Central Tower is a 91 m (299 ft) 21-story office building at Market and Third Streets in San Francisco, California. The building has undergone numerous renovations since its completion in 1898 as the Call Building. It was later known as the Spreckels Building.
The San Francisco Call is to have the finest building ever erected for a newspaper office. It is to be built on the corner of Market and Third streets, of granite and white marble, and will be fifteen stories — 310 feet high, the highest building this side of Chicago. Unlike the Chronicle building it will be a beautiful building and a credit to its owner, Claus Spreckels, and worthy of the great paper to be printed within its walls. A light granite will be used for the first three stories, but above the third story white marble will be used. The main entrance or rotunda will be finished in some polished California marble, the very choicest obtainable, and the floor will be mosaic.[4]
The building eventually stood 315 feet (96 m) tall with an ornate baroquedome—which housed the offices of Reid & Reid, the building's architects[5]—and four corner cupolas when construction finished in 1898. It was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River for many years. The structure was badly burned and damaged by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, although the building did not collapse.
After the fire, The Call reopened its offices at a new location, The Montgomery, and the former Call Building became known as the Spreckels Building. In 1938 Albert Roller completely refurbished Central Tower. The building's height was reduced to 298 feet (91 m) and the number of stories was increased from 15 to 21; the ornate dome and the cupolas atop the building were removed.[6]
The Call from Kearny Street, 1905, with Lotta's Fountain at lower left
^Korom, Joseph J. (2008). The American Skyscraper, 1850-1940. Boston: Branden Books. pp. 211–213. ISBN978-0-8283-2188-4. Call Building.
^"The San Francisco "Call's" Enterprise Commended by the Press". San Francisco Call. Vol. 78, no. 110. September 18, 1895. p. 5. Retrieved 2021-01-29 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
^John Leroux, "Chasing the noblest of arts and the American dream" December 3, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Architects Association of New Brunswick.
^Klages, Ellen. "THE CALL BUILDING: SAN FRANCISCO'S FORGOTTEN SKYSCRAPER - FoundSF". www.foundsf.org. from the original on 2010-01-21. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
External linksedit
Media related to Central Tower (San Francisco) at Wikimedia Commons
Lundy, Fred R. (8 August 1938). "Pictures to the Editors: "Call" Building to Central Tower". Life. Vol. 5, no. 6. Chicago. p. 68. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
April 12, 2024
central, tower, francisco, central, tower, story, office, building, market, third, streets, francisco, california, building, undergone, numerous, renovations, since, completion, 1898, call, building, later, known, spreckels, building, central, towerin, 2021for. Central Tower is a 91 m 299 ft 21 story office building at Market and Third Streets in San Francisco California The building has undergone numerous renovations since its completion in 1898 as the Call Building It was later known as the Spreckels Building Central TowerIn 2021Former namesCall BuildingSpreckels BuildingRecord heightPreceded byChronicle BuildingSurpassed byStandard Oil BuildingGeneral informationTypeCommercial officesLocation703 Market StreetSan Francisco CaliforniaCoordinates37 47 14 N 122 24 14 W 37 787181 N 122 403861 W 37 787181 122 403861Completed18981938 art deco art moderne renovations OwnerRKI 703 Investors LLCHeightRoof91 m 299 ft Technical detailsFloor count21Design and constructionArchitect s Reid amp Reid Albert Roller renovations References 1 2 Call Building circa 1897 1905 Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksHistory editIn 1890 M H de Young owner of the San Francisco Chronicle built San Francisco s first skyscraper the 218 foot 66 m Chronicle Building to house his newspaper In response John D Spreckels and his father Claus Spreckels purchased the San Francisco Call in 1895 and commissioned a tower of their own that would dwarf the Chronicle Building 3 In September 1895 The Call wrote The San Francisco Call is to have the finest building ever erected for a newspaper office It is to be built on the corner of Market and Third streets of granite and white marble and will be fifteen stories 310 feet high the highest building this side of Chicago Unlike the Chronicle building it will be a beautiful building and a credit to its owner Claus Spreckels and worthy of the great paper to be printed within its walls A light granite will be used for the first three stories but above the third story white marble will be used The main entrance or rotunda will be finished in some polished California marble the very choicest obtainable and the floor will be mosaic 4 The building eventually stood 315 feet 96 m tall with an ornate baroque dome which housed the offices of Reid amp Reid the building s architects 5 and four corner cupolas when construction finished in 1898 It was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River for many years The structure was badly burned and damaged by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake although the building did not collapse After the fire The Call reopened its offices at a new location The Montgomery and the former Call Building became known as the Spreckels Building In 1938 Albert Roller completely refurbished Central Tower The building s height was reduced to 298 feet 91 m and the number of stories was increased from 15 to 21 the ornate dome and the cupolas atop the building were removed 6 nbsp The Call from Kearny Street 1905 with Lotta s Fountain at lower left nbsp On fire after the 1906 earthquake nbsp Aftermath of the fireSee also edit nbsp San Francisco Bay Area portalList of early skyscrapers List of San Francisco Designated Landmarks List of tallest buildings in San FranciscoReferences edit Emporis building ID 118823 Emporis Archived from the original on April 22 2016 Central Tower SkyscraperPage Korom Joseph J 2008 The American Skyscraper 1850 1940 Boston Branden Books pp 211 213 ISBN 978 0 8283 2188 4 Call Building The San Francisco Call s Enterprise Commended by the Press San Francisco Call Vol 78 no 110 September 18 1895 p 5 Retrieved 2021 01 29 via California Digital Newspaper Collection John Leroux Chasing the noblest of arts and the American dream Archived December 3 2013 at the Wayback Machine Architects Association of New Brunswick Klages Ellen THE CALL BUILDING SAN FRANCISCO S FORGOTTEN SKYSCRAPER FoundSF www foundsf org Archived from the original on 2010 01 21 Retrieved 2021 08 21 External links edit nbsp Media related to Central Tower San Francisco at Wikimedia Commons Lundy Fred R 8 August 1938 Pictures to the Editors Call Building to Central Tower Life Vol 5 no 6 Chicago p 68 Retrieved 27 February 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Central Tower San Francisco amp oldid 1178094681, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
