The San Francisco Planning Commission voted unanimously Oct. 2 to allow the adaptive reuse of the designated landmark Our Lady of Guadalupe Church (906 Broadway) as a rented event space, approving a conditional use authorization with conditions that include a daily 8 a.m.–10 p.m. operating window and a one-year informational review to assess compliance and neighborhood impacts.

Planning staff described the site as a designated interior and exterior landmark under Article 10; Article 10 allows landmarked structures to seek nonreligious uses under certain controls (staff referenced Planning Code section 186.3). Project sponsor representatives said the owner, the Massimo family, purchased the building in January 2024 and seeks a general entertainment use (not a nightclub, bar or restaurant) to fund maintenance and restoration. The sponsor removed proposals for extended late-night hours and said the property will not pursue a liquor license. The sponsor’s operations plan includes advance coordination of loading/unloading, a mandatory security presence, a white-curb loading zone, an in-house PA with volume limits, doors closed during events, no outside amplification, staged breakdown times and partnerships with local garages for parking.

Neighbors, including representatives from Self-Help for the Elderly (Lady Shaw senior housing) and the San Francisco Chinese Chamber of Commerce, raised concerns about noise, late-night arrivals and the impact on seniors living across the street. Self-Help requested a 9 p.m. hard stop and a one-year conditional term; the owners agreed to a 10 p.m. hard stop and a neighborhood liaison. Commissioners negotiated a condition requiring Planning Department staff to prepare a compliance/good-neighbor memorandum and return to the commission for an informational update within one year. The commission also confirmed the acting zoning administrator will review and grant the required rear-yard variance.

Votes at a glance
- Conditional use authorization for general entertainment at 906 Broadway (Our Lady of Guadalupe Church): approved unanimously, 7–0, with conditions including hours 8 a.m.–10 p.m. daily, community liaison, adherence to Entertainment Commission sound and permit processes, and a one-year compliance report and informational hearing.

Why it matters
The decision seeks to preserve and reactivate a long-vacant landmark building by allowing a use the owner says can fund ongoing maintenance while placing explicit neighborhood protections—including a community liaison, a security plan and a one-year review—on the record.