A group of music industry professionals has taken over leadership of the Foundry in SF’s SoMa district, which recently announced a roster of EDM shows this fall, and they plan to organize more community-based events.

The first shows at the Foundry announced under its new leaders include Italian DJ Kybba on September 18, New York siblings Tinzo and Jojo for a two-night run October 24 to 25, and Florida producer Wonkywilla on October 30, as the Chronicle reports. The bookings reflect the new operators’ shifting of the 270-capacity venue toward dance music, while creating more opportunities for local artists.

Andrew Wasilewski, co-owner of the Faight Collective in the Lower Haight, and a group of music industry professionals signed the final paperwork July 31, with escrow still in the process of closing. The new operators are reportedly planning a mix of electronic music and community programming, including listening parties, lectures, and dating events, along with food such as falafel and kabobs.

“We really want to focus on creating more of a community-focused nightlife space,” Wasilewski told the Chronicle, saying he wants the venue to be “an intentional space for dancing and connecting with the people.”

The team expects electronic music to be a major focus, including house and techno as well as genres such as UK garage, hard groove, and Afro house. Wasilewski also wants to make room for more San Francisco DJs and producers, who he said can have difficulty getting booked at larger venues.

“I also really want to go in on our local scene,” Wasilewski said. “I feel like at larger venues it can be very challenging for local talent to get in there.”

According to the San Francisco Business Times, the Foundry opened in 2013 and was operated for years by Jordan Lewis before closing when the pandemic hit. Leadership changed hands in 2021, when local house music producer Alan Aronoff took over with plans to use the space to showcase underground and avant-garde artists as San Francisco’s nightlife scene emerged from lockdown.

The Foundry occupies a roughly 4,400-square-foot historic warehouse at Folsom and 10th streets, with concrete floors and walls, high ceilings, exposed trusses, steel-sash windows, and a main theater flanked by bars. The space also includes a 1,500-square-foot foyer and a more secluded bar overlooking the main rooms.

The new operators are reportedly planning additional changes to the space, with remodeling expected to begin early next year. Per the Chronicle, ideas include creating a circular stage and upgrading the lighting, although the details have not yet been finalized.

For now, the focus is on making the dancefloor the center of the venue and creating an environment where people can concentrate on the music rather than their phones. The Foundry says its dancefloor will be phone-free, with community guidelines emphasizing respect, consent, and looking out for others in the room.