The Most Empty Downtown in America

For the past decade, San Francisco has worked hard to turn its downtown into a vibrant hub, providing a model that other cities in the United States looked to emulate.

In the wake of the pandemic, however, many buildings and offices in the center of the city have remained empty.

What went wrong?

Guest: Conor Dougherty, an economics reporter for The New York Times; and Emma Goldberg, a reporter covering the future of work for The Times. 

Background reading: 

• What lessons does San Francisco have for the future of downtowns in America?

For more information on today’s episode, visit 

nytimes.com/thedaily

. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.