SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--La Méditerranée and the Upper Fillmore Revitalization Project have agreed to a multi-year lease extension on the restaurant's Fillmore Street location, through the summer of 2028.

The agreement underscores the commitment of the Revitalization Project to its mission of restoring the neighborhood's vitality and locally-owned and operated character.

"We are thrilled to be extending our lease on Fillmore Street as part of the Upper Fillmore Revitalization Project," said Vanick Der Bedrossian, owner of La Méditerranée. "We look forward to working with Neil Mehta and Cody Allen towards their goal of bringing more vibrancy to the neighborhood through their support of small local businesses like ours. We are glad to continue serving our faithful customers and our community, as we have done for the last 45 years."

The Upper Fillmore Revitalization Project is a community reinvestment project run by hospitality entrepreneur and area resident Cody Allen, and funded through a generous contribution by Fillmore area native Neil Mehta.

The project launched earlier this year with the purchase of the historic Clay Theater and other properties on Upper Fillmore Street, including the building that has housed La Méditerranée at 2210 Fillmore St.

An important aspect of the Project's mission is to attract new tenants while offering supportive lease structures, terms and resources that will enable committed restaurateurs, artists, musicians and small business owners to once again thrive in the Fillmore.

"We are overwhelmed with interest from potential tenants who share our vision. We look forward to working with many of them who are also dedicated to building a more vibrant Fillmore Street together with us."

As part of the agreement, La Méditerranée also will once again open on Sundays, and will look to extend its hours of operations over time, as evening foot traffic is rebuilt up and down Fillmore.

"It was important to Neil and Cody for us to widen our scope of service, which will help bring more people to the street and benefit our business as well as our neighbors. To that end, we look forward to welcoming guests on Sundays beginning late January," Der Bedrossian said. "We support their vision for the Upper Fillmore that will return the neighborhood to the destination it once was and deserves to be again. We hope others will join us in supporting Neil and Cody as they share their vision more broadly with the neighborhood and public."

Major Commitment to Local Businesses

Many of the properties in the Upper Fillmore neighborhood were vacant or had been neglected by their previous owners, suffering from significant deferred maintenance issues. Mehta committed $100 million to the UFRP and its mission to rejuvenate the Upper Fillmore commercial district, subsequently contributing the entirety of his stake in the project to a nonprofit, meaning Mehta does not own nor have any financial interest nor will he benefit from the properties.

Despite the enormous investment the UFRP will make in the acquired properties, the Project has demonstrated its commitment to its mission by offering new or extended leases with no increase in monthly rent to some of the existing tenants, including Ten-Ichi Restaurant, at 2235 Fillmore St. Ten-Ichi declined the offer in favor of signing a termination agreement with the former landlord that included roughly $100,000 in debt forgiveness, free rent and cash payments.

In addition, many prime spaces on the street have been taken over in recent years by large chain retailers that didn't reflect the traditional diversity and local character that makes the neighborhood special. Recently the Starbucks at 2224 Fillmore St. declined its right to extend its lease, providing an opportunity to lease the property to a new exciting small business operator and entrepreneur.

"We live in and love this neighborhood, and we want to see it grow and prosper," Allen said. "We intend to be a long-term steward of these properties and a supportive partner to the neighborhood that we are proud to live in."

For more information about the Upper Fillmore Revitalization Project, visit . For more information about La Méditerranée, visit .

Sam Singer
Singer Associates Public Relations
singer@singersf.com
Cell: 415.336.4949