The crowds appear to be coming back to San Francisco.
New data from Placer.ai, a company that analyzes cell phone traffic, shows that Union Square has actually seen a drop in foot traffic when compared to last year.
Union Square comes in last when compared to nine other San Francisco neighborhoods, some of which have actually seen a significant jump in people traffic. At the top of the list is the new Tunnel Tops Park near the Presidio, which saw 45% more visitors compared to last year.
But since the pandemic, Union Square has been weathering lots of changes. Union Square is no longer the huge, retail shopping mecca that it used to be. Some large retailers are slated to close soon (Macy’s) and others changing the way they do business.
The Macy's store is expected to close once the company finds a buyer for the property and as of Tuesday, Saks Fifth Avenue is open by appointment only. The luxury department store is experimenting after it and other retailers have been repeatedly hit by thieves, sometimes in packs.
People who work in the neighborhood said the change and is still noticeable.
"It's sad because a lot of people left. Left the state, not just this area. And some of the people work from home. So, it's really changed,” said Nil Yucel, who has a dental office in Union Square.
Daniel Houston, who oversees security at a few properties at Union Square, said he feels there's been an increase in tourists this summer.
"There's definitely a lot of foot traffic out here I would say. When I do my site visits, there's always a lot of people in the streets,” he said.
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David Perry, a spokesperson for the Union Square Alliance, is pushing back on the data showing a drop.
Perry acknowledges a slow start to the year but said the summer has been busy, including a few special events.
In a prepared statement, Perry wrote in part, "This AI generated analysis is more 'artificial than 'intelligent.'"
The Union Square neighborhood has also been looking forward to the arrival of the Nintendo store, which is slated to open next year.
