Phelan Building

Built by James Phelan in 1907 to replace the previous flatiron building that stood in this location for 25 years until the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, the Phelan building is one of San Francisco's leading architectural landmarks. The building is a classic example of the flatiron style, named for their resemblance to the triangular clothes iron of the time period. The shape provided an efficient design for triangular intersections. The first two floors were designed for retail spaces, topped by multiple stories of offices. The Phelan Building became a City of San Francisco Landmark in 1982.

The new Phelan Building, located at the corner of Market and O'Farrell Streets and Grant Avenue, was a class A steel cage, concrete construction of eleven stories, a penthouse, and a basement. It was built on the site of the former "old" Phelan Building which was a well-known San Francisco landmark for over 25 years. The building has a foundation encompassing 31,000 square feet, 1,000 feet more than its predecessor, with a 328-foot frontage along Market Street. 

The building bears the name of one of the most prominent San Franciscan families. The original building, constructed by banker and capitalist James Phelan, was only six stories high and had bay windows and a mansard roof. As with much of the city, the structure was destroyed in the April 1906 earthquake and fires, although it was replaced by 1908 with the building you see here today. Once constructed, it became one of the most important and prominent office structures in the city and fit in well with Phelan's advocacy for the City Beautiful Movement. The two monumental street-facing sides would become great sights for those travelling to the city's retail district, faced with green metallic finishes on the two lower floors and beautiful cream enameled terracotta above. Marble, bronze, and mirrors decorated the vestibule, leading to seven "high-speed" elevators. The building featured a vacuum air cleaning system and 69 offices per floor. 

The son of James Phelan, James Duval Phelan (1861-1930), is the man responsible for the second building. He was well-educated and spent much of his youth travelling. He eventually rose to prominence as a public servant and benefactor, ultimately serving as mayor of the city from 1897 to 1902 and bringing in positive municipal reforms. He rose again, serving as a US senator during the First World War. Phelan was a big advocate of the arts and often supported local artists and entertainers at his villas in Los Gatos and Pacific Heights.

The architect of the second Phelan Building was William Curlett, one of the most famous of San Francisco's Victoria-era architects. He was born in Ireland in 1846 and moved to San Francisco in 1871 at the age of 25. By the turn of the century Curlett had become a sought-after architect and was responsible for designing the Mutual Savings Bank in 1902, the Shreve in 1905 and the Head Building in 1909. During his later years he moved to Los Angeles and became the President of the State Board of Architects for California. Construction was overseen by Mahony Brothers, the same firm who built the original Phelan Building.

The building was sold in 2016 to the Hotung family from Hong Kong for $375 million. 

Agudo Sarah. Wichary, Marcin. Mr. Phelan's building, Medium: Urban Explorations. May 2nd, 2014. Accessed June 23rd, 2025. https://medium.com/urban-explorations/mr-phelans-building-839fe6441405.

Anonymous. Landmark Phelan building sold in San Francisco for $375 million. Reuters. August 26, 2016. Accessed March 22, 2017. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-property-thorequities-phelan-idUSKCN1111XW.

Phelan Building. ABOUT THE PHELAN BUILDING. phelanbuilding.net. Accessed March 22, 2017.