4–36 Columbus Avenue

1. 1907

   The Fugazi Bank Building, designed by architect Charles Paff; San Francisco Landmark #52.

   Architecture, Planning & Preservation Professionals: A Collection of Biographies, adopted 2021
2. 1911

   Built.

3. 1916

   Built to the design of Italo Zanolini, whose North Beach work the city's survey documents.

   North Beach Historic Context Statement, adopted 2022
4. January 6, 1928

   The Fugazi Bank was merged into A. P. Giannini's United Bank of California, part of the chain of mergers that produced the Bank of America in 1930; the building stayed a branch until 17 August 1931 and was then used for a time as the bank's training school.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
5. 1938

   After standing empty, bought as the headquarters of Transamerica Corporation, the Giannini holding company formed in 1928.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
6. December 14, 1972

   The City Planning Commission approved designating the Transamerica Building, the old Fugazi Bank Building, as a City Landmark, on the recommendation of the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board.

   San Francisco City Planning Commission minutes, San Francisco Public Library (Internet Archive)
7. 1973

   Designated San Francisco Landmark No. 52, Transamerica Building (Old Fugazi Bank).

   SF Planning, landmark designation
8. Jan 1985

   Permit 8500989 $$$ $36,000

   Parapet reinforcement & roof patching.

9. Oct 1988

   Permit 8815443 $$$ $35,000

   Revise handicap requirement, redecoration of lobby.

10. Jun 1990

    Permit 9012777 $$$ $150,000

    Re-instate expired permit app #8810846 (seismic bracing).

11. Dec 1990

    Permit 9025755 $$$ $35,000

    Install handicap toilets on 2nd and 3rd floor per plans.

12. Aug 1991

    Permit 9115665 $$$ $74,100

    Tenant improvement per plans attached.

13. Oct 1991

    Permit 9118374 $$$ $60,000

    Remove 2 last iron pipe column at the 1st floor.

14. Oct 1991

    Permit 9119154 $$$ $215,000

    Cti-1 ground fl.

15. Oct 1991

    Permit 9119155 $$$ $105,000

    Cti-1 ground fl.

16. Feb 1993

    Permit 9303012 $$$ $80,000

    Tenant improv.per plans/handicp bathrms completed under p/ap.

17. Sep 1999

    Permit 9919829 $$$ $200,000

    T/i install wall doors system fixture at 2/2.5 & 3rd & 4/f.

18. Dec 1999

    Permit 9926793 $$$ $30,000

    Mechanical & electrical upgrade archit t/i under ap #9919829.

19. Jun 2003

    Permit 200306237626 $$$ $40,000

    Tenant improvement: on first, second, thirdn and fourth floors. work includes interior soft demolition.new.

20. Jul 2003

    Permit 200307078895 $$$ $451,035

    Tenant improvement on bsmnt level.

21. Jul 2003

    Permit 200307189791 $$$ $48,000

    Structural repair of sidewalk at basement level see appln #200307078895 for accessibility complying.

22. Aug 2003

    Permit 200308152208 $$$ $26,000

    Retrofit fire alarm panel hard wire and addressable devises basement will be demolition new pipe/wire and.

23. Oct 2003

    Permit 200310278659 $$$ $48,000

    Structural repair of sidewalk on basement; orig appn. 200307189791, accessibility upgrades done.

24. Dec 2003

    Issued Permit 200312122223 $$$ $90,100

    Mechanical plan only for basement and roof.work related to 200307078895.req per main appl#200307078895.

25. Jun 2025

    Issued Permit 202506037828 $$$ $330,727

    Reroofing (no hot work). tear off resheet and reroofing within 18, 400 sq ft of new carlisle 80 mil white tpo single ply membrane flat roof.

DBI holds 55 permits for this parcel, most of them tenant improvements on individual floors. The timeline shows the 24 largest by stated cost, plus the earliest on file; the DBI query in the sources below returns all 55. 3 of them are nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits. 6 expired permits are not shown. The assessor's roll gives 1911; this address is recorded as built 1907. The Fugazi Bank building is dated 1909 in its landmark designation; other city sources on this page give 1907 and 1916, and the assessor's roll 1911.