Once the tallest and most grandiose building in San Francisco, 140 New Montgomery has recently been restored to its former glory with the help of preservation architects Page & Turnbull. Originally built in 1925, the 26-story, Timothy Pflueger-designed building helped catapult San Francisco into the modern era and served as the headquarters for the Pacific Bell Telephone & Telegraph Company. The newly restored 140 New Montgomery lives up to its nickname. Recently dubbed “The Art of Work,” the structure offers not only a comfortable workspace, but a beautiful one as well.
Page & Turnbull served as the preservation architect for the remodel of the Art Deco building, in collaboration with architect of record Perkins + Will. Much of the original style remains intact, including the T-shaped entrance and elevator lobby, which maintain the charm and allure of the Roaring Twenties. The lobby is finished with gold touches throughout, including the ceilings, floors, chandeliers, elevator doors, and windowpanes. Black marble walls are lit by rows of intrinsically crafted lights, serving as a contrast to the white and gold marble floor and red and gold ceiling. The polychromatic ceiling is finely detailed with eastern iconographic exotica of unicorns, phoenixes and clouds, creating a milieu of a reminiscent romantic period.
The structure of the building underwent a full seismic upgrade and the majority of the double hung steel windows were also replaced. Other improvements include electrical, mechanical, plumbing and replacement of the fire sprinkler systems. The predominantly terra cotta façade originally created by Gladding McBean was also restored. The renovated structure will house tech companies, including the popular Yelp, the brain-training software company Lumosity, and the tech software company Terrocotta.
With its rich history and beautiful architecture, this recently forgotten building has now become one of San Francisco’s most treasured gems.
