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The Transamerica Pyramid is slated to get new owners, but it remains unclear what that will mean for this icon of San Francisco's skyline.

The big picture: The Transamerica Pyramid's pending sale, the second in its 54-year history, comes as San Francisco's commercial real estate market continues to see gains largely driven by the AI boom.

Driving the news: Green Street News reported this week that Yoda PLC, a Cyprus-based investment firm, has agreed to pay $700 million to acquire the Transamerica Pyramid and its two adjacent buildings from Michael Shvo and Deutsche Finance America.

The deal would be one of the largest office space transactions the city has seen since the start of the pandemic, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Representatives for Shvo, Deutsche Finance America and Yoda did not immediately return Axios requests for comment.

Between the lines: The 48-story tower and its surrounding property sold for $650 million in 2020.

An additional $250 million in renovations followed, adding a larger redwood park, revamped grand lobby, top-floor bar, sky lounge, gym, spa and more.

Catch up quick: Shvo and Deutsche Finance America had planned a $400 million makeover when they bought the skyscraper but completed only the initial $250 million phase by the time they put it up for sale.

Despite hurdles with a struggling downtown, the building has secured several high-profile leases, including one with investment management company Tiger Global.

The pyramid was 85% leased as of December, per data provided by Shvo's team, but put on sale after relations between Shvo and his co-investors soured. Shvo also faced lawsuits accusing him of fraud related to the building.

It's unclear what will happen to its current hospitality and cultural arts programming, which includes a time capsule exhibition, a 3D-printed living soil installation, a shaved ice shop and a Japanese-inspired dining and apothecary cocktail lounge.

What we're watching: Commercial real estate investors ranked San Francisco as the third most attractive U.S. market in 2026, CBRE found in a January survey, suggesting an upswing in a sector that has struggled since the pandemic.

Ever wonder what it's like to be at the top of the pyramid? Check out our story on climbing to the top of the Transamerica Pyramid.

What's next for the Transamerica Pyramid

The landmark tower is poised for new ownership.

City street with the tall, pointed Transamerica Pyramid building in the center, a historic green copper building with red umbrellas on the right, and a yellow brick building on the left under a cloudy sky.

The pyramidal pillar of SF's skyline. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images

The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Transamerica Pyramid" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/05/15/time-capsule-transamerica-pyramid-exhibition" data-vars-content-id="42f2c915-ca34-41cd-b06c-8f00a9a590f9" data-vars-headline="What&#x27;s next for the Transamerica Pyramid" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/05/15/time-capsule-transamerica-pyramid-exhibition" target="_self">Transamerica Pyramid</a> is slated to get new owners, but it remains unclear what that will mean for this icon of San Francisco&#x27;s skyline.The big picture: The Transamerica Pyramid&#x27;s pending sale, the second in its 54-year history, comes as San Francisco&#x27;s commercial real estate market continues to see gains largely <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="driven by the AI boom." data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/02/18/mary-daly-ai-hiring-transition-phase" data-vars-content-id="42f2c915-ca34-41cd-b06c-8f00a9a590f9" data-vars-headline="What&#x27;s next for the Transamerica Pyramid" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/02/18/mary-daly-ai-hiring-transition-phase" target="_self">driven by the AI boom.</a>

News

Real Estate

A Mission Bay park is transforming into the ultimate fiesta this Sunday.

State of play: Inspired by Carnaval traditions across Latin America, "Latinas Forever!: Nuestro Carnaval" is a celebration of Latina talent, music and small businesses, set to take place noon-4pm at SPARK Social SF.

It's the second iteration of "Latinas Forever!" and timed to coincide with Carnaval festivities in Brazil, SPARK Social SF special event producer Jimmy Carrillo told Axios. 

What to expect: Get ready to dance — the 21-and-over event will feature drag performances from Latina icons like Juannina Million, a spicy samba stage and a DJ Nikki Diamonds set highlighting Latina pop and Carnaval-inspired artists such as Karol G, Kali Uchis and Danna Paola.

