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Favorite Buildings In the Bay Area

16K views 11 replies 4 participants last post by  Cal_Escapee 
#1 ·
Anyone who's ever lived or visited the Bay Area know's we have a wealth of good architecture from all time periods and I've found many hidden gems over the years. I'm curious what the good people of the forums think, so what are your favorite buildings in are wonderful slice of land, still standing or sady demolished. Mine personally are. Sorry I don't know who took the photos.

The Hotel Hartland is one of the most beautiful residential hotels in SF and THC has restored the old neon sign, shame they own it I want to live there! (first Photo by Keven Y)





The Transamerica pyramid has become iconic, but personally i like 555 california street formally Bank of America Center the best. Completed 1962 (photo by Chris Yunker)



Not every building needs to be all that impressive to be attractive and especially in ugly districts like SOMA finding a little gem like 224 TOWNSEND really ups the mood. Built 1935 (photo unknown)



I can think of hundreds more and will continue the list as time goes on. So now let's here yours!

(my first thread)
 
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#2 ·
^^Let's say we have different architectural tastes. I don't personally care for either the BofA or TransAmerica buildings as architecture (I do appreciate them giving the skyline some height for decades while we awaited a supertall). As for the Heartland, I see nothing special about it (and I once worked across the street). SF does have a lot of 20s/30s era multifamily residential buildings that are pleasant to look at: They all make me think of Dashiell Hammett.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Yeah even I (with a true love of the building) thought after typing that I was overselling the Hotel Hartland. Personally I love the BofA building, i was really surprised it was constructed in the 60's, I always thought it was from the 80's with all the pick granite (which I seem to be one of very few people who like it) By the way do you know any other neighborhoods besides Nob Hill that have the old 10's 20's 30's apartment buildings, there my favorite.

Some I forgot

No i'm not screwing with you, I love 1455-Market a lot, don't know who built it or when, but i's awesome. (photo unknown)



Sadly yet again I don't know when or who built 50 oak St, but it's a truly beautiful building if on a rather unattractive block (photo unknown)





Built in 1908 and designed by William Curlett and built to replace the original Phelan Building, it has dominated the block for over a hundred years. (photo by Michael Maloney)

 
#5 ·
I don't know when or who built 50 oak St, but it's a truly beautiful building
Again, differing tastes. When it comes to concert halls, I MUCH prefer the nearby Herbst Theater (like the exterior of 50 Oak a lot though) and I can't wait to see it when they finish whatever they are doing to the building (the Veterans Memorial):


http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/herbst-theatre-san-francisco?select=5T1CAjtAhXK62o6DDAkr7w


http://sfwmpac.org/herbst-theatre

It's really a great place to hear chamber music or other performances that require a more intimate space than Davies Hall.
 
#6 ·
Wow the Herbst Theater is indeed grand, as a lover of old theaters I can't believe iv'e never seen picks of the inside. Never cared much for the exterior though, always just blended into the rest civic center. Speaking of which, I can't believe i forgot to put in the capitol building one have my architectural favorites anywhere. (photo by Cabe6403)



I've also always liked the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. (photo unknown)

 
#9 ·
^^Just go up the grand main staircase from the ground floor (if anybody's getting married on the stairs, push them out of the way ;)) and at the top you'll find yourself standing before the doors of the Supervisors (where they meet). This is on the Van Ness side of the building. Directly opposite, across the open rotunda, also on the second floor but facing Civic Center Plaza, is the Mayor's Office (the infamous "room 200").

Down the hallways to the right and left of the Supes' chamber door are their individual offices. So historically, this is where the infamous events of the murders of George Moscone and Harvey Milk took place:

Wishing to avoid a public scene, Moscone suggested (he and Dan White) retire to a private lounge attached to the mayor's office, so they would not be overheard by those waiting outside. As Moscone lit a cigarette and proceeded to pour two drinks, White pulled out the revolver. He then fired shots at the mayor's shoulder and chest, tearing his lung. Moscone fell to the floor and White approached Moscone, poised his gun six inches from the mayor's head, and fired two additional bullets into Moscone's ear lobes, killing him instantly.[6] While standing over the slain mayor, White reloaded his pistol. Witnesses later reported that they heard Moscone and White arguing, later followed by the gunshots that sounded like a car backfiring.

Dianne Feinstein, who was then President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, saw White quickly exit Mayor Moscone's office from a side door and called after him. White sharply responded with "I have something to do first."

White proceeded to his former office, and intercepted Harvey Milk on the way, asking him to step inside for a moment. Milk agreed to join him. Once the door to the office was closed, White positioned himself between the doorway and Milk, pulled out his revolver and opened fire on Milk. The first bullet hit Milk's right wrist, as he tried to protect himself. White continued firing rapidly, hitting Milk twice more in the chest, then fired a fourth bullet at Milk's head, killing him, followed by a fifth shot into his skull at close range.

White fled the scene as Feinstein entered the office where Milk lay dead. She grabbed his wrist for a pulse, her finger entering Milk's bullet wound. Horrified, Feinstein was shaking so badly she required support from the police chief after identifying both bodies. Feinstein then announced the murders to a stunned public, stating: "As President of the Board of Supervisors, it's my duty to make this announcement. Both Mayor Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk have been shot and killed. The suspect is Supervisor Dan White."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscone–Milk_assassinations

The Supervisors hold their general weekly meeting, which is open to the public, on Monday afternoons and I sometimes used to go--they can be entertaining as well as infuriating because it's common for the supervisors to get up, walk around, talk to each other, and sometimes leave the room when the public is getting its chance to speak to them. They do anything but pay attention.

Anyway, when I am in that part of the building, I just can't help but think about the Moscone/Milk events.
 
#10 ·


I never got why people hate the intercontinental hotel so much, i'm usually not a big fan of contemporary architecture but i really like this one.









I pick the Metreon less for it's facade (in my view relevantly standard) and more so for it's old interior. It truly felt massive for the buildings small size and the weird futuristic design was never totally my thing (a little to dark) it was at least interesting the same that can not be said for the decant yet incredibly boring renovation.



(photo by Darek R)
 
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