Grabhorn Press Building

1. 1906

   Built.

2. 1918

   A two-storey brick building 27 by 120 feet was put up as an annex and classroom wing to the temple school next door, designed by Alfred Henry Jacobs, who had designed the 1910 school at 1337 Sutter Street as well. Its stuccoed front is divided into three equal bays by tall Doric columns, with plate-glass display windows in two and a pair of glazed oak doors in the third, bas-relief panels above the clerestories, and a standing-seam copper mansard behind.

   National Register of Historic Places nomination, National Park Service
3. 1927

   The congregation had owned the two buildings on one lot since 1911; when its school moved out to the new temple at Lake and Arguello, both passed to a real estate firm.

   National Register of Historic Places nomination, National Park Service
4. 1942

   The lot was split in two and the smaller building bought by the Grabhorn family, who moved the Grabhorn Press into it in the autumn. Edwin and Robert Grabhorn had printed in San Francisco since 1919, at Kearny Street, Powell Street, Pine Street and Commercial Street in turn; Sutter Street held them longer than anywhere else. The press room took most of the ground floor with a corner for typesetting, the bindery and office were upstairs, and paper was kept in the basement.

   National Register of Historic Places nomination, National Park Service
5. November 17, 1960

   The Office of the Assessor-Recorder photographed the property for tax assessment. Grabhorn Press was at the address.

   Assessor-Recorder Photographs (SFP 23), San Francisco Public Library
6. 1965

   The press was disbanded at the end of the year. Nearly half of everything it ever printed — numbers 379 to 654 of the 654 items its bibliographies record — was set and printed in this building, among them the Japanese prints and the nine Shakespeare plays, in editions of 185 copies with coloured woodcuts by Mary Grabhorn.

   National Register of Historic Places nomination, National Park Service
7. Nov 1982

   Permit 8209285 $$$ $30,000

   Additions alterations or repairs.

8. 1983

   The interior was reworked for a gym over 1982 and 1983: partitions and bathrooms moved, mirrors run along the east wall of both floors, a chrome slatted ceiling dropped six inches below the original on the first floor, and three steps just inside the entrance rebuilt.

   National Register of Historic Places nomination, National Park Service
9. Feb 1983

   Permit 8300922 $$$ $22,000

   Misc.

10. Feb 1983

    Permit 8300971 $$$ $3,000

    Install fire-place & flue.

11. Feb 1983

    Permit 8301325 $$$ $1,000

    Remove existing concrete stair treads.

12. May 1983

    Permit 8303662 $$$ $800

    Erect sign.

13. Oct 1990

    Permit 9020949 $$$ $11,000

    Parapet bracing.

14. May 2, 1997

    Listed on the National Register of Historic Places at statewide level for its place in twentieth-century Californian fine printing.

    National Register of Historic Places nomination, National Park Service
15. Jul 2001

    Permit 200107123556 $$$ $1,350,000

    104f seismic umb upgrade, lower basement floor, new interior tenant landing, change of occupancy frm.

16. Feb 2005

    Permit 200502235985 $$$ $195,000

    Oti-1 2nd floor me el sp ls.

17. Apr 2005

    Permit 200504129820 $$$ $25,400

    Reroofing.

18. Apr 2005

    Permit 200504190360 $$$ $40,000

    2nd floor office tenant improvement. lighting only. ref permit application 2005/02/23/5985.

19. Apr 2005

    Permit 200504210515 $$$ $30,000

    Oti-2 2/f me install make up air duct and radiant heaters.

20. Apr 2005

    Permit 200504260907 $$$ $8,000

    Modify existig sprinkler sytem 6n 2nd fl.for new walls and ceilings.

21. Aug 2012

    Permit 201208278287 $$$ $650,000

    Change of use from b to e occupancy. interior tenant improvements including minimal demolition, new stairs, & partition changes to accomodate preschool program. no changes to historic facades.

22. Jan 2014

    Permit 201401176552 $$$ $40,000

    Interior demolition floors 1-3 and roof. all work to comply with ab-017 maintain exiting. t.i. permit application 201208278287s.

23. Jun 2014

    Permit 201406097874 $$$ $1

    Revision to permit application 2012-0827-8287, s2, request for hardship pertaining to accessible restroom. automatic push plate opener will be provided in lieu of providing door maneuvering clearances.

24. Jun 2014

    Issued Permit 201406138306 $$$ $58,182

    Fire sprinkler t.i. relocate 98, adds 17, total 115 x(514.62)= 59, 181 (st lukes school) ref. to 201401176552.

1 nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permit is omitted from the timeline. 8 expired or cancelled permits are not shown. The assessor's roll gives 1906; the nomination dates the building to 1918, as an annex to the 1910 temple school next door.