Guests will be able to enjoy specialty cocktails, including tropical sangrias and mimosas, as well as bites from over 15 on-site food trucks.

The intrigue: The main stage experience is ticketed, but the Latina-owned vendor market hosted at the event will be open to the public.

Confirmed vendors include handmade jewelry maker Chula SF, wellness brand Casita Michi and book-inspired accessories shop Glow Mami Designs.

Zoom in: The idea first came to Carrillo when he was hanging out with two queer Latina friends and reminiscing about the bars they used to go to in Mexico City, which were more women-focused compared to nightlife in San Francisco's Castro, Carrillo said. 

He decided to create an event that could emulate the spaces they found in Mexico City and worked with other SPARK Social SF staffers, many of whom are immigrants or children of immigrants, to incorporate different cultural elements.

The goal is to make it an annual celebration. Other events in the series include Selena de Mayo, slated for May 3.

Stop by: Noon-4pm Sunday at 601 Mission Bay Blvd. North. Tickets are $15-30.

"Latinas Forever!" brings Carnaval energy to Mission Bay

"Latinas Forever!: Nuestro Carnaval" is a celebration of Latina talent, music and small businesses.

Outdoor event with many people seated at picnic tables under red shade sails and string lights. A performer in a white dress with blue trim interacts with a woman in a green top and brown boots. Puerto Rican flags hang overhead.

Drag performer Juannina Million at a previous "Latinas Forever!" event. Photo: Courtesy of SPARK Social SF

A Mission Bay park is transforming into the ultimate fiesta this Sunday.State of play: Inspired by <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Carnaval traditions" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2024/05/23/sf-carnaval-celebration-mission" data-vars-content-id="6a7338fa-0abb-4808-a052-0151b6499b49" data-vars-headline="&quot;Latinas Forever!&quot; brings Carnaval energy to Mission Bay" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2024/05/23/sf-carnaval-celebration-mission" target="_self">Carnaval traditions</a> across Latin America, &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Latinas Forever!: Nuestro Carnaval" data-vars-click-url="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/latinas-forever-nuestro-carnaval-tickets-1982317911235?aff=oddtdtcreator" data-vars-content-id="6a7338fa-0abb-4808-a052-0151b6499b49" data-vars-headline="&quot;Latinas Forever!&quot; brings Carnaval energy to Mission Bay" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/latinas-forever-nuestro-carnaval-tickets-1982317911235?aff=oddtdtcreator" target="_blank">Latinas Forever!: Nuestro Carnaval</a>&quot; is a celebration of Latina talent, music and small businesses, set to take place noon-4pm at SPARK Social SF.

Things to Do

Food and Drink

Dorothy "Polka Dot" Quock stepped onto her own private cable car in full Lunar New Year regalia Monday afternoon, pink-and-white polka dot socks peeking out from beneath her pants as a wink to the nickname she's borne for decades.

Why it matters: Quock, a seemingly ageless icon who nonetheless turned 92 in January and has spent her years keeping Chinatown's history alive, was honored by the city in an event near Fisherman's Wharf.

"Old age is not for sissies," she told me, her eyes sparkling. "So I'm a sassy lady elder."

Flashback: Quock was born in Chinatown in 1934, the fifth of eight children. Her family primarily lived in single-residency occupancy units in Chinatown, often sharing a bath and kitchen with other families on the floor. 

Her dad worked as a rice deliveryman while her mom found employment at Levi's sewing factory, where Quock first learned how to trim hems.

Zoom in: After her father's death when she was 12, she found refuge in Cameron House, a Chinese community nonprofit that started out as an early 20th-century safe house for trafficked Chinese girls and women. 

"I consider it my second home," she said over crab cakes at Buena Vista Cafe. 

It was there she became known as "Polka Dot." A program director coined the nickname to avoid confusion with another Dorothy. (He called the latter "Giant Dot.")

