampment near the Coliseum BART station.