You Might Not Have Heard of San Francisco's Fastest-Growing Neighborhood

You know Haight-Ashbury, you know the Mission, you might even know Potrero Hill. But none of these more well-known districts are San Francisco’s fastest-growing neighborhood. That title falls to a neighborhood you may have never heard of called the East Cut.

The East Cut

This San Francisco neighborhood first made its way into public knowledge with its collection of skyscrapers, making it a destination for commuters. The East Cut was once part of the Rincon Hill neighborhood, but today it’s home to the Salesforce Tower, which wears the crown of the tallest building this side of the Mississippi River, according to CNN Money. The East Cut also houses San Francisco’s most expensive penthouse (listed at an eye-popping $42 million), CBS Bay Area reports. It’s also where the Transbay Transit Center, one of the most significant civic projects the city has undertaken in its entire history, is located.

From Work Destination to New Neighborhood

If it sounds like the East Cut has a lot of skyscrapers already, that number is only growing. More than a dozen skyscrapers are under construction across the city, and half of them are in this little-known neighborhood. Currently, there are 80,000 people commuting to this neighborhood on a daily basis, and with the completion of the Salesforce Tower, an additional 2,500 will join that already sky-high number. Along with the new office buildings, residential buildings have sprung up as well, and the East Cut’s population of 10,000 is expected to increase by 50 percent over the next two years alone, according to The Bold Italic.

Given how impressive the neighborhood sounds on paper, you might be surprised that it actually makes up quite a small area of the city, taking up only 25 blocks south of Market Street and east of 2nd Street. Most people who have heard of the East Cut only know it as a place where people work, but the city is aiming to change that. By giving the neighborhood a trendy name, San Francisco hopes people will eventually come to see the district as a place where one can live, work, and play.

And it seems the city’s efforts are paying off. A non-profit organization called The East Cut Community Benefit District is helping ease the district’s transition from work destination to comfortable neighborhood. According toThe Bold Italic, the organization provides a security patrol, contributes to street cleanup, and also organizes neighborhood events that foster a sense of community.

New Businesses

Retail and restaurants are also moving into the neighborhood, offsetting the office buildings with places to shop, eat, and relax. Last year saw the grand opening of Woodlands Market at the intersection of Folsom and Main, Curbed SF reports, and more eateries and cafes are on the way. The East Cut is also anticipating the opening of public parks—most notably, the rooftop city park on top of the Salesforce Transit Center, which officially opened in August. But due to cracks discovered on the steel beams inside the structure, the Transit Center and Salesforce Park have been closed until further notice. 

San Francisco’s Fastest-Growing Neighborhood

It remains to be seen just how long it will take the East Cut to transform from a work site to a full-fledged neighborhood where eager homebuyers can snap up sought-after homes. But by the looks of it, it won’t take long.