As of October 9, 2026, the contractor rebuilding the water and sewer lines under Geary Boulevard had packed up. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's project page now reports the work 100% complete and says the contractor "has demobilized from the area and removed all equipment and materials." That work ran in two segments, 32nd Avenue to 12th Avenue and 12th Avenue to Stanyan Street, which together cover most of the Richmond's stretch of the boulevard.
The SFMTA says it is preparing to begin its own construction on Geary this fall. The storefronts along the corridor are changing over in the same weeks. Several of the boulevard's longest-running businesses closed between May and mid-September. The arrivals so far are small operators moving into rooms other businesses have just left.
One Crew Out, the Next One Coming
The Geary Boulevard Improvement Project is the second phase of the city's work on the corridor. The first phase, the Geary Rapid Project, finished in fall 2021. This phase extends similar transit and safety changes west, from Stanyan Street to 34th Avenue, with the aim of improving Muni's 38 Geary service. The SFMTA Board approved the project unanimously in August 2023, and its quick-build portion went in that fall. The project page puts the cost at $48 million and predicts completion in early 2028.
The contract paperwork gives more detail. A July 23, 2026 San Francisco Public Works memorandum recommended Esquivel Grading and Paving for the surface contract. It describes work from Stanyan Street to 32nd Avenue, two blocks short of the SFMTA's stated project limit. The same memorandum expects a notice to proceed in fall 2026 and construction lasting through winter 2028.
As of this writing, the SFMTA hasn't published a block-by-block start schedule. It says regular construction updates will begin later this fall. Until those updates arrive, the clearest view of what is changing on Geary comes from the storefronts.
The Corridor, Block by Block
Here are the recent changes in address order, moving west, with the Balboa Street changes after them.
| Address | Business | What happened | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4601 Geary Blvd. at 10th Ave. | Noodle in a Haystack, possibly becoming Casito | Closed; city records show a new business name | Closed in May; Casito filing reported Sept. 4 |
| 4627 Geary Blvd. | My Tofu House | Closed after 25 years | Storefront photographed closed Aug. 19 |
| 5203 Geary Blvd. | Topogato | Last in-store sales; online sales continue | Sept. 14 |
| 5801 Geary Blvd. | HI NRG | Opened, a pop-up moving into a permanent shop | Quiet opening Sept. 16; grand opening Sept. 23 |
| 7000 Geary Blvd. near 34th Ave. | Pacific Cafe | Closed after more than 50 years; space offered to new operators | Last service Aug. 30 |
| 3532 Balboa St. near 37th Ave. | The Cat's Whiskers | Signage up in the former Eat Americana | Registered in May; signs seen Sept. 16 |
| 407 Balboa St. | Ghien Banh Mi & Cafe | Opened | Soft opening in May |
Two of the closures share a block. Noodle in a Haystack's corner at 4601 Geary and My Tofu House at 4627 sit a few doors apart near 10th Avenue. Pacific Cafe at 7000 Geary is at the far western edge of the SFMTA's project area, near 34th Avenue. Add up the tenures and it's more than 75 years of operation between just two of these closures, Pacific Cafe and My Tofu House. Every new business on the list moved into a room that someone else had already built out.
The Rooms Changing Hands
Each closure has a different story. Mission Local reported that Noodle in a Haystack was a Michelin-recommended ramen restaurant with a $306 prix fixe and a 15,000-person waitlist. Its owners said they closed in May to focus on opening a fast-casual restaurant in Mission Bay. City records now show a business called Casito registered at the same address. As of early September, the outlet knew nothing yet about its concept or opening date.
Pacific Cafe, the seafood restaurant near Ocean Beach, served its last meal on August 30. The same Mission Local column noted long lines in the days before it closed and reported that the space is being offered to new operators. No new tenant had been reported as of this writing.
Topogato, the chocolate shop at 5203 Geary, made its last in-store sales on September 14. The SF Standard reported that the shop plans to keep selling online while it sells its equipment and looks for a new tenant for the space.
HI NRG is the newest business on Geary, and it moved here from nearby. It began as an Inner Richmond coffee pop-up and opened its permanent location at 5801 Geary early on Wednesday, September 16, without announcing it ahead of time. Mission Local's first look describes velvet curtains, a disco ball, and storage bins under the seats. Asked about the bins, co-owner Luis Gonzalez told the outlet, "You ever walk into a place with nowhere to put your jacket?" The sign out front advertises coffee, music and wine, and the grand opening followed on September 23.
Balboa Street, one block south of the construction zone, has seen the same thing happen. Signage for The Cat's Whiskers went up at 3532 Balboa, the former Eat Americana. City records show the business registered there in May, though it had not been reported open as of mid-September. Farther east, at 407 Balboa, Tuan Luu and Uyen Vu, who also run Luxury Spa, started a soft opening of Ghien Banh Mi & Cafe in May. The Richmond Review reported hours of Friday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., as of July. Those hours may have changed since.
What the Surface Work Will Change on the Street
Whoever opens at 4601 or 7000 Geary will open onto a street under construction, and later onto a different street. The Public Works memorandum lists the main pieces of the contract:
- Transit bulbs and pedestrian bulbs at the curb
- Medians
- Signal upgrades
- Curb ramps
- Repaving
The SFMTA has also said new trees and decorative sidewalk designs, chosen with input from neighbors, will be part of the project. Its community enhancements page has the details.
For businesses, the SFPUC ran a monthly Geary Boulevard Small Business Working Group during its project. The group discussed ways to reduce construction impacts, support businesses and share updates on the order of work. The SFMTA hasn't said whether a similar group will continue during the surface phase. Anyone who wants block-level notice can sign up for project alerts by email or text. The SFMTA says this is how it will share construction updates once work begins.
This Weekend, Away From the Construction Zone
Two of this month's best-known neighborhood events are a few blocks from the boulevard, on streets outside the construction zone.
The Balboa Theatre at 3630 Balboa Street, which opened in 1926, is one of three historic neighborhood cinemas that the nonprofit CinemaSFbay calls its own, along with the Vogue and the 4-Star. Part of the nonprofit's stated mission is keeping those theaters going over the long term. The theatre's schedule lists the International Vampire Film Fest for Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18. The lineup includes El Vampiro, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night and Horror of Dracula.
Also on Saturday, October 17, Steins at 731 Clement Street holds its 15th annual Steinfest. Mission Local reports that admission includes beer and all-you-can-eat German sausage.
One status we couldn't confirm is the Cliff House. In a January 2026 report, the building's leaseholder told SFGATE it planned to reopen at least the street-level portion that summer. We found no later confirmation that it opened. The former Louis' Restaurant next door has no announced tenant. The National Park Service told SFGATE in the same report that it had no schedule for seeking one.
Construction on Geary between now and early 2028 will affect deliveries, parking and the walk to the 38, and it will shape what eventually opens at addresses like 4601 and 7000 Geary. If you own along the corridor or a few blocks off it and want to talk through how the construction timeline fits your own plans, Lauren Fraser follows these Richmond blocks closely and is glad to help. Let's Connect.