State of play: After getting married at 19, Quock took on several secretarial roles while raising three kids in Livermore — "three too many," she quipped. 

Once they were grown and out of the home, she found herself moving back to her childhood neighborhood in her 60s. 

She quickly became a local celebrity, both as a Chinatown walking tour guide and a fashion icon. (Quock told me she "finally" embraced her nickname about 15 years ago; polka dots became her signature look after she began designing her own clothes.)

An elderly Asian woman wearing a festive black and red outfit and a decorative dragon hat with white feathers sits at a wooden table in a cafe, smiling, near a tall beer glass with a candle.

Quock enjoying a birthday cocktail at Buena Vista Cafe. Photo: Shawna Chen/Axios

What she's saying: People often think of Chinatown as a tourist destination only, ignoring the vibrant community of people that made it what it is today, she said when asked what people misunderstand about the historic neighborhood.

From Gold Rush-era segregation to the heated mahjong games in Portsmouth Square today, Chinatown is a real story of resilience, she added — one more people should know.

What's next: Though Quock no longer leads tours due to mobility issues, you can learn more about Chinatown through tours with Wok Wiz.

Chinatown icon Dorothy "Polka Dot" Quock marks 92 in style

An elderly woman in a black outfit with a decorative hat sits on a wooden trolley, holding a pink bouquet and flashing a peace sign. A colorful HAPPY BIRTHDAY banner hangs above against blue sky.

Dorothy &quot;Polka Dot&quot; Quock stepped onto her own private cable car in full <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Lunar New Year" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/02/16/lunar-new-year-events-guide" data-vars-content-id="b580c3b2-66b1-4967-92dc-808e8251e414" data-vars-headline="Chinatown icon Dorothy &quot;Polka Dot&quot; Quock marks 92 in style" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/02/16/lunar-new-year-events-guide" target="_self">Lunar New Year</a> regalia Monday afternoon, pink-and-white polka dot socks peeking out from beneath her pants as a wink to the nickname she&#x27;s borne for decades.Why it matters: Quock, a seemingly ageless icon who nonetheless turned 92 in January and has spent her years keeping Chinatown&#x27;s history alive, was honored by the city in an event near Fisherman&#x27;s Wharf.

Culture

More curbside electric vehicle (EV) chargers could be coming your way soon. 

The big picture: San Francisco officials announced Tuesday plans to expand its network of curbside EV charging stations through new public-private partnerships.

Why it matters: Despite a surge in demand for EV charging in recent years, roughly 70% of residents live in multi-unit dwellings, making home charging inaccessible, according to city leaders.

Catch up quick: The city is working to install curbside chargers in the Dogpatch and on Treasure Island as part of the EV charging pilot program started under former Mayor London Breed.

"We do anticipate that this will be a city-wide program focusing on where we have apartment buildings and other residential density," Julie Kirschbaum, SFMTA's director of transportation, told Axios.

Driving the news: Mayor Daniel Lurie and Board of Supervisors president Rafael Mandelman are spearheading legislation that would create long-term permitting pathways for more curbside EV charging.

These pathways would streamline the process for private vendors to apply for and install EV charging infrastructure in coordination with city agencies like the Department of Public Works, Lurie said Tuesday.

The big picture: Those moves build off the pilot started by Breed, which led to the debut of San Francisco's first two curbside charging stations last April at 55 Fillmore St. (They're owned and operated by the private company It's Electric.)

Usage of these chargers has risen to 70% since then, San Francisco Environment Department spokesperson Joseph Piasecki told Axios.

SF moves to expand curbside EV charging network

City officials are looking to public-private partnerships to expand its network.

City street with a tall black EV charging pedestal on the sidewalk; a silver SUV on the right is plugged in, with coiled cables, while colorful row houses line the background.

