Bank of California Building (San Francisco)

Commercial offices in San Francisco, California

Bank of California Building
1908 structure at right, with 1967 structure behind at left

Alternative names	400 California Street The Grand Old Lady of California Street
General information
Type	Commercial offices
Location	400 California Street San Francisco, California
Coordinates	37°47′36″N 122°24′06″W / 37.7932°N 122.4016°W / 37.7932; -122.4016
Completed	1908 / 1967
Height
Roof	312 ft (95 m)
Technical details
Floor count	22
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Walter Danforth Bliss and William Baker Faville / Anshen & Allen

San Francisco Designated Landmark
Designated	September 3, 1968
Reference no.	3


References

The Bank of California Building is a 1908 Greco-Roman style structure with a brutalist, 312 ft (95 m), 22-story tower annexed in 1967 at 400 California Street in the financial district of San Francisco, California.

Union Bank acquired the building in 1996 as part of its merger with Bank of California. It was one of the first commercial buildings to be completed following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, leading to a rebirth of the city's financial district. Construction was based on the Knickerbocker Trust Company building in New York City.

History

The Bank of California, a key financial institution in the West, was founded by William Chapman Ralston on July 5, 1864. As the bank rapidly expanded, it soon outgrew its original location. Renowned architects Walter Danforth Bliss and William Baker Faville were commissioned to design a grand new building on the same site.

In January 1906, the bank relocated temporarily to prepare for the construction of its impressive new headquarters. However, progress was abruptly halted by the earthquake and fire on April 18, 1906. Despite the setback, work resumed just six weeks later. The new Bank of California building, fondly known as "The Grand Old Lady of California Street," officially opened on September 8, 1908. It was the first commercial building in the Financial District to emerge from the devastation of the earthquake.

In 1996, the Bank of California merged with Union Bank, forming Union Bank of California, N.A. On September 8, 2008, the historic building was rededicated on its 100th anniversary by Union Bank of California President and CEO Masakki Tanaka, along with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

References

"City of San Francisco Designated Landmarks". City of San Francisco. Archived from the original on 2014-03-25. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
"Emporis building ID 118890". Emporis. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
"Bank of California Building". SkyscraperPage.
Bank of California Building at Structurae
"San Francisco Landmark 3: Bank of California". NoeHill. 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
[Bank of California located at 400 California street], 1967-01-05, retrieved 2024-04-11
"Bank of California Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
"STRUCTURE magazine | 400 & 430 California Street – Making a Historic Connection". www.structuremag.org. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
"San Francisco Landmark #3: Bank of California". noehill.com. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
"Bank of California Marker". Retrieved 2024-08-28.

v t e Financial District, San Francisco
Buildings and business	44 Montgomery 45 Fremont Street 50 Beale Street 50 California Street 88 Kearny Street 100 First Plaza 100 Montgomery Street 100 Pine Center 101 California Street 101 Montgomery 150 California Street 225 Bush Street 301 Howard Street 333 Bush Street 333 Market Street 345 California Center 388 Market Street 425 California Street 425 Market Street 456 Montgomery Plaza 505 Montgomery Street 555 California Street 580 California Street 595 Market Street 601 California Street 650 California Street Bank of California Building Bank of Italy Building Central Plaza Central Tower Commercial Union Assurance Building Embarcadero Center Embarcadero West First Market Tower Flatiron Building Four Embarcadero Center Hallidie Building Hobart Building Humboldt Bank Building Hunter-Dulin Building The Infinity JPMorgan Chase Building KPMG Building Market Center McKesson Plaza Mills Building and Tower Mutual Savings Bank Building One Bush Plaza One California One Embarcadero Center One Front Street One Maritime Plaza One Market Plaza One Montgomery Tower One Sansome Street Pacific Gas & Electric Building Phelan Building Russ Building San Francisco Ferry Building Shell Building Stevenson Place Three Embarcadero Center Transamerica Pyramid Two Embarcadero Center
Businesses	Hilton InterContinental Le Méridien Park Central Hotel Punch Line Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences Tadich Grill
Diplomatic missions	Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco
Education	Academy of Art University Golden Gate University
Geography	Belden Place Embarcadero Plaza Kearny Street Montgomery Street New Montgomery Street
Public art	Admission Day Monument Lotta's Fountain Mechanics Monument Vaillancourt Fountain
Transportation	Embarcadero station F Market & Wharves Montgomery Street station
Category Commons

v t e Tallest buildings in San Francisco
Skyscrapers over 500 feet (150 m)	Salesforce Tower Transamerica Pyramid 181 Fremont 555 California Street 345 California Center Millennium Tower One Rincon Hill The Avery Park Tower at Transbay Salesforce West 101 California Street 575 Market Street Four Embarcadero Center One Embarcadero Center 44 Montgomery One Market Plaza Spear Tower One Sansome Street The Harrison One Front Street First Market Tower McKesson Plaza 425 Market Street 706 Mission Street One Montgomery Tower
Highrises over 400 feet (120 m)	333 Bush Street Hilton San Francisco Union Square Tower I Pacific Gas & Electric Building 50 California Street 555 Mission Street St. Regis Museum Tower 100 Pine Center 45 Fremont Street 333 Market Street 650 California Street 100 First Plaza 340 Fremont Street 399 Fremont Street 500 Folsom One California San Francisco Marriott Marquis Russ Building 140 New Montgomery Jasper MIRA The Infinity II JPMorgan Chase Building The Paramount Providian Financial Building Three Embarcadero Center Two Embarcadero Center Salesforce East 595 Market Street 123 Mission Street 101 Montgomery Embarcadero West 100 Van Ness Avenue LUMINA Fifteen Fifty
Highrises over 300 feet (91 m)	One Maritime Plaza Four Seasons Hotel 415 Natoma Street Westin St. Francis 33 Tehama Street 456 Montgomery Plaza 535 Mission Street Shell Building Park Central Hotel San Francisco 222 Second Street 199 Fremont Street One Market Plaza Steuart Tower Hilton San Francisco Financial District 425 California Street 100 Montgomery Street Grand Hyatt San Francisco Fox Plaza 101 Second Street NEMA 580 California Street 601 California Street The Infinity I Hilton San Francisco Union Square Tower II 450 Sutter Street InterContinental San Francisco Stevenson Place BridgeView 150 California Street 225 Bush Street 505 Montgomery Street Blue Shield of California Building Fairmont San Francisco 180 Montgomery Street KPMG Building Central Plaza The Summit W San Francisco 353 Sacramento Street 555 Market Street Bank of California Building Phillip Burton Federal Building Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences San Francisco Marriott Union Square 88 Kearny Street 388 Market Street Commercial Union Assurance Building Hunter-Dulin Building One Bush Plaza McAllister Tower Apartments 301 Howard Street Mark Hopkins Hotel Mills Tower Central Tower Solaire
Under construction	Oceanwide Center I & II
Planned and proposed	Palace Hotel Residential Tower Treasure Island development 5M Project 524 Howard Street
See also: San Francisco Designated Landmarks, Buildings and structures in San Francisco

Categories:

History

See also

References