Bethlehem Steel Building

1. June 19, 1958

   Photographed.

   San Francisco Subjects Photograph Collection (SFP 162), San Francisco Public Library
2. 1959

   Built.

3. 1959

   Bethlehem Steel Building, designed by Welton Becket. Landscape by Royston, Hanamoto & Mayes.

   Architecture, Planning & Preservation Professionals: A Collection of Biographies, adopted 2021
4. 1959

   The Bethlehem Steel Building, 1959, by Welton Becket and Associates with Albert F. Roller, its landscape by Royston, Hanamoto & Mayes. It was inspired by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill's Lever House in New York.

   Modern Architecture and Landscape Design Context Statement, adopted 2011
5. November 9, 1961

   Photographed, showing the Bethlehem Steel building.

   San Francisco Subjects Photograph Collection (SFP 162), San Francisco Public Library
6. Jun 1982

   Filing Permit 8204516 $$$ $7,000

   Additions alterations or repairs.

7. Jan 1999

   Permit 9901031 $$$ $1,100,000

   Remodel building lobby and exterior plaza.

8. Mar 2013

   Permit 201303132133 $$$ $2,071,000

   5th floor full floor tenant improvement including minor demolition, new non-structural partitions, new finishes & millwork & associated mechanical & electrical. l.s. & sprinklers under separate permit.

9. Jul 2013

   Permit 201307232543 $$$ $921,000

   10th floor: demolition of non-structural partitions, ceilings, construct new non-structural partitions, new ceilings, and finishes. mep, life safety, sprinkler to be done under sep permit.

10. Jun 2015

    Permit 201506158990 $$$ $282,276

    T.i. on 4/f to construct new partitions, doors, millwork and finishes. mep., life safety and sprinklers will be submitted seperately. n/a ordinance #155-133.

11. Jun 2015

    Permit 201506158994 $$$ $518,854

    T.i. on 8/f to construct new partitions, doors, millwork and finishes. mep., life safety and sprinklers will be submitted separately. n/a ordinance #155-133.

12. Jul 2015

    Permit 201507292830 $$$ $1,200,000

    Electrical and lighting title 24 to upgrade equipment and fixtures on 4th and 8th floor. t.i. 's please refer to app#201506158990 for the 4th floor and 201505168994 for the 8th floor. n/a for the maher.

13. Feb 2016

    Issued Permit 201602129534 $$$ $6,280,000

    Renovate existing 14th floor, including expansion onto mechanical roof wall, from a mechanical/maintenance space into a cold shell for leasing; move all mechanical/electrical/plumbing systems from 14 to 15th/roof penthouse. plumbing & electrical are under separate permit. n/a for maher ordinance no 155-13.

14. Mar 2016

    Permit 201603172364 $$$ $1,309,000

    12th floor: project is to renovate the interior of full floor 12 of an existing 15 story building. no exterior wall is included in the scope. full project is approx. 19, 079 sq ft. provide new of conference rooms, accessory and pantries.

15. Apr 2016

    Permit 201604144802 $$$ $711,000

    Partial 11th floor tenant improvement: renovate the interior of an existing 15 story building. no exterior work full project is approx. 9256 sq ft includes demolition of existing tenant fit out and to provide new offices and etc. n/a for maher.

16. Oct 2016

    Issued Permit 201610180634 $$$ $1,000,000

    14th floor: new curtain wall at all four elevations. this refers to ref permit application 201602129534.

17. Dec 2016

    Permit 201612225779 $$$ $993,061

    Revision to 201602129534. new non combustible private roof deck with pedestal pavers, glass and metal reailings. structural improvement atthe undersid of roof slab, new steel interior stair, elevator from 14th fl. new elevator machine room 13th fl. electrical/plumbing stubouts. 4250 sq ft area.

18. Dec 2016

    Issued Permit 201612235803 $$$ $1,500,000

    Basement: change out 2 chillers and 3 boilers 1-hx ada new pumps maher na.

19. Jan 2017

    Permit 201701106800 $$$ $975,000

    Ste 700: interior tenant improvement on partial floor to include new non-structural partitions & finishes throughtou mep & fire life safety under separate permit.

20. Jan 2018

    Permit 201801319972 $$$ $1,132,616

    14th floor - ti new partitions, conference and office space. mep deferred maher na.

21. Jan 2018

    Permit 201801319978 $$$ $1,148,996

    13th fl: ti to include new partitions, conference rooms & office space. mep deferred. maher na.

22. Aug 2022

    Permit 202208231114 $$$ $748,000

    12th fl: partial demolition of existing tenant fit-out and to provide new offices and conference rooms. mep included.

23. Jun 2024

    Permit 202406033516 $$$ $900,000

    14th fl: ti includes the demolition of non structural partitions and building new non structural partitions. meps included. all new or revised life safety/fire alarms & sprinklers will be design build and submitted separately. (building is fully sprinklered).

24. Jun 2024

    Permit 202406033520 $$$ $900,000

    13th fl: ti includes the demolition of non structural partitions and building new non structural partitions. meps included. all new or revised life safety/fire alarms & sprinklers will be design build and submitted separately. (building is fully sprinklered).

25. Apr 2025

    Issued Permit 202503283322 $$$ $1,300,000

    Alterations to the two-story facade fronting the plaza & remedial waterproofing of the existing planter. installation of curtain wall, all work within the property line, no alteration or impact to the public right of way.

26. Jul 2025

    Permit 202507110614 $$$ $900,000

    10th fl: demolition of some existing ceiling height partitions. construction of new full ht partitions, doors, glazing & finishes. associated electrical power/lighting distribution. mep deferred. associated life safety system charges.

27. Sep 2025

    Permit 202509306349 $$$ $1,160,414

    Basement: remodel of existing amenity gym. new non-structural partitions, lighting, power, millwork and finishes.

28. Dec 2025

    Issued Permit 202512192258 $$$ $2,701,789

    10th fl: partial floor tenant improvement. demolition and construction of offices. conference rooms, restrooms, break room. structural and mep included.

29. Dec 2025

    Issued Permit 202512192291 $$$ $1,134,601

    1st floor: new fidelity investment center. new partitions and office, new ducts, power, & lighting.

DBI holds 716 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 716. 18 of them are nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits. 1 expired permit is not shown. The assessor dates the building to 1959, after this photograph was taken.

The structural columns stand outside the perimeter walls — a choice informed by the seismic research of the day, and one that put the client's product on show. The American Institute of Steel Construction gave the building an Architectural Award of Excellence in 1961.