"The Allegory of California" Mural

1. 1929

   Built by Lindgren & Swinerton.

2. 1929–1930

   Sculptor Ralph Stackpole carved the bas-relief over the Sansome Street entrance, and Robert Boardman Howard carved interior doors and relief panels, as the tower was built.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
3. May 1929

   Construction permits were issued for the eleven-story Stock Exchange office tower, part of a $2.75 million project that also converted the old Sub-Treasury next door into the exchange's trading hall.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
4. 1930

   Miller and Pflueger built the office tower here alongside their conversion of the old U.S. Treasury building into the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange — a traditional three-part vertical composition with a giant order at the capital, its limited ornament a blend of classical and Moderne focused in a sculptural group over the door.

   333 California Office/Residential Building DEIR, SF Dept. of City Planning, 1982
5. 1930–1987

   The members-only Stock Exchange Luncheon Club occupied the tower's 10th and 11th floors, with lounge, bar and dining rooms.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
6. 1930

   To make room for the fresco, beige travertine panels were stripped from the two-story stairwell wall, exposing about 472 square feet for the plaster.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
7. 1930–1931

   Diego Rivera painted the Allegory of California in true fresco on the stairwell wall and ceiling between the 10th and 11th floors, with assistants including William E. Musick and Viscount John Hastings; it was his first fresco in the United States.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
8. January 4, 1930

   The new San Francisco Stock Exchange, tower and trading hall together, was dedicated at a public opening ceremony.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
9. September 1930

   Diego Rivera was announced as the painter of the luncheon club's stairwell mural, his first commission in the United States; the choice of a communist to decorate the exchange was fought over in the press.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
10. March 1931

    The finished mural, whose central figure was modeled on tennis champion Helen Wills Moody, was unveiled to club members at a gala Rivera attended, then opened to the public, who filed up the stairs for hours.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
11. 1953

    The Stock Exchange sold the office tower to Industrial Indemnity Company for more than $1 million, keeping its trading hall next door.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
12. Oct 1981

    Permit 8108664 $$$ $31,000

    Additions alterations or repairs.

13. Feb 1983

    Permit 8301496 $$$ $50,000

    Additions alterations or repairs.

14. 1987

    The City Club of San Francisco, a members' business and social club founded that year, took over the former luncheon club floors and the Rivera stairwell.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
15. Dec 1987

    Permit 8717355 $$$ $50,000

    New ladies toilet facilities, replace bar, kitchen equipment.

16. Jul 1990

    Permit 9012918 $$$ $100,000

    For interior demolition only.

17. Nov 1990

    Permit 9024382 $$$ $200,000

    Cti-1.

18. Dec 1990

    Permit 9024778 $$$ $34,698

    Isntall halon fire suppression system.

19. Dec 1990

    Permit 9025857 $$$ $149,300

    Ductwork/cooling tower 4 10 tone ion a/l's.

20. Dec 2003

    Permit 200312182645 $$$ $75,000

    Demolition of basement and 1st floor level finishes, non structural slab.

21. Jan 2004

    Permit 200401224565 $$$ $700,000

    7512 sq ft t.i.- basemt & partial grnd floor constr. of int partitions, stairs, one restrm, incl. hvac, electrical.

22. Feb 2004

    Permit 200402095915 $$$ $45,000

    Interior demolition at g/f & basement to include str'l demolition & related reinf., misc.floor & wall openings.

23. Sep 2004

    Issued Permit 200409023218 $$$ $80,000

    Fully sprinkler basement g/f and ground floor mezzanine only.

24. Sep 2004

    Permit 200409133973 $$$ $150,000

    New indoor swimming pool in basement of fitness club. work includes structural. plumbing, electrical.

25. Jan 2008

    Permit 200801243195 $$$ $75,000

    Interior non structural remodel of existing library on 9th floor and upgrade restrooms on 10th floor.

26. Mar 2009

    Issued Permit 200903174290 $$$ $50,000

    Fire alarm: add initiating and notification devices to core and common areas of 155 sansome. this is phase 1 of the approved 3 year plan.

27. Jul 2011

    Permit 201107129996 $$$ $110,000

    Partial 9th floor interior non-structural remodel - new walls, doors, lighting & finishes, remodel restroom for disabled access.

28. Jul 2012

    Permit 201207265891 $$$ $140,000

    12th floor: t.i. new walls and doors. lighting under seperate permit.

29. Jul 2015

    Permit 201507302944 $$$ $32,000

    Soft demolition of walls doors and on functioning mep facilities. interior only. per ab-017, arch, mep, sprinkler and fire alarm revisions under separate appl. non structural work only, floor to remain vacant.

30. Nov 2015

    Permit 201511102229 $$$ $35,000

    Construct new fire rated wall on 2nd level north side wall.

31. Dec 2015

    Permit 201512285960 $$$ $143,000

    2nd floor: t.i. work on 2nd floor includes new partitions, doors, side lights, power outlets & light fixtures. mep under separate permit.

32. Mar 2016

    Permit 201603010917 $$$ $60,000

    2nd floor - m.e.p. only, arch t.i. under #201512285960.

33. March 8, 2022

    Designated San Francisco Landmark No. 298, "The Allegory of California" Mural.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
34. Michael Goodman took part in the design of the Stock Exchange Luncheon Club, now the City Club, and recommended Diego Rivera as the building's muralist.

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

DBI holds 46 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 46. 1 of them are nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits. 5 expired permits are not shown.