Get your juice. Photo: Shawna Chen/Axios 

More <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="curbside electric vehicle (EV) chargers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2024/06/14/electric-vehicles-curbside-chargers-pilot" data-vars-content-id="b8784536-aa3f-48de-8efa-8fdd153945d4" data-vars-headline="SF moves to expand curbside EV charging network" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2024/06/14/electric-vehicles-curbside-chargers-pilot" target="_self">curbside electric vehicle (EV) chargers</a> could be coming your way soon. The big picture: San Francisco officials announced Tuesday plans to expand its network of curbside EV charging stations through new public-private partnerships.

Transit

Welcome to Sportsball Monday, where we bring you up to speed on your favorite local teams once a month.

The big picture: The Warriors fight to hold their play-in position as Stephen Curry's knee injury lingers, the Giants juggle bullpen uncertainty ahead of Opening Day and the 49ers weigh trade moves.

The upcoming NBA playoffs are set to pose a major challenge to the Golden State Warriors as Steph Curry remains sidelined.

Why it matters: Curry has already sat out 13 consecutive games this season and is expected to sit out two more, even as the Warriors are positioned to secure a spot in the play-in tournament, which will determine which of the teams that finish Nos. 7-10 go to the playoffs.

State of play: While it's far from his longest stint on the sidelines, Curry recently told ESPN his knee injury has been "unpredictable."

The outlook was optimistic after last month's All-Star break, but after a setback occurred during a workout, the Warriors ruled him out for five more games on March 1.

The team will reevaluate Curry this week.

Between the lines: Without Curry, Golden State's playoff prospects aren't high. Fans online have debated whether he should just spend the rest of the season recovering rather than risk worsening the injury.

The Warriors are currently eighth in the Western Conference. The play-in tournament kicks off April 14.

What's next: They play against the Utah Jazz tonight in Salt Lake City at 6pm. 

Pitchers Hayden Birdsong and Carson Whisenhunt headed into spring training looking like prospects for the bullpen, but after middling performances, their spots appear less and less secure.

A string of injuries hasn't helped. Top left-handed pitcher Erik Miller has been sidelined by lower back tightness, newly signed reliever Sam Hentges is in rehab for shoulder surgery and hard-throwing right-hander Joel Peguero has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 strain that takes him out of the running for Opening Day.

What we're watching: Pitcher Blade Tidwell, whom the Mets traded to the Giants last summer, shows strikeout potential.

So far, they're 13-2 in spring training — top of the standings. They'll hope to keep that momentum going when they face off against the New York Yankees in their season opener on March 25 at Oracle Park.

Rumors around possible trades have begun as the NFL approaches its free agency window.

Several teams are reportedly gearing up to make "big offers" for backup quarterback Mac Jones, who filled in for starter Brock Purdy after a toe injury last season.

Yes, but: It's unlikely the 49ers will part with Jones after he achieved a best-in-career completion percentage and touchdown percentage last season.

The team is, however, expected to attempt to trade wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (or release him entirely) after he missed the entire 2025 season due to an ACL and MCL injury and reportedly skipped mandatory rehab appointments.

Sportsball Monday: Playoff push, bullpen woes, trade buzz

Steph Curry's injury, bullpen setbacks and trade rumors lead today's sports news.

Man with a beard wearing a brown corduroy jacket and white and black baseball cap with a wolf logo, looking to the side in an indoor setting with blurred people in the background.

We need you. Photo: Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images

Welcome to Sportsball Monday, where we bring you up to speed on your favorite local teams once a month.The big picture: The Warriors fight to hold their play-in position as Stephen Curry&#x27;s knee injury lingers, the Giants juggle bullpen uncertainty ahead of Opening Day and the 49ers weigh trade moves.

Shawna Chen

Featured stories

SF moves to expand curbside EV charging network

Chinatown icon Dorothy "Polka Dot" Quock marks 92 in style

Sportsball Monday: Playoff push, bullpen woes, trade buzz

"Latinas Forever!" brings Carnaval energy to Mission Bay

What's next for the Transamerica Pyramid