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Overview

After the Tanforan Racetrack burned in 1964, the site lay fallow for several years, Construction on a shopping mall began in 1970, with at least one store opening in 10/1970. The entire mall was operational by 1971.

Building History

The Tanforan site, built on land first settled by the Ohlone Indians, became an 1835 Mexican land-grant of 14,639 acres to José Antonio Sánchez, known as the Rancho Buri Buri. Portions of the rancho were sold to Euro-Americans beginning in 1853. A racetrack, just outside of San Francisco's city and county limits, evaded gambling laws there, and was opened for business in 1899. It operated until 1909, when a State of CA ban on racetrack gambling took effect. The land was utilized for a host of other purposes, including the racing of cars, motorcycles, horses, dogs, and aircraft. Wagering was prohibited on these races between 1909 and 1933. During World War I, the site became Camp Tanforan, the home of the US Army's 144th Field Artillery.

A new track was created in 1922, and by 1923, horse racing had returned, but wagering was still illegal. Additional horse racing seasons occurred in 1926 and 1928, and full pari-mutuel gambling resumed in 1933, following the formation of the California Horse Racing Board. Another new track was created during 1934, to make the facility more competitive with the nearby Bay Meadows Racetrack that opened that year.

During the period from 04/1942 to 10/1942, the Wartime Civil Control Administration took over the racetrack to serve as the Tanforan Assembly Center, a staging point for Japanese-American intenees. Following the war, racing occurred at Tanforan between 1947 and 1963. It then closed down and a suspicious fire--likely arson--destroyed the grandstand and ended horse-racing forever.

In 1970-1971, the Los Angeles-based architectural firm of Victor Gruen and Associates supervised the construction of the Tanforan Park Shopping Center.

Building Notes

On 06/17/2025, the following shops and businesses still operated at the Shops at Tanforan: Amiri Salon; BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse; Barnes and Noble; The Bounce Place; Brow Art 23; Cinemark Theatres; Charley's Philly Steaks; Chipotle Mexican Grill; City's Finest; Cold Stone Creamery; Da-Vi Nails; Dairy Queen/Orange Julius; Demasque; East and West Gallery; Fan Yang Dance Studio; Finish Line; Flowers and Events by Dani; Foot Locker; GameStop; Go Bonkers; Hair Dreams; Hallmark; Hyundai; Little Angel and Bridal; Mrs Fields Cookis; My Gold Buyer; Nicole's Bridal and Formalwear; Oxford Street; Panda Express; Perfumerie; Petco; Pita Gyros; Planet Fitness; Q Fashion; San Froyo; Sarku Japan; Shirtique Pro Shop; Shoe Palace; Sit and Relax; T Mobile; Tanforan Art Hub by the Peninsula Museum of Art; Tanforan Dental; Target; Time Works Watch and Jewelry Repair; and US Army Recruiting Station. A JC Penney Department Store closed here on 05/25/2025, one of seven closed on that date around the US.

PCAD id: 25771