St. Francis Hotel

Address: 335 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
Built By: 

Bliss & Faville

Year Built: 
1904

About the Building

The St. Francis Hotel, one of the city's architectural landmarks, was a sensation when it was built in 1904.

Originally, the building had only two wings (the two to the south, on your left as you face the hotel from Union Square). After the 1906 fire, the building was gutted and restored and the third wing - just the leftmost three bays - added. The final addition of four more bays (the right half of the right wing) came in 1913.

The building's composition is a three-part vertical block. The sandstone walls clad a steel frame.

In 1941, a cocktail lounge designed by Timothy Pflueger opened in the St. Francis; regrettably, his design was lost to a subsequent remodel.

Numerous dignitaries have visited the St. Francis, including Queen Elizabeth II, Emperor Hirohito, Mother Teresa and nearly every American president since Taft. According to The Musical History Tour, Al Jolson died here.

Location

More by Bliss and Faville

Masonic Temple 25 Van Ness Avenue
Welty House 18 Presidio Terrace
Matson Building 215 Market Street
Southern Pacific Building 1 Market Street
Bank of California 400 California Street

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Hitchcock House 1010 Powell Street

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More palazzo buildings

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Bliss & Faville

1911
Argonaut Club 421 Powell Street

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More 1900s buildings

Fox Building 225 Front Street 1907
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William Curlett

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Argonaut Club 421 Powell Street

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