The Residency Leased Former Art University Buildings
Startup founders now occupy three sites formerly used by the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Internships
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Startup entrepreneurs are moving into converted former Academy of Art University properties as part of a housing and coworking program known as The Residency. The initiative currently utilizes four sites across San Francisco to host cohorts of approximately 20 individuals.
Why it matters
This shift repurposes 34 properties that the university committed to upgrade and permit as part of a $58 million settlement with the city in 2016. It highlights the evolving use of institutional real estate within city neighborhoods.
The Residency program operates four locations, with cohorts of 20 residents each participating in three-month sessions. Costs start at $2,000 per month or a 2% equity stake in the tenant's startup company.
The players
The Residency
A program that provides housing and coworking space for startup entrepreneurs and academics.
Academy of Art University
An educational institution that settled a major 2016 lawsuit with the city regarding its building permits.
The details
The Residency currently manages spaces at 1916 Octavia St., 2209 Van Ness Ave., and 1153 Bush St., offering coworking and residential amenities for startup founders. Residents focus on their work during the three-month stay and participate in a demo day in the ninth week. The properties were previously linked to a legal dispute where the city mandated that 34 university-owned buildings be brought up to code.
Timeline
2016: San Francisco sued the Academy of Art University for illegal building conversions.
2024-2026: The Academy of Art University leased properties to The Residency.
2025: The Commodore Hotel was sold and rebranded as the Superhero Hotel.
Across the Bay
The use of these properties follows the legal precedent set by the 2016 Academy of Art University settlement regarding illegal conversions. This arrangement demonstrates how institutional inventory is being transitioned for new commercial purposes.
Neighbors near 1916 Octavia St., 2209 Van Ness Ave., and 1153 Bush St. will see active startup cohorts rotating through these formerly institutional spaces three times per year. The program brings new foot traffic to these established residential areas.
The takeaway
Founders interested in the program can track the start dates of the three annual cohorts to see when new groups arrive in the neighborhood. Watch for how these converted buildings integrate into the local housing and commercial landscape over the next two years.
Further reading
For more on professional programming in the city, see our internships coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The San Francisco Standard.
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