Takahashi Building

1. 1912

   The original five-story heavy timber-frame and red brick warehouse on the triangular parcel was completed.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
2. 1912

   Built as an industrial building, recorded as occupied by JI Case Threshing Machine Co./ Takahashi Trading Company. Designed by G. Albert Lansburgh.

   Showplace Square / Northeast Mission Historic Resource Survey, adopted 2011
3. 1918

   Built as an industrial building, associated with J.I. Case Threshing Machinery Co. Designed by G. Albert Lansburgh.

   Showplace Square / Northeast Mission Historic Resource Survey, adopted 2011
4. 1948

   Built as the H.R. Basford annex. Designed by G. Albert Lansburgh.

   Showplace Square / Northeast Mission Historic Resource Survey, adopted 2011
5. 1958

   The annex, built with a roof only to shelter goods off the adjacent rail line, was enclosed or rebuilt.

   Showplace Square / Northeast Mission Historic Resource Survey, adopted 2011
6. 1965

   Henri and Tomoye Takahashi bought the building after their Post Street shop in Japantown was demolished in 1961 for urban renewal, and made it the headquarters of the Takahashi Trading Company.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
7. 1965

   The Takahashi Trading Company began using the building as its headquarters and wholesale warehouse, importing Japanese porcelain, pottery, furniture and folding screens for its stores in San Francisco, Sausalito and New York.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
8. 1968

   A two-story concrete tilt-up addition with exposed-aggregate walls was built onto the warehouse.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
9. February 26, 1969

   The Office of the Assessor-Recorder photographed the property for tax assessment.

   Assessor-Recorder Photographs (SFP 23), San Francisco Public Library
10. 1976

    Built as an industrial building, recorded as occupied by the Takahashi Trading Company. Designed by G. Albert Lansburgh.

    Showplace Square / Northeast Mission Historic Resource Survey, adopted 2011
11. 1976

    A three-story brick-veneer addition with a decorative brick cornice and a loading dock on its east side was built.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
12. 1976

    The building received a rating of 3 (on a 0–5 scale) in the Department of City Planning's citywide architectural survey.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
13. 1978

    The Foundation for San Francisco's Architectural Heritage rated the building B, of major importance.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
14. 1985

    The Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation was founded by the couple and Tomoye's sister Masako Martha Suzuki and headquartered in the building; it funded Japanese cultural and educational causes.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
15. Feb 1993

    Permit 9302301 $$$ $30,000

    Brace existing parapet as per engineer's drawings.

16. Feb 2001

    Permit 200102121922 $$$ $280,000

    Seismic upgrade of umb.

17. Mar 2002

    Permit 200203272426 $$$ $18,000

    Reroofing.

18. Dec 2014

    Permit 201412113566 $$$ $2,000

    Replace fire alarm control panel, install 1 smoke above panel, install 1 pull station and monitor modules for existing sprinkler system. area covered for sprinkler system only 2 stories. n/a ordinance #155-13.

19. 2019

    The Takahashi family's ownership of the building, and its use as the trading company's headquarters, came to an end.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
20. Jul 2019

    Permit 201907297241 $$$ $15,000

    Interior soft demolition per ab-017.

21. Sep 2019

    Permit 201909181992 $$$ $3,000,000

    Voluntary seismic retrofit of 5 story urm building. reference to tenant improvement permit application 201910023333 **maher n/a**.

22. Sep 2019

    Permit 201909181993 $$$ $750,000

    Voluntary seismic retrofit of 2 story tilt up building.**maher n/a**.

23. Oct 2019

    Permit 201910023333 $$$ $5,000,000

    Priority project: core & shell alteration & integration of (3) structures (on same lot) ada upgrades, preservation of 5-story building & removal of non-historic features. new entry lobby on rhode island street @ old loading dock. other facade abd rooftop changes compatible with historic character.

24. Aug 2020

    Permit 202008192130 $$$ $253,000

    Deferred micropile submittal for seismic upgrade. ref pa201909181992.

25. Aug 2020

    Permit 202008192129 $$$ $20,000

    Deferred micropile submittal for seismic upgrade. ref pa201909181993.

26. Aug 2020

    Permit 202008222410 $$$ $40,000

    Revision to permit application 201909181992. micropiles have been revised, new foundation for elevator pit and trash lift pit. new elevator & trash lift will be submitted under separate architectural permit applications.

27. Nov 2020

    Permit 202011038089 $$$ $5,000

    Install new underground 6" fire service from city main connection at curb to inside the building wall at basement level. service terminates in fire pump room. reference p.a. # 2019-1002-3333.

28. Dec 2020

    Permit 202012281802 $$$ $100,000

    Fire sprinkler for core & shell alteration to integratio of three structures (on same lot) reference permit application 2019-1002-3333.

29. November 17, 2021

    The Historic Preservation Commission initiated landmark designation of the building.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
30. February 16, 2022

    The Historic Preservation Commission recommended the building's designation as a city landmark.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
31. May 2022

    Withdrawn Permit 202205124148 $$$ $80,341

    Install a new fire alarm system (core and shell only).

32. Jun 2022

    Issued Permit 202206176573 $$$ $500,000

    New roof top patio built on top of the existing 5-story building portion of the site. roof deck consist of pedestal pavers and planters with seating area. ref 201910023333 for c + s approvals and roof deck entitlements as a deffered submittal.

33. Jul 2022

    Permit 202207299574 $$$ $75,000

    Errc: provide a new emergency responder radio coverage system. install amplifier for existing outdoor radio network, and distribute coverage throughout using a series of splitters, couplers, and service antennas interconnected with coaxial cable. ref permit application 201910023333.

34. Aug 2022

    Permit 202208050020 $$$ $111,925

    Complete fire alarm system for core & shell.

35. September 13, 2022

    Designated San Francisco Landmark No. 305, Takahashi Trading Company.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
36. Jan 2023

    Permit 202301240634 $$$ $1

    Deferred friction piles for the main core + shell permit #201910023333 per approved structural drawings, the drilled piers replace micropiles per contractor's option.

37. Feb 2023

    Permit 202302242608 $$$ $280,000

    Deferred stair 2, 3, 4, 5 for main core & shell. permit application 201910023333.

38. Feb 2023

    Permit 202302272679 $$$ $111,522

    Priority process - brb for main core & shell. reference permit application 201910023333.

39. Oct 2023

    Permit 202310239226 $$$ $1

    As built set per inspection for fire alarm - ref# 202308245127.

40. Oct 2024

    Permit 202410183314 $$$ $1

    Revision to bpa# 201910023333: to designate 12, 333 gsf of office and 3035 gsf retail on first floor; designate 21, 317 gsf to pdr on second floor.

41. September 14, 2026

    Exclusive: Airbnb is expanding in S.F., leasing a landmark warehouse near its headquarters — San Francisco Chronicle

DBI holds 30 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 30. 1 of them are nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits. 2 expired permits are not shown. The statement's narrative dates the warehouse to 1912; the survey data table gives 1918 for the annex on this parcel and 1948 for a later building. The survey's data table dates the building to 1948; the context statement's appendix dates it to 1912. The survey's data table dates the building to 1918; the context statement's appendix dates it to 1912. The survey's data table dates the building to 1976; the context statement's appendix dates it to 1912. The foundation's founding is dated both 1985 and 1986.