48–56 Mason Street

1. 1908

   Built in 1908 near the corner of Eddy Street; the original Black Cat Cafe opened here after the 1906 earthquake.

   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
2. 1908

   Built as the Athens lodgings, rooming house with 64 rooms with baths. Four storeys over a basement, brick structure, two-part vertical composition, Renaissance/Baroque ornamentation.

   National Register of Historic Places nomination, National Park Service
3. June 20, 1908

   J. W. Mitchell contracted to put up a four-storey and basement brick building, at $45,500.

   The San Francisco Call, 20 June 1908, p. 15
4. Aug 1982

   Permit 8206452 $$$ $1,200

   Building use: sign.

5. Oct 2001

   Revoked Permit 200110181182 $$$ $26,000

   Change of use fm barber shop to apparelstore incl new partitions, display platform/ventilation, disa.

6. Oct 2002

   Permit 200210259929 $$$ $40,000

   Change of use from barber to 49 seat comedy club includindg new partitions, disabled access, upgrade.

7. Feb 2013

   Disapproved Permit 201302019330 $$$ $100,000

   Replace 75 street facing windows in kind.

8. Apr 2013

   Permit 201304184933 $$$ $45,000

   Soft demolition, removing detiorirated lath & plaster, exposing walls & ceilings for rewiring and plumbing, approximately 200 sq ft. @ 58 rooms.

9. between 2014 and 2016

   Judi Iranyi photographed the mural “The Breakers Cafe”, painted by Academy of Art University students, on the building at 56 Mason Street.

   Judi Iranyi Photographs of the Tenderloin (SFP 179), San Francisco Public Library
10. Oct 2015

    Permit 201510159731 $$$ $100,000

    Install 402 new sprinkler heads on basement, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th floor in penthouse roof; also, install standpipe through all floors for sprinkler system. maher na. ref ti 2013-0130-9114. revision 2014-04-22-3867.

11. Jan 2017

    Permit 201701187427 $$$ $65,000

    Window repair and restore 72 windows will be repaired per report from page and turnbull. n/a for maher. new store front replaced in kind.

12. Sep 2017

    Permit 201709289825 $$$ $45,000

    Reroofing.

13. Sep 2017

    Permit 201709299912 $$$ $1

    Pt group made as built to permit application 201510159731-r1, intaller 49 new sprinkler head in attic. 87 upright heads for 2, 3, 4 floors. n/a ordinance #155-13.

14. Oct 2017

    Permit 201710050460 $$$ $1

    P group: as-builts. install 90 new sprinkler heads in basement & 94 new heads in 1st fl. no change to residential room count. ref #201510159731. maher na.

15. Jan 2018

    Permit 201801229190 $$$ $35,000

    Replace existing kitchen hood, type i. repair existing drywall due to water damage. comply with nov #201828761. n/a for maher.

16. Jan 2018

    Permit 201801259492 $$$ $350,000

    Recommencement and completion of work approved under permit application 201301309114 and 201404223867.

17. Jan 2019

    Permit 201901089812 $$$ $85,000

    T.i. to existing common area (lobby) @ main floor to include kitchen & eating area & laundry addition to existing basement floor. also includes new appliances, new fixtures, new cabinets, new doors & new finishes. maher n/a.

18. Feb 2024

    Permit 202402166072 $$$ $45,000

    Proposed new 575 sq ft staff support office at main level floor.

19. Apr 2026

    Issued