Preston Apartments

1. 1911

   A mixed-use commercial building of 1911.

   Neighborhood Commercial Buildings Historic Context Statement, adopted 2022
2. 1911

   The Preston Apartments, designed by the Reid Brothers, at the corner of California and Fillmore streets — one of the rare large apartment buildings of the Reconstruction era built outside the burned district, with a commercial ground floor beneath its flats.

   Large Apartment Buildings Historic Context Statement, adopted 2024
3. March 25, 1911

   Plans announced for the Preston Estate Company: five storeys and a basement of class C construction, 50 apartments of two and four rooms, with passenger and service elevators and steam heat. Lot as recorded: 106:2x81:3. Cross streets: NW corner California and Fillmore.

   The San Francisco Call, 25 March 1911, p. 19
4. Nov 1986

   Permit 8614922 $$$ $1,500

   Repair damage of trash & install sprinkler heads.

5. Dec 1986

   Permit 8615284 $$$ $10,500

   Installation of trash chute and fire sprinkler.

6. 1987

   The Bay Area Bisexual Network, formed in 1987 to continue the educational work of the Bisexual Center, running a speakers' bureau, newsletter, retreats and monthly forums.

   Donna J. Graves and Shayne E. Watson, Citywide Historic Context Statement for LGBTQ History in San Francisco, San Francisco Planning Department, adopted by the Historic Preservation Commission November 18, 2015
7. Feb 1992

   Permit 9202105 $$$ $31,000

   Interior demolition/ partitions/plumbing/electrical/acoustic ceiling.

8. Aug 1995

   Permit 9512966 $$$ $60,000

   Earthquake hazard mitigation.

9. Jun 1996

   Permit 9611244 $$$ $41,600

   Reroofing.

10. Nov 2006

    Permit 200611298675 $$$ $35,000

    Demolition existing t-bar ceiling and non bearing partition. replace with metal support grid and drywall, install new track lighting, flooring and paint sales area.

11. Jan 2013

    Permit 201301117778 $$$ $6,000

    New windows at south elevation of building at ground level. visible from the street.

12. Apr 2014

    Permit 201404143106 $$$ $32,350

    Replace access hatch and sidewalk slab repair at dinos pizza. adj fillmore/ ca corner.

13. Dec 2014

    Permit 201412173908 $$$ $10,000

    Demolition existing non conforming toilet room and relocation of existing plumbing, waste, and vent lines to new location. new accessible single occupancy toilet room.

14. Feb 2015

    Permit 201502037320 $$$ $87,632

    Interior professional service t.i. including new furniture, fixtures & finishes, such as paint and decorative trim. new food service and transaction counter/ada compliant. new liquid nitrogen tank and required venting and emergency shut off. n/a for the maher.

15. Aug 2016

    Issued Permit 201608316504 $$$ $25,000

    Retail ti to existing retail space 599 sq ft. new lighting interior. remove exterior facade awning. no plumbing. sign under separate permit.

16. Jun 2018

    Permit 201806202378 $$$ $145,000

    Remove & replace existing bar. install new tile flooring. remove and replace kitchen & equipment with new. install stainless steel backsplash. paint interior and exterior. kitchen hood and duct suppression system under separate application.

17. Aug 2018

    Permit 201808228019 $$$ $20,000

    Mechanical for pa 2018-0620-2378.

18. Nov 2021

    Permit 202111031678 $$$ $45,000

    Ground floor, beauty shop: new wall and floor finish, new furniture. electrical for new fixtures. walls ceiling lighting to remain existing, restrooms existing. basement no work.

19. Apr 2022

    Issued Permit 202204252933 $$$ $148,000

    Renovation to existing retail space: lighting, cabinetry finishes & partition work. electrical - new lighting, power & minor new plumbing added. low voltage systems. hvac will be split systems with air handlers & condension units. new storefront system. mino demolition. no change to occupancy. no structural work.

20. Aug 2022

    Permit 202208160623 $$$ $10,000

    Interior food svc...tenant improvements including new finishes such as paint, tile & new countertops, remove and replace awning...new signage...new eq...existing machanical /hvac to remain fire supression system under a seperate permit.

21. Sep 2022

    Permit 202209132312 $$$ $6,900

    Installation of ansul r102 ul 300 kitchen hood fire suppresson system.

22. Oct 2022

    Permit 202210124194 $$$ $7,200

    Install security gate 63" x 99".

23. Nov 2022

    Issued Permit 202211237120 $$$ $1,000

    T.i. new furniture, paint, replace (1) broken glass lite in-kind, upgrade electrical if needed. pre-prepare food only. no food or drink prep.

24. Feb 2023

    Permit 202302152039 $$$ $60,000

    Upgrade existing fire alarm system to comply with sffc section 1103.7.6.1 to meet 75d in all sleeping areas.

25. Aug 2023

    Filed Permit 202308104148 $$$ $194,899

    T.i. change of use from reetail to cafe, the project consists of an interior renovation to existing retail space including lighting, cabinety, partitions, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, flooring. a new stair, storefront, and ada compliant bathroom and fixtures are also proposed.

26. 2024

    Evaluated in the city's citywide survey of large apartment buildings as a good Renaissance Revival example keeping the fire escapes, central lightwell and rectilinear massing of its type, already identified as significant for its association with the Reid Brothers as Architects of Merit, and likely significant under Criterion A/1 for standing on Fillmore Street as that corridor became one of the city's primary business districts after 1906.

    Large Apartment Buildings Historic Context Statement, adopted 2024
27. Nov 2025

    Permit 202511139478 $$$ $32,500

    Provide and install new heat pump and fan coil. includes ventallation air.

DBI holds 47 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 47. 8 of them are nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits. 3 expired or cancelled permits are not shown.