Townsend House

1. 1909

   Built.

2. 1910s

   Run as the Pullman Hotel, home to a number of African American railroad porters who lived close to the Southern Pacific depot.

   Central SoMa Historic Context Statement, adopted 2016
3. 1920

   The Townsend House, later the New Pullman Hotel, housed many of the Black railroad porters who worked out of the Southern Pacific depot at Fourth and Townsend. It was listed in the Negro Motorist Green Book year after year and is a designated city landmark.

   African American Citywide Historic Context Statement, adopted 2024
4. May 1983

   Permit 8304330 $$$ $19,000

   Additions alterations or repairs.

5. Jul 1988

   Permit 8809490 $$$ $16,000

   Reroofing.

6. Jun 2000

   Permit 200006152787 $$$ $35,000

   Replace entire roof with newframing members & new roof diaphragm, provide new unisex restroom.

7. May 2009

   Permit 200905188601 $$$ $35,000

   All work at 236 townsend: change use from gym to deli/cafe.expand bath to ada compliance, install interior ramp for ada, add 3 partition walls for office/storage.

8. Sep 2011

   Issued Permit 201109013720 $$$ $112,000

   Conveyor equipment brace/anchorage to ceiling & floor joist in ground floor business. laundry drop off sight, change of use from retail to drop off laundry. furnishing & installing conveyor equipment under this permit.

9. Jun 2014

   Permit 201406128194 $$$ $54,000

   Remode existing grocery store and convert to a 1000 sq ft wine bar. n/a for the maher ordinance #155-13.

10. Feb 2017

    Permit 201702078845 $$$ $32,000

    T.i.: renovation of existing restaurant space. replacing the bar, installation of built-in seating, replacement of fixtures an finishes and accessibility upgrades. fire life saftey will be under sep permit.

11. Jun 2017

    Issued Permit 201706280578 $$$ $35,000

    Build interior partion walls, install new recessed cans, switches. n/a ordinance #155-13.

12. Aug 2017

    Permit 201708306491 $$$ $20,000

    Ti improvement, relocate toilet (ada), new stair to under floor area. new door opening on clyde st elevation.

13. Mar 2018

    Permit 201803284892 $$$ $5,000

    Revision to permit application 201708306491. add new 4x4 df#1 floor beam and concrete footing in underfloor area at stairs. maher na.

14. October 23, 2018

    Designated San Francisco Landmark No. 280, New Pullman Hotel.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
15. Aug 2020

    Issued Permit 202008051145 $$$ $70,000

    Reroofing, tear off existing roof, installing a class b assembly with coolstar reflective modified bitumen app 20 year roof. new sheet metal flashing. (permit excluding rough carpentry work).

16. Oct 2023

    Permit 202310178823 $$$ $3,000

    To comply with abe abe#202208182799. install ada door opener system.

17. Jan 2024

    Withdrawn Permit 202401294828 $$$ $65,000

    Convert existing retail space to food service wine bar, install pre fabricated bar & top electrical circuits for water heater, dishwashers, fridge & cash register, install plumbing for 3 comp sink, hand sink, dish washer, floor sink & water heater.

18. Jun 2024

    Permit 202406073957 $$$ $22,000

    Small ti to install handsink, new compartment sink, and storage lockers for products related to beverages/food. install new power door operator at entry per ab005.

19. Jul 2025

    Permit 202507281730 $$$ $8,500

    To abate nov 202535904 to include install ceiling mounted unit cooler and condenser. install 142 new wine storage lockers at basement level dulicating lockers at 1st floor.

DBI holds 48 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 48. 3 of them are nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits. 9 expired or cancelled permits are not shown. The city's African American context statement gives the hotel's address as 236 Townsend Street in the narrative and as 228-248 Townsend Street in its landmark lists.