James Lick Baths

1. 1890

   Built as the James Lick Baths, funded by the pioneer industrialist James Lick and erected by his trustees as a public bathhouse for workers living without private facilities; damaged in 1906 and repaired.

   Market & Octavia Historic Context Statement, adopted 2007
2. 1900

   Built.

3. 1906

   J. Walter Dolliver designed the reconstruction of the James Lick Baths here in 1906; the report gives the building as San Francisco Landmark No. 246 at 165 Tenth Street.

   Corbett Heights Historic Context Statement, adopted 2017
4. 1919

   The Lick Baths, which had run into deficit rebuilding after 1906, closed; the building passed to the Hibernia Savings and Loan Society and was sold three times within a year before the People's Laundry Company bought it.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
5. 1920

   The former James Lick Baths was converted to the People's Laundry, one of the best-known Japanese-owned businesses in the South of Market Area outside South Park; it operated here until 1973.

   South of Market Area Historic Context Statement, adopted 2011
6. 1920

   The Tsukamoto family moved its laundry here from the Sunset Laundry on 23rd Street and San Jose Avenue, founded by Matsunosuke Tsukamoto in 1899, renaming it the People's Laundry partly to escape the official harassment the Japanese-owned business had faced; it employed an all-Japanese workforce, some of whom lodged on the premises.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
7. 1936

   Listed in the telephone directory as People’s Laundry Co.

   Market & Octavia Historic Context Statement, adopted 2007
8. 1942–1944

   The laundry was closed while the Tsukamoto family was held with thousands of other Bay Area Japanese Americans at the Topaz camp in Utah; the Health Department re-established its operation in February 1946.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
9. 1953

   Listed in the city directory as Peoples Laundry Co, Peoples cleaners and dyers.

   Market & Octavia Historic Context Statement, adopted 2007
10. 1978

    After the Tsukamotos gave up the laundry in 1973, as permanent-press fabrics took away its trade, John Pflueger of Pflueger Architects converted the building into offices for his firm.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
11. Sep 1982

    Permit 8208009 $$$ $27,000

    Building use: offices.

12. Sep 1984

    Permit 8410440 $$$ $7,500

    Remove glass brocks and install new gray tinted glass.

13. Oct 1984

    Permit 8411527 $$$ $1,500

    Awnings on 2nd story, windows.

14. May 1985

    Permit 8505490 $$$ $20,000

    Minor demolition. add conference room, electrical outlets.

15. Feb 1987

    Permit 8702197 $$$ $25,000

    New partition - misc. electrical for outlets/lighting.

16. Jul 1988

    Permit 8810523 $$$ $20,000

    Necessary modification, fire exit signs.

17. Oct 1989

    Permit 8919979 $$$ $10,500

    Parapet reinforcement.

18. Oct 1999

    Permit 9921811 $$$ $500

    Light demolition of non-structurl, non-bearing wall partitions.

19. Nov 2003

    Permit 200311059420 $$$ $3,000

    Reroofing.

20. Nov 2003

    Permit 200311180452 $$$ $3,000

    Repair & skim existing plaster (stucco) 800 sq ft. of stucco work, cosmetic work only, handicapped exempt.

21. 2004

    Designated San Francisco Landmark No. 246, James Lick Baths / People's Laundry.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
22. Oct 2008

    Permit 200810234970 $$$ $400,000

    Accessible bathrooms, new mezzanine, soft demolition. voluntary structural improvements, minor exterior modifications, new electric, plumbing upgrade.

23. Oct 2017

    Issued Permit 201710191743 $$$ $100

    To erect non-electric, wall, single faced sign. historic wall plaque. ** maher: n/a **.

1 nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permit is omitted from the timeline. 2 expired permits are not shown. The Market & Octavia context statement describes a building of 1890 at this address; the assessor dates the building on this parcel to 1900.