Transamerica Pyramid

1. 1969

   The Transamerica Pyramid, designed by William L. Pereira & Associates from 1969 and finished in 1971-72, with Redwood Park laid out by Tom Galli.

   Modern Architecture and Landscape Design Context Statement, adopted 2011
2. June 26, 1969

   On discretionary review, the City Planning Commission approved, 5 to 2 and against its staff's recommendation, the building permit for the Transamerica Corporation's 853-foot pyramid-shaped headquarters tower, with 510,000 square feet of floor area over three levels of underground parking.

   San Francisco City Planning Commission minutes, San Francisco Public Library (Internet Archive)
3. August 7, 1969

   The City Planning Commission approved a three-level underground parking garage of about 280 stalls (up to 340 cars with attendant parking) for the proposed Transamerica headquarters office building, in a C-3-O district.

   San Francisco City Planning Commission minutes, San Francisco Public Library (Internet Archive)
4. November 13, 1969

   On discretionary review the City Planning Commission voted 4-3 to approve revised plans for the Transamerica Building, with a central core, a street-level promenade, a bank on the first floor and a restaurant and shops on the second.

   San Francisco City Planning Commission minutes, San Francisco Public Library (Internet Archive)
5. December 4, 1969

   The City Planning Commission voted 5-1 to approve a modified parking garage of 251 spaces for the Transamerica headquarters building, on a site enlarged by part of Lot 8 and a further strip of Merchant Street.

   San Francisco City Planning Commission minutes, San Francisco Public Library (Internet Archive)
6. April 16, 1970

   The City Planning Commission authorized the Director of Planning to approve revised plans for the Transamerica Corporation office building, which reduced its floor area by about 60,000 square feet, enlarged the open plaza under it and specified bronze glass.

   San Francisco City Planning Commission minutes, San Francisco Public Library (Internet Archive)
7. 1971

   Built.

8. May 17, 1973

   The Department of City Planning staff approved a minor alteration to the Transamerica Building adding a restaurant of about 3,600 square feet on the ground floor east of the elevator core.

   San Francisco City Planning Commission minutes, San Francisco Public Library (Internet Archive)
9. Jul 1982

   Withdrawn Permit 8205766 $$$ $80,000

   Additions alterations or repairs.

10. Dec 1989

    Permit 8923438 $$$ $3,500,000

    T/i for floors 6 thru 9 single tenant.

11. Sep 1998

    Permit 9817444 $$$ $1,400,000

    Oti 1 6th floor me sp l/s.

12. Apr 1999

    Permit 9907136 $$$ $1,800,000

    Oti-1 el me ls sp 12/f.

13. Jan 2003

    Issued Permit M22696 $$$ $1,800,000

    Street space.

14. May 2013

    Permit 201305106662 $$$ $950,000

    7th floor-tenant improvement including upgrades to restrooms and a occupancy area. life safety & fire sprinkler under seperate permit.

15. May 2013

    Permit 201305106664 $$$ $950,000

    8th floor-tenant improvement including upgrades to restrooms. life safety & fire sprinkler under seperate permit.

16. Dec 2015

    Permit 201512013797 $$$ $1,224,000

    16th fl: commercial remodel includeing landlord & tenant work include upgrades to restrooms & demolition of non-structural partitions, millwork, ceilings, light fixtures and electrical fixtures through out fl. new non-structural act ceilings grid 2x2 light fixutures and downlights in restroom.

17. Jan 2019

    Permit 201901160508 $$$ $1,700,000

    10th fl: interior demolition of non-structural elements, plumbing and lighting. construction of new non-structural partitions, new electrical and new plumbing fixtures. life safety and sprinkler plans submitted separately.

18. Jul 2019

    Permit 201907105505 $$$ $4,800,000

    Alteration of the existing interior steel framing on floors 51-60 to add maintenance platforms at various levels. floors 45-50 voluntary structural strengthening, floors 51-60 voluntary structural strengthening. ab-017 applies to this project.

19. Oct 2021

    Issued Permit 202110049753 $$$ $6,500,000

    Remodel building lobby: entire ground fl storefront, structural and non structural demolition, new structural fl assemblies, new roofing, relocation of fcc room. non structural partition, millwork & finishes. mep deferred.

20. Apr 2023

    Permit 202304196031 $$$ $3,199,943

    Ground floor: deferred submittal for storefront, associated building structural ref permit application 202110049753, installation of entire ground floor storefront system.

21. Dec 2024

    Filed Permit 202412096417 $$$ $2,000,000

    Interior tenant. fit out of office space on level 38. non-structural partitions and ceilings. finishes and millwork.

22. Apr 2025

    Permit 202504114225 $$$ $5,500,000

    23rd & 24th fl: interior alteration of conference rooms, storage areas, enclosed offices, pantries and lan rooms with associated mep, (structural for communicating opening for convenience stairs under separate permit. permit application 2025-0424-5130).

23. Apr 2025

    Permit 202504114245 $$$ $2,350,000

    22nd floor: interior tenant fit out of office space.

24. Apr 2025

    Permit 202504144304 $$$ $9,800,000

    Interior alterations of new tenant fit out of levels 10, 12, and 13 levels. to include conference rooms, and storage areas.

25. Apr 2025

    Permit 202504144336 $$$ $6,500,000

    9th & 11th fl t.i. interior alteration of new tenant fit out included conference rooms, storag aeras, enclosed offices, lan rooms with associated mep & structural work.

26. Jun 2025

    Permit 202506058005 $$$ $1,944,000

    25/f: tenant improvement: new interior non-structural partitions. power outlets.

27. Aug 2025

    Permit 202508203517 $$$ $2,520,000

    Interior tenant fitout of office space on l20 of a 50 story building. non structural partitions and ceilings, finishes and millwork.

28. Aug 2025

    Permit 202508203523 $$$ $2,190,000

    21st fl- interior demolition subject to and interior tenant fit out of office space including non-structural partitions, ceilings, finishes and millwork.

29. Dec 2025

    Issued Permit 202512111506 $$$ $2,095,830

    Interior demolition and construction of interior partitions. mep deferred to separate permit.pantry and coffee point to be defered permit. 18th fl. no food scope in this permit. deferred submisison for health scope will be sent for review at a later date.

30. Dec 2025

    Issued Permit 202512151771 $$$ $3,500,000

    39/f: interior alteration of new tenant fitout to include board room, storage rooms, enclosed and open offices, break room and all gender restrooms, with associated mep work, and selected demolition work.

31. Aug 2026

    Filed Permit 202608247039 $$$ $2,800,000

    Interior tenant fit out of office space on level 19. non-structural partitions and ceilings, finishes and millwork.

32. September 14, 2026

    Framework Ventures and BDT Capital Partners Take New Space at San Francisco’s Transamerica Pyramid — The Registry

DBI holds 989 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 989. 27 of them are nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits. 2 expired or cancelled permits are not shown. The city's Modern & Postmodern styles context statement dates this building 1972; the assessor's roll records it as built 1971. The Modern design context statement gives the Transamerica Pyramid three dates — designed 1969, and completed in 1971 or 1972.