San Francisco, October 24,2009: Vacant storefronts on a gritty stretch of Market Street and in the Tenderloin were transformed into temporary art galleries on Friday as part of a city-backed experiment to revive downtrodden neighborhoods into vibrant destinations.

The program, called Art in Storefronts, is focused on areas that already were teetering on the economic edge but slipped closer toward financial despair during the protracted recession.

The project, said Mayor Gavin Newsom, “harnesses the creativity of San Francisco’s artist community to help improve the quality of life and the business climate in our neighborhood commercial districts … bringing new energy to the area.”

After Friday’s launch of the storefront art installations on Market Street and on Taylor Street in the Tenderloin, plans are set to expand to Third Street in the Bayview next week and 24th Street in the Mission next month.

City officials envision that the art installations, to be viewed from the street, will become destinations and create a more savory scene. That, in turn, may make the neighborhoods more attractive for economic development.