San Francisco Labor Temple
2940–2944 16th Street · Mission
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1914
Built by the San Francisco Labor Council, then of over 130 member unions, as its headquarters, to designs by O'Brien & Werner: a steel-framed building of red brick in English bond on 16th and Capp Streets, with an auditorium and assembly hall, jinks halls, seven lodge halls and 24 offices. The Labor Clarion announced its opening to the public on February 26, 1915.
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May 1916
The Union Directory listed 54 unions meeting in the Labor Temple, from bakers, cigar makers and coopers to sailmakers, janitors and milk-wagon drivers.
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July 14, 1934
In the Labor Temple's auditorium the Labor Council voted, amid scenes the Chronicle called the wildest in years, to send its 175 unions out in the General Strike in support of the longshoremen and seamen; the strike committee included Harry Bridges and Jack Shelley. The strike began on July 16 and lasted four days. The Council had met here on July 6, the day after "Bloody Thursday", and formed its strike strategy committee.
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1939
An east wing was added, continuing the brick front and bringing the building to room for forty union offices.
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1968
As the larger unions built halls of their own and offices emptied through the 1950s, the Labor Council — with only ten unions left in the building despite a 1959 renovation — sold it to repay its loans; the new owners renamed it the Redstone.
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1981
The Redstone Labor Temple housed Theatre Rhinoceros from 1981 until 2009, when rent rises turned the company itinerant; its 1984 production The AIDS Show was staged here. A designated San Francisco landmark (No. 238).
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1990
The archives of the Gay and Lesbian Historical Society moved into the basement of the Redstone Labor Temple in 1990, gaining space for public meetings and for collecting periodicals, personal papers and organisational records.
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Mar 1990
Demolish brick storage room at rear of (ea) bdlg.
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1997
The Clarion Alley Mural Project, named for the Labor Clarion, painted murals of the building's labor history in the lobby and on the first floor after six months of research, led by Aaron Noble.
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Apr 2000
Parapet bracing.
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Nov 2000
Reroofing.
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Feb 2002
Revise 2000/06/13/2509.
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Feb 2002
Revision to 200202018276 change 11x1x1'6 deep footing to 1'4x9 long x 1' deep mat footing.
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2004
Designated San Francisco Landmark No. 238, San Francisco Labor Temple.
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Dec 2004
Installation of an unmanned wireless telecom facility- including the installation of equipment cabinets, on the rooftop and six facade mounted panel antennas. no batteries.
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Jan 2009
To complete work & obtain final inspection for work approved under permit application 200412211874.
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Apr 2014
A new at & t unmanned telecomunication facility consisting of a new 113 sq ft equipment lease area, and 498 sq ft antenna lease area with a new lineage dc power plant, one new dc battery rack, 3 new 23" racks with pbs equipments. also installing 12 new antennas, 3 new frp screen boxes, 28 new rrus units.
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Nov 2017
Att mobility cell site roof top antenna, 1 gps antenna, rrh units, frp screen walls. basement equipment-power/ telcco panels, backup batteries radio cabinet. maher na.
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Jun 2018
Repaint brick facade on both sides facing street, plannin will approve mock up before work. work not subject to cbc section 11b-202.4-ada path of travel. exempt per exception 7. cosmetic work only.
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Jul 2018
Rev to permit application 201711204388; new electrical pages for conduit & panel.
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Jul 2021
At&t-remove 2 existing rrus-11 b12 (6 total); remove 2 existing rrus-32 (6 total); remove 2 existing rrus-32 b66a (6 total); install 2 new rrus-4449 b5/b12 (6 total); install 2 new rrus-8843 b2/b66a (6 total); install 1 9n) rrus-4478 b14 (3 total); install 2 new dc-9 surge protection (3 total); install 2.
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Aug 2022
At&t: remove & replace 3 existing antennas. install 2 new antennas. remove 2 existing hvac units + replace with 2 new hvac units. no change to existing batteries.
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Dec 2022
Voluntary seismic retrofit to prevent masonry facades from collapsing in an earthquake.
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Apr 2023
Revision to 202208090173. removal of hvac from scope.
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Jun 2025
Restore 9 windows, 3 on west facade, 6 on south facade. with replica wood, upper & lower sashes in kind, double hung single glaed wood sashes with ogee lugs per acoa 2024-005511prj & 4 steel casement windows in corridor on north elevation to restore to original in kind type.to comply w nov 202422823.
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Dec 2025
A&t modification of existing wirelss facility consisiting of: trays in existing power plant; 14 converters, 1 15amp & 3 50 amp dc brewers. 1 bbu; 1 dc 12-48-60 surge arrestor; install rf eme, signage, stripping and barricades.
DBI holds 33 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 33. 7 of them are nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits. 7 expired or cancelled permits are not shown.
Nearby
- 2931–2935 16th Street Same street
- 2943–2947 16th Street Same street
- 77–87 Capp Street Same block
- 35–37 Adair Street Same block
- 25–29 Adair Street Same block
- 490 South Van Ness Avenue Same block
- 510–524 South Van Ness Avenue Around the corner
- 135 Capp Street Around the corner