San Francisco State University is steering its Lam Family College of Business straight into the heart of the Tenderloin, signing on for a slice of UC Law SF's Academic Village at 198 McAllister Street. The school is planning to move its graduate business programs into roughly 3,200 square feet in July 2026, with classes slated to kick off the following month. The relocation plugs SFSU into a growing cluster of law, dental and medical students that aims to stitch campus life into the Civic Center and Mid-Market corridor.
In a news release, San Francisco State University said it will occupy about 3,200 square feet of dedicated classrooms and offices, and framed the downtown site as a way to put students closer to employers and major transit lines. SFSU President Lynn Mahoney called the deal "an example of the growing strategic collaborations that expand opportunities for our students." The university also pointed out that the move keeps its long-running downtown footprint alive after closing its space at the San Francisco Centre.
UC Law San Francisco describes the new home as part of its shared "Academic Village" model, with the Lam Family College set to use additional classrooms and campus facilities beyond its dedicated suite. In a statement, UC Law SF Chancellor and Dean David Faigman said the partnership "advances UC Law SF's commitment to collaborate with California's other great public schools and adds vibrancy and energy to the heart of the city." The law school casts the deal as one more piece in a broader, multi-institution push to bring students and programming downtown.
Academic Village by the numbers
The Academic Village's first phase, a 14-story tower known as Academe at 198, opened in August 2023 with about 656 beds and is roughly 85% leased, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Phase one cost about $228 million to build, and units have been renting in the $1,800 to $2,300 range, the Chronicle reports. Project backers say the complex was designed to pump more student foot traffic into the Tenderloin, and UC Law SF officials have credited the building with making nearby streets feel "night and day" safer and cleaner.
Lease details and costs
Board documents show the formal lease gives SFSU exclusive use of approximately 3,273 rentable square feet, including two classrooms and an office suite on the second floor, at a base rent of $57 per rentable square foot plus a 12% administrative fee, according to UC Law SF board materials. That packet pegs the initial annual payments at about $208,948 and lists an effective date of July 1 for the agreement. The documents emphasize that the deal fits into the Academic Village's shared-campus approach, with partner schools able to tap common facilities and joint programming.
The move is one chapter in a larger buildout. A second phase at 100 McAllister is expected to add about 280 beds in summer 2027, and a potential third phase could bring as many as 400 more units on land owned by Unite Here Local 2, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. For students and employers, the expanded downtown presence promises easier access to internships and networking; for people watching the Tenderloin's evolution, it raises fresh questions about who gains as big institutions keep planting flags in the neighborhood.
