37.7982, −122.4062 A locator map appears here once a Mapbox token is configured.
Know This Place

District 3 · Block 0145, Lot 010 · ZIP 94133

534–540 Broadway

Hotel

  • 3 stories
  • 18,878 ft2
  • 7,906.25 ft2 lot area
  • 4 residential units
  • 87 rooms
  • 6 bathrooms
  • Wood frame
  • Zoned BDWY
  • Historic resource
37.7982, −122.4062 Street View appears here once a Google Maps embed key is configured.
  1. July 9, 1909

    Fowler wrecking company contracted to raze the buildings on the lot, leaving 60,000 cleaned bricks, at $1,000.

    The San Francisco Call, 9 July 1909, p. 15
  2. 1910

    Built.

  3. October 1971

    It traded as the Swiss American, a 75-unit residential hotel; eight units stood vacant.

    URS Research Company / Arthur D. Little, Inc., Yerba Buena Center Public Facilities and Private Development: Environmental Impact Report (draft), prepared for the City and County of San Francisco, 1973.
  4. Aug 2003
    Permit 200308293437 $$$ $38,000

    2nd & 3rd fl- heads fire sprinkler system, total 180 heads.

  5. Jul 2009
    Permit 200907313959 $$$ $18,000

    Bathroom remodel, remove tub, pan & replace with shower pan. 1 bathroom 3rd floor only.

  6. Oct 2009
    Permit 200910239754 $$$ $25,000

    Bathroom remodel, rework tubs & replace with shower pans, 2 bathrooms on 2nd & 3rd floors. sro common bathroom. work in 534 broadway.

  7. Feb 2010
    Permit 201002116394 $$$ $9,000

    Bathroom remodel on 2nd floor. replace tub with shower pan and replace in kind on shower of mens common shower room. high efficacy lighting or occupancy sensor. no change to exhaust sytem.

  8. Oct 2015
    Permit 201510291165 $$$ $4,000

    Add attic insulation to existing. r-40 equivalent.

  9. Dec 2017
    Permit 201712217143 $$$ $15,000

    Like for like fire system replacement with new countrol panel, smoke, heat detectors & pull stations at the same location on 2/f & 3/f. tie-in existing bells to new panel. install monitor moudles to tie-in existing flow & tamper switches.

  10. Mar 2018
    Permit 201803143605 $$$ $150,000

    Roof replacement with new pvc roof (reroofing). replacement of five existing skylights.

  11. May 2018
    Permit 201805219653 $$$ $350,000

    Replacement of double hung windows in kind and 2 transories. replacement of stucco facades in kind, add plywood sheathing. remove area of dry rot. add roof access ladder per sffd. temporary rear stair repair under permit application 2016-0428-5949. plan shown exiting (temporary) on 2nd & 3rd floors.

  12. Jun 2018
    Issued Permit 201806212589 $$$ $25,000

    Add 2 remote power supplies, 656 low freq horns, 6 strobes, 4 horn/strobes weather proof, 1 indoor horn strobe to e system ref 201712217143.

  13. Aug 2018
    Permit 201808107090 $$$ $2,000

    Exterior roof access ladder from third floor at rear of building.

  14. Sep 2018
    Issued Permit 201809140176 $$$ $140,000

    **residential**. ab-004 housing project. soft story retrofit 2016 cebc appendix a-4 (residential).

  15. Sep 2018
    Issued Permit 201809140157 $$$ $70,000

    Commercial. ab-004 housing project. soft story retrofit 2016 cebc appendix a-4 (commercial).

  16. Nov 2018
    Permit 201811055041 $$$ $45,000

    Foundation cap at north west side to correct wood near or below grade (180').

  17. Jan 2019
    Permit 201901089807 $$$ $85,000

    New resilent flooring and paint in 15 units. add 3 sinks in 3 one unit/311, replace existing intercom panel and provide new card reader at front door.

  18. Feb 2023
    Issued Permit 202302232513 $$$ $1

    Revision to permit application 201809140157. these soft story permit previously separated storefront work trigged by the da checklist from the permits. this report was made by dbi, then dbi asked taht the scope be combined into this permit. scope now include storefront modification required to creat an accessible.

  19. Nov 2025
    Issued Permit 202511069121 $$$ $3,500,000

    Relocate restrooms & laundry rm, replace finishes throughout, replace rehab windows, rehab units. final completiion only after permit application 202503101910 final completion.

  20. Sep 2026
    Filed Permit 202609087796 $$$ $25,000

    Revision to bpa: 202511069121 - replace interior doors, door frames to remain. provide self closing hinges, ada compliant hardware and smoke gasket. relocate electrical panels.

DBI holds 39 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 39. 3 of them are nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits. 7 expired permits are not shown.

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