Parkside Branch Library

1. 1950

   The library building was under construction on the southeast corner of McCoppin Square.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
2. 1951

   The Parkside branch of the San Francisco Public Library opened, designed by Appleton and Wolfard with landscaping by Lawrence Halprin and built to look less like an institution than a house: an open plan around a copper-hooded fireplace and reading lounge, an outdoor patio, Eames and Herman Miller furniture. The pair went on to design the Marina, Ortega, Merced, North Beach, Eureka, Western Addition and Excelsior branches between 1953 and 1966.

   Parkside District Historic Context Statement, adopted 2008
3. 1951

   The Parkside branch library, 1951, by Appleton & Wolfard — the first of the eight branch libraries the firm designed, and the prototype for the casual, inviting Midcentury Modern library that broke with the Carnegie branches before it.

   Modern Architecture and Landscape Design Context Statement, adopted 2011
4. June 21, 1951

   The Parkside branch opened as the nineteenth branch of the San Francisco Public Library, the first of eight Midcentury Modern branches Appleton & Wolfard designed in collaboration with City Librarian Laurence Clarke.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
5. October 28, 1951

   The San Francisco Chronicle hailed the new building as the finest branch library in the country.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
6. March 1952

   Architect and Engineer put the library on its cover and likened it to a swank country club or a luxurious modern house.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
7. April 1953

   The city Planning Department named the Parkside branch the pilot project and proving ground for its whole program of public library building.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
8. 1954

   The Parkside branch had the highest circulation of the 21 city library branches.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
9. 1959

   Possibly the Park and Shop Market, later Andronico’s Market, designed by architect Robert B. Marquis.

   Architecture, Planning & Preservation Professionals: A Collection of Biographies, adopted 2021
10. 1977

    The library hosted "Movies and Talkies," pairing boxing memorabilia and classic fight films with talks by a boxing champion.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
11. 1998

    The library hosted a "Multicultural Festival" with a talk for children.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
12. 2008

    A $4.7 million renovation and expansion began under the Branch Library Improvement Program, designed by Thomas Hacker Architects with an associate firm: the interior was gutted, a one-story addition of about 1,000 square feet was built at the east end, all windows were replaced, new openings were cut onto the rear terrace, and seismic, accessibility and systems upgrades were made.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
13. Jul 2008

    Permit 200807015779 $$$ $2,745,857

    The scope of work consists of an interior renovation, seismic upgrade and 1, 000 sq ft. 1 story addition on 1 story only. to the existing parkside branch library.

14. October 7, 2009

    The Historic Preservation Commission directed that landmark initiation for the library be calendared once the branch library improvement program was finished; no such hearing followed.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
15. Nov 2009

    Issued Permit 200911131190 $$$ $10,000

    Installation of new fire alarm system, consisting of 1-each fire alarm control panel with digital dialer, 3-smoke detectors, 1-heat detector, 3-maunal pull stations, 8-horn/strobes & 6-strobes.

16. 2010

    As part of the renovation, the original red brick fireplace and copper hood, the exposed brick wall and built-in bench, and the boxed-inset ceiling of the former reading room were restored, and the rear terrace was repaired.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
17. November 6, 2010

    The library reopened after renovation, the fifteenth project completed under the Branch Library Improvement Program; the work later earned LEED Silver certification.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
18. Mar 2011

    Permit 201103091751 $$$ $150,000

    New construction of a detached one-story prefabricated rest room.

19. December 13, 2022

    The Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution initiating landmark designation of the Parkside Branch Library.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
20. May 17, 2023

    The Historic Preservation Commission held a hearing and recommended the library for landmark designation.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
21. July 25, 2023

    Designated San Francisco Landmark No. 310, Parkside Branch Library.

    SF Planning, landmark designation

1 nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permit is omitted from the timeline.