New tenants coming to troubled Emporium Centre San Francisco

Seven new tenants have signed leases in the troubled Emporium Centre San Francisco, the giant downtown mall announced Thursday, including a city-backed program that gets young people paid internships, a company that provides local sidewalk-cleaning services, and several retailers.

The new leases offered some good news for the half-empty shopping center, which a San Francisco Superior Court placed into receivership last October after the mall’s owners said they would walk away from their mortgage .

Opportunities for All — which has placed thousands of people between the ages of 13 and 24 in paid jobs, training and mentorship opportunities — leased 17,000 square feet of office space on the fourth level, a spot that showcases the mall’s historic dome and rotunda, according to a mall press release.

The program has received millions of dollars from The City and the state, as well as support from nonprofits and corporate sponsors.

A statement from Sheryl Davis, executive director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission , said Opportunities for All will hold lectures and workshops under the dome and host special events there.

“I look forward to OFA participants experiencing this historic space and having an opportunity to develop work skills and begin their career exploration in the heart of The City, where innovation, creativity and resilience reside,” Davis said.

Also taking space was Block by Block, the service provider to the nonprofit Yerba Buena Community Benefit District, the business-improvement district to the south of Market Street that includes part of the mall. Block by Block will use its new quarters to coordinate its community guides and its clean team, which steam-washes sidewalks, collects litter and removes graffiti, among other services.

Other leases include A&S Cell Accessories and Repairs and Hey Hi Toys — both of which have already opened — and Paw Box, a new vending-machine pilot project that dispenses treats for pets.

+Friends, a “vintage concept” featuring reworked and sustainably made products, and Merkado, a purveyor of “kawaii-inspired” — the term means “cute” in Japanese — products, are set to debut in July.

Lane Wade, the mall’s general manager, said that he expects to announce additional tenants in the near future.

“We’re seeing a momentum shift downtown with increasing interest in locating here and we’re excited about adding this diverse group of new tenants that will drive additional foot traffic to the centre,” Wade said.

Sarah Dennis Phillips, executive director of The City’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, said the mall managers’ coordination with the Office of Small Business “is part of its re-envisioning of the iconic mall as a place for small businesses to get a foothold and to flourish.”

“For too long, many small business owners were priced out of downtown spaces,” Phillips said.

Multiple retailers, including anchor tenant Nordstrom, have left the mall, but anchor tenant Bloomingdale’s and numerous other retailers remain.