Overview
Purchased in February 2025 by CAST and KALW, the century-old building that anchors Warfield Commons sits in a cultural corridor of San Francisco’s Mid-Market neighborhood.
Mid-Market has undergone waves of transformation over the years—the dot-com boom, the 2011 payroll tax breaks that attracted tech companies, and record commercial vacancies following the pandemic. Post-pandemic vacancies provided CAST and KALW with a unique opportunity to acquire prime space during a period of historically low commercial real estate values.
The 48,000-square-foot project consists of nine floors, two of which are occupied by KALW.
As the new home base for one of the oldest public radio stations in the country, the building will house broadcast studios for KALW’s live on-air programming, production and podcast studios, offices, classrooms, and training spaces for formerly incarcerated and other journalism professionals, and newsroom facilities like the People’s Studio, dedicated to amplifying voices from our communities.
Together, CAST and KALW are giving the landmark new life as Warfield Commons: a community-centered hub for independent journalism, media, arts, and nonprofit organizations.
Our Approach
CAST has majority ownership of the building and will act as the long-term property and asset manager, while occupying one floor for its offices and supporting independent artists and arts and cultural collectives with space.
The remaining floors, which average ~5,000 square feet each, are leased at below-market rates to creative community organizations, independent media professionals, artists, and cultural workers, with ground floor retail below. A growing network of artists, journalists, and cultural partners has formed, beginning with Psyched! Radio SF, Tenderloin Community Benefit District, and artist Ramon Abad.
The $7.3 million real estate purchase from Group i closed in February 2025 with equity contributions from both CAST and KALW, and acquisition financing from Community Vision Capital & Consultants, a community development financial institution (CDFI), including a capital campaign bridge loan to KALW for which the Kenneth Rainin Foundation provided a guaranty. Improvements were financed by New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC), federal subsidies that fund projects with substantial and sustainable community benefits in low-income neighborhoods. The San Francisco Community Investment Fund committed a tax credit allocation of up to $17 million to the project.
Impact
In a moment of transition for the city, Warfield Commons aims to spark new foot traffic, activate street life, incubate local talent, and contribute to the economic recovery of the Mid-Market corridor that’s underway. It stands as a tangible example of what’s possible when creative infrastructure is treated as essential community infrastructure, adding to the existing cultural assets that continue to bring joy and vibrancy to this neighborhood.
Visit warfieldcommons.com to learn more about the space’s ongoing progress and community events.
