Mint Mall

1. 1916

   Built as the Ford Apartments, keeping excellent integrity on its upper floors, including an ornate cornice with oversized brackets. It was identified in the 1976 Department of City Planning Architectural Survey and is a contributor to the eligible Mint-Mission Historic District.

   Central SoMa Historic Context Statement, adopted 2016
2. 1916

   Built as a hotel of more than 250 rooms.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
3. 1948

   The hotel's residential floors were converted to apartments in the late 1940s.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
4. 1970s

   The mixed-use Mint Mall building's ground-floor commercial space has housed a succession of organizations serving the Filipino community, among them the West Bay Pilipino Multi-Service Center, the South of Market Employment Center, the Bayanihan Community Center, the Pilipino AIDS Project, Bindlestiff Theater and, from 1998, Arkipelago Books.

   Central SoMa Historic Context Statement, adopted 2016
5. October 1971

   The Ford was counted among the neighborhood's standard-condition residential hotels, with 156 units and four vacancies recorded.

   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.
6. 1975

   The building changed hands in the mid-1970s; from then on its apartments were largely taken by newly arrived Filipino families.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
7. 1976

   Known at this time as the Dove Apartments, with an office-furniture store, The Economy Center, occupying the commercial floor.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
8. 1979

   Conversion of the ground floor into a mall began: commercial use was extended into the basement and the Mission Street storefronts were merged around a wide central corridor.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
9. 1981

   The Mint Mall Shopping Center opened, with the Philipina Café among its first tenants.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
10. Aug 1985

    Permit 8509505 $$$ $80,000

    Alterations to mint mall to include replace store front.

11. Dec 1986

    Permit 8615594 $$$ $19,000

    Parapet reinforcement.

12. Aug 1987

    Permit 8712048 $$$ $8,500

    Replace existing ceiling, floor tile, 8 doors and 5 windows.

13. Sep 1988

    Permit 8813794 $$$ $6,750

    Add mezzanine floor in exist retail store for light storage.

14. 1994

    The New Pilipinas restaurant opened on the Mall's ground floor.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
15. 1997

    After a fire at the nearby Delta Hotel left many Filipino World War II veterans homeless, the Mall became a second home for them, with its non-profits supplying food, clothing and services.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
16. 2000

    The Mint Mall Organizing Committee and the "Save the Mint Mall" campaign formed to stop the displacement of the Mall's Filipino businesses and non-profits.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
17. September 2000

    Eviction notices had been served on Teatro ng Tanan, Super Reproductions and a youth non-profit as the Mall's leasing agent declined to renew Filipino-serving tenants in favour of dot-com offices.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
18. 2002

    After two years of meetings, rallies and commission hearings challenging illegal conversion of retail space to offices, tenants won long-term leases for the Filipino businesses and non-profits.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
19. 2004

    The Filipino theatre company Bindlestiff Studios took space in the Mall, holding rehearsals, workshops and performances in the basement hallway.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
20. 2006

    The Pilipino Senior Resource Center was established here in 2006, offering health, housing, legal and medical assistance and bilingual counselling to Filipino seniors.

    San Francisco Filipino Heritage: Addendum to the South of Market Historic Context Statement, 2013
21. Aug 2007

    Issued Permit 200708018484 $$$ $10,200

    Repair/replace floor covering, windows, kitchen cabinets, counter top, pest control, plumbing repair-toilet, sinks, exit door alignment, sub floor repair, ceiling repair, smoke detector battery replacement, paint all walls and ceiling repaired, comply with 2 housing notice of violations.

22. Oct 2007

    Permit 200710104941 $$$ $25,000

    Reroofing.

23. Sep 2009

    Permit 200909297861 $$$ $2,800

    Response to his complaint 200920793 dated 9-1-09. install drywall in basement ceiling, 70' by 15'. 5/8" type x gyp bd.

24. 2010

    The ground-floor New Pilipinas restaurant was renamed JT Restaurant.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
25. 2011

    Bindlestiff Studios' stay in the Mall ended.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
26. Feb 2012

    Permit 201202033505 $$$ $8,000

    Post signage on all floor regarding evacuation direction per the attached representations. #2 applies to floors 2, 3, 4, & 5 since the floors are same.#1 is for the 1st floor and g is for the ground level.(street level).

27. Aug 2012

    Permit 201208016257 $$$ $8,000

    Abatement of nov 200009302: suite 70 basement: remove illegally built bath. suite 110, 120, 140 and 150 gr fl: legalize removal of non bearing walls, suite 140 and 150 restore back to retail use. suite 220 convert non conforming ramps to new steps on mezzanine.

28. Sep 2013

    Permit 201309096283 $$$ $25,000

    Response to complaint no. 201110193. external concrete staircase spalling repair. (previous related work - completed application #201202033505 issued 4-9-2012; completed (final) 6/26/12).

29. Jan 2015

    Withdrawn Permit 201501216295 $$$ $139,000

    Installation of non load bearing interior partitions. new exteior entry doors, replacement windows. new interior drywall and interior finishes. new accessible restrooms.

30. Feb 2015

    Issued Permit 201502128225 $$$ $5,000

    Comply with nov 201524021/201524621. demolition non load bearing partitions, finishes, hvac, plumbing, and electrical on gr fl. electrical and plumbing to take out permit separately. life safety/ti on separate permit per ab-017.

31. Mar 2015

    Permit 201503049987 $$$ $139,000

    Interior t.i. including non-load bearing partitions and finishes such as paint, decorative wood trim and carpet. also to include construction of accessible and restrooms. no exterior work. to comply with complaint #201524021 and 201524621.

32. Mar 2015

    Permit 201503302253 $$$ $19,000

    Replace upright sprinklers and add 8 pendant heads @ new ceilings ti ref permit application 2015 0304 9987.

33. Jan 2016

    Permit 201601126887 $$$ $21,750

    Renovate (2) kitchens and (2) bathrooms on two units. all lplumbing and electrical as needed. to comply with complaint # 201691151.

34. Feb 2016

    Issued Permit 201602290754 $$$ $125,000

    2nd floor: t.i. existing space. includes new walls, new carpet, new windows, new tile and lights. retail to retail no change of use. no reduction in dwelling count unit. no exterior work.

35. Aug 2016

    Issued Permit 201608185394 $$$ $16,000

    Replacement of 5 exterior windows on street level back of building and repair stucco, new bronze double pain alluminum windows will be installed in existing openings.

36. Mar 2017

    Permit 201703171682 $$$ $3,000

    Hand rail, 34"-38" on stairs from 1/f to 5/f; patch ceiling & walls in basement; to comply with his nov201761941 dated 2/13/2017.

37. Jan 2018

    Issued Permit 201801259535 $$$ $14,000

    Remodel of existing women's bathroom and remodel of existing men's bathroom. n/a for maher.

38. Aug 2019

    Permit 201908279989 $$$ $1

    Tieback agreement only for 434 minna st. tie back agreement only for 434 see site permit permit application 201808066535-s. see permit application 201908229534 for main site temporary shoring and excavation.

39. Apr 2023

    Suspended Permit 202304115452 $$$ $91,000

    Voluntary fire alarm system replacement and mandatory low frequency horn upgrade to meet sffc 2022, 1103.7.6.1.

40. October 7, 2025

    Designated San Francisco Landmark No. 321, Mint Mall and Hall.

    SF Planning, landmark designation

DBI holds 33 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 33. 2 of them are nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits. 3 expired permits are not shown.