As students cross campuses or look to eat off-campus, empty buildings on Fillmore Street with green posters in the storefronts might catch their eye. Bold letters insisting that these are “reserved street space for building operations” bring attention to the open permits on these vacant establishments. The buildings, bought by the Upper Fillmore Revitalization Project in early 2024, have been sitting empty for more than two years now, but new changes are coming soon.

The UFRP, (Upper Fillmore Revitalization Project), funded by venture capitalist Neil Mehta, aims to revitalize Fillmore Street, and to do so, has purchased seven buildings, five of which housed now-shuttered restaurants and businesses, like Starbucks, Noosh, and L’Occitane. Students still remember when these places were options for off-campus lunch, according to senior Fiona Brentani.

“I remember when that Starbucks location shut down during my freshman year, and everyone was wondering what would replace it,” Brentani said. “There were rumors that a Gucci store was coming to Fillmore, which would’ve been a shock,”

Slowly, progress has been creeping in. Recently, on July 14, 2026, the beloved Northern California burger chain Super Duper opened its 20th location on 1701 Fillmore St. This property is not one held by UFRP, but the fund has raised over $150 million in an attempt at a strategic turnover and upgrade of Fillmore St., so this new establishment could be seen as a result of that cash injection.

“I’m excited to eat lunch on Fillmore and maybe Super Duper,” freshman Isa Finn said. “I hope I can eat at the new restaurants that are coming near us.” 

Though it won’t be a Gucci store, 2222 Fillmore St., the location that was previously a Starbucks open since 1990, is now being replaced with a venture by Pim Techamuanvivit, a chef-owner of two Michelin-starred Thai restaurants in San Francisco, according to Food & Wine. What was formerly Noosh, a Turkish-inspired pop-up, will now be an upscale Korean barbecue restaurant called Monami, also backed by two Michelin-star chefs, according to The Nolan Group. These new projects have stirred up conversations about preserving the historical element of Fillmore St., according to Assistant Director of College Counseling Jake Sisco.

“Gentrification is always complex. There’s real concern around displacement alongside the excitement of new options emerging in historic neighborhoods,” Sisco said. “However, I’m still eager to see how these new spaces find their footing and integrate into the neighborhood.”

In the end, it remains to be seen how these new restaurants will perform in the district, and only time will tell if they succeed. When it comes to the student side of things, unless one plans on having a Michelin-starred lunch experience, not many new options seem to be on the horizon.  

“It will be interesting to see if the vibe of Fillmore will end up changing a lot,” Brentani said. “I do hope that no other small-scale restaurants are closed, though.”