Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences

(Redirected from Old Chronicle Building)

The Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences is a 312-foot (95 m) luxury residential skyscraper in the Financial District of San Francisco, California. The residences are built atop the historic Old Chronicle Building, sometimes called the de Young Building, which was constructed in 1890. It is the first skyscraper built in California.

Old Chronicle Building
Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences
In May 2021, with the McKesson Plaza (1 Post Street) behind in the background
Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences is located in San Francisco County
Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences
Location within San Francisco County
Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences is located in California
Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences
Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences (California)
Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences is located in the United States
Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences
Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences (the United States)
Former namesChronicle Building
Alternative names
  • Old Chronicle Building
  • de Young Building
Record height
Preceded byPalace Hotel
Surpassed byCall Building
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeResidential condominiums
Architectural styleRichardsonian Romanesque
Modernism
Location690 Market Street
San Francisco, California
Coordinates37°47′18″N 122°24′12″W / 37.788302°N 122.403209°W / 37.788302; -122.403209
Construction started1888
Completed1890
Renovated1906, 1962, 2005
Height
Roof312 ft (95 m)
Technical details
Floor count24
Design and construction
Architect(s)Burnham and Root
Designated2004[1]
Reference no.243
References
[2][3]

History

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In 1888, M. H. de Young, owner of the San Francisco Chronicle, commissioned Burnham and Root to design a signature building to house his newspaper. Finished in 1890, the Chronicle Building stood ten stories, with a clock tower reaching 218 feet (66 m) in height, becoming San Francisco's first skyscraper and the tallest building on the West Coast.[4][5]

In 1905, a celebration of the re-election of Mayor Eugene Schmitz stopped in front of the building and launched fireworks, which ignited the wooden clock tower atop the building.[5] The damaged clock tower was removed and de Young added two additional floors along Market Street and a 16-story annex along Kearny Street. The Chronicle Building survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake but was badly damaged by the ensuing fire, which gutted the interior.[4] The building was rebuilt by architect Willis Polk, who ran the San Francisco office of Burnham and Root.[6] In 1924, the Chronicle moved to its present location at Fifth and Mission streets, and the old Chronicle Building became a normal office building, thenceforth known as the de Young Building or Old Chronicle Building.[7]

In 1962, in an effort to modernize the building, its owners covered the original masonry facade with a new facade of aluminum, glass, and porcelain paneling. By 2004, new owners received approval to restore the original facade, convert the building to residential use, and add eight stories to the existing structure. The Old Chronicle Building was designated San Francisco Landmark No. 243 in 2004.[1] The building re-opened as the Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences in November 2007.[5][8]

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Final Action Minutes of the San Francisco Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board Meeting". 4 August 2004. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  2. ^ "Emporis building ID 224100". Emporis. Archived from the original on June 26, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ "Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences". SkyscraperPage.
  4. ^ a b Carol S. Prentice (1 January 2006). 1906 San Francisco Earthquake Centennial Field Guides: Field Trips Associated with the 100th Anniversary Conference, 18-23 April 2006, San Francisco, California. Geological Society of America. pp. 45–50. ISBN 978-0-8137-0007-6.
  5. ^ a b c King, John (27 December 2007). "S.F.'s restored de Young building stunning at street level". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  6. ^ "San Francisco Landmark #243: Old Chronicle Building". noehill.com. Retrieved 2017-07-14.
  7. ^ Winfield Scott Downs; American Historical Company (1934). Encyclopedia of American biography: New series. American Historical Society. p. 420. At a somewhat later date, Mr. de Young purchased the southeast corner property at Fifth and Mission streets and erected thereon the present Chronicle Building, a modern three-story structure, 275 by 225 feet, which was completed on October 22, 1924. This was thenceforth known as the Chronicle Building while the former home of the paper became the de Young Building.
  8. ^ Stamp, Jimmy (27 December 2007). "De Young Building: A Photo History". CurbedSF. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
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