A moody downtown park is going to come alive with Christmas cheer and holiday festivity for the first time this December, with SF getting its own dedicated holiday market.
Transamerica Redwood Park, next to the Transamerica Pyramid, is for the first time going to play host to a holiday night market starting on December 10, featuring appearances by Santa, live music, vendor booths, a huge Christmas tree, "thousands of twinkling lights," and an "alpine-themed cocktail lounge" — the latter which may take over the former Ama space, which has been sitting dark since Ama closed in May.
The announcement came Monday from Yoda Group, the new owner of the Transamerica complex, and RASA World, the experiential event producer behind the recent Pier Play festival at Pier 70, and an upcoming light and music show at the Palace of Fine Arts.
“We’re activating the Transamerica Pyramid Center in a way that’s never been done before,” says Ahmad Muhaisen, CEO of RASA, in a statement. "We’re creating a new destination for San Francisco, pushing the boundaries and bringing the neighborhood to life."
The holiday market is inspired, the team says, by European Christmas markets, and will feature "glowing holiday chalets" around the redwood grove "stocked with gifts, warm drinks and seasonal bites from local businesses." There will also be 12 nights of programming that includes holiday-themed movie screenings, live music, and activities for families.
"The Transamerica Pyramid has always been more than just a building. ... Since acquiring this remarkable landmark, our ambition has been not only to preserve its legacy, but to bring new energy and life to the entire complex, making it a place where people come together, create memories, and feel part of the city," says Alon Bar, CEO of Yoda Group, in a statement. "The Christmas market at Redwood Park is a wonderful example of that vision. We hope to establish a new holiday tradition that brings families, friends, and the wider community together."
The team says that more details about vendors and special programming will be released in the coming weeks.
Yoda Group acquired the iconic tower and two adjacent, smaller buildings in March, following an extensive renovation that was led by New York-based developer Michael Shvo — under the primary ownership of German pension fund Bayerische Versorgungskammer (BVK). BVK and Shvo had some sort of falling out, which led to the property being sold for the second time in six years — and to the closure of the two restaurants, Ama and Cafe Sebastian, that Shvo had installed in the building at 545 Sansome now dubbed Three Transamerica Plaza.
Per the Chronicle this week, Yoda Group is working on replacement businesses for those two freshly renovated spaces, but they don't have any news to share yet on that front.
Ama had barely been open eight months when it shuttered in early May, and Cafe Sebastian had been open a little over a year.
Chef Brad Kilgore, who had been at the helm of both restaurants, has recently announced a new San Francisco project, opening not far from the Transamerica Pyramid on Sacramento Street, in the former Leo's Oyster Bar space. It will be a casual seafood spot called The Bonacker, with an opening planned early next year.
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