Apple Gets Final Go Ahead for New San Francisco Flagship Store

Apple has received final approval for its upcoming Union Square Apple Store from the San Francisco Planning Commission and the city’s Board of Supervisors, reports Re/code. With the go ahead from the city, Apple can begin construction on the new store, which is located approximately three blocks away from its existing San Francisco store.

model

A model of the San Francisco Apple Store courtesy of ifoAppleStore

"We are thrilled that the city of San Francisco has given its final approval to begin work on our new store and public plaza, which will make a wonderful addition to Union Square and create hundreds of local jobs," Apple spokeswoman Amy Bessette told Re/code. "Our Stockton Street store has been incredibly popular, welcoming over 13 million customers since it opened nine years ago, and we look forward to making a new home on Union Square."

Apple first earned final approval from the planning commission in February and it received a necessary zoning concession from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors last week after agreeing to revise its initial building plans. Apple’s original plan, which received some criticism, called for the removal of the historical Ruth Asawa fountain at the location and the installation of an 80-foot wide wall along a key pedestrian and transit corridor.

The company filed a revised plan back in August, pledging to move the fountain to a nearby location, add an eight-foot wide window for visual interest, and move the glass wall of the store back by four feet.

Apple's new Union Square store will be located in the former Levi's building at the corner of Post and Stockton streets. Renderings of the location have suggested it will have massive 44-foot tall sliding glass panels at the entry way, with an Apple representative calling the location "more iconic" than the company's well-known Fifth Avenue store in New York City.

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18

Apple Seeds Second Release Candidate Versions of iOS 18.2 and More With Genmoji, Image Playground and ChatGPT Integration

Monday December 9, 2024 10:06 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the first RCs. The first iOS 18.2 RC had a build number of 22C150, while the second RC's build number is 22C151. Release candidates represent the final version of beta software that's expected to see a ...
iPhone SE 4 Single Camera Thumb 3

iPhone SE 4 Said to Feature 48MP Rear Lens, 12MP TrueDepth Camera

Monday December 9, 2024 4:48 am PST by
Apple's forthcoming iPhone SE 4 will feature a single 48-megapixel rear camera and a 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera on the front, according to details revealed in a new Korean supply chain report. ET News reports that Korea-based LG Innotek is the main supplier of the front and rear camera modules for the more budget-friendly ~$400 device, which is expected to launch in the first quarter of...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Announces iOS 18.2 Launching Today With These New Features

Wednesday December 11, 2024 5:23 am PST by
Apple today announced that iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 will be released today following more than six weeks of beta testing. For the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, the update introduces additional Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji for creating custom emoji, Image Playground and Image Wand for generating images, and ChatGPT integration for Siri. There is...
iOS 18

Here Are Apple's Full Release Notes for iOS 18.2

Thursday December 5, 2024 11:48 am PST by
Apple seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.2 today, which means it's going to see a public launch imminently. Release candidates represent the final version of new software that will be provided to the public should no last minute bugs be found, and Apple includes release notes with the RC launch. The iOS 18.2 release notes provide a look at all of the new features that are coming...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

MacBook Pros With OLED Displays Won't Have a Notch, Roadmap Shows

Monday December 9, 2024 7:36 am PST by
Apple plans to remove the notch from the MacBook Pro in a few years from now, according to a roadmap shared by research firm Omdia. The roadmap shows that 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models released in 2026 will have a hole-punch camera at the top of the display, instead of a notch. It is unclear if there would simply be a pinhole in the display, or if Apple would expand the iPhone's...
New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

20 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Friday December 6, 2024 4:42 am PST by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Expected Next Year: Here's What We Know

Thursday November 28, 2024 3:30 am PST by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch sometime in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as...
vipps nfc tap to pay iphone

World's First Apple Pay Alternative for iPhone Launches in Norway

Monday December 9, 2024 1:28 am PST by
Norwegian payment service Vipps has become the world's first company to launch a competing tap-to-pay solution to Apple Pay on iPhone, following Apple's agreement with European regulators to open up its NFC technology to third parties. Starting December 9, Vipps users in Norway can make contactless payments in stores using their iPhones. The service initially supports customers of SpareBank...

Top Rated Comments

sfoneway Avatar
140 months ago
one problem

ummm looks like the architects have cars going both directions on the road in front of the new apple store....except that's a one way road here in SF. doh
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iapplelove Avatar
140 months ago
More iconic than the fifth ave store? Hmm not sure about that.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NachoGrande Avatar
140 months ago
I hope they plant the tree a little bit better than in the model...
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Z400Racer37 Avatar
140 months ago
"Gets Final Go Ahead" - Receives approval from bureaucrats to do something they want to do on their own property.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IJ Reilly Avatar
140 months ago
So you support a world in which the people with the most money can buy up land and do whatever they want with it? Sounds great. Want to build a sex shop next door to a primary school? Sure no worries—you paid for the land! Build a 30 metre monument to yourself in the middle of the city? Sure, why not—if you've got the money to do it. Build a 5 story tower in your suburban block that casts a shadow over half your street? Hey, it's your own property—go for your life!

(PS. I'm not saying the bureaucrats aren't too heavy handed at times. Just pointing out that some urban planning is a necessary function of government.)

Crypto-libertarianism is a uniquely American phenomenon. My experience in dealing with these people is that for the most part, they don't actually believe in the ideology they preach. If something big and ugly and disruptive was dropped on their doorstep, they'd be the first to demand that something be done about it.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kalsta Avatar
140 months ago
"Gets Final Go Ahead" - Receives approval from bureaucrats to do something they want to do on their own property.
I assume you haven't ever had to acquire planning permission, because they can take you down for so much as building a garage in your own property.
...Exactly my point. It's disgusting, and so are they.
So you support a world in which the people with the most money can buy up land and do whatever they want with it? Sounds great. Want to build a sex shop next door to a primary school? Sure no worries—you paid for the land! Build a 30 metre monument to yourself in the middle of the city? Sure, why not—if you've got the money to do it. Build a 5 story tower in your suburban block that casts a shadow over half your street? Hey, it's your own property—go for your life!

(PS. I'm not saying the bureaucrats aren't too heavy handed at times. Just pointing out that some urban planning is a necessary function of government.)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)