San Francisco has a new plan to address the woes of the city's Union Square.
As one of Mayor London Breed's final acts before she leaves office, the city has hired a New York-based company that plans to hold 200 events in the area next year.
"The idea of active program spaces is to have so much going on that it feels very safe for users," said Dan Biederman of Biederman Development Ventures.
Breed tapped Biederman's firm to help plan over 200 events in the area in 2025. Biederman has touted his company's success with New York City's Bryant Park.
The firm has already worked on spaced like Salesforce Park in the city.
The firm hopes to host events that encompass yoga, concerts, and lectures and has amenities like a game area and kids zones.
Safety has also become a focal point for visitors, and Biederman said it's just one measurement of success.
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"If you have a higher percentage of females, you know you've got a safe space," he said. "We need a long period where there's no incident. To be honest, we can't have somebody attacked there."
Currently, visitors are drawn to Union Square with the Christmas Tree, shopping, and a winter walk. However, people said a flawed narrative has changed people's perceptions.
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"I think the biggest challenge is the narrative," said Marissa Rodrigues, CEO of the Union Square Alliance. "It is not what people think. Come down here, and you can feel it's absolutely alive."
John Konstin, co-owner of John's Grill, hopes that addressing the issues in the area will bring about an upswing.
"I think [there are] always challenges in any major cities, and I think everyone is buckling down to make sure these challenges are being addressed," he said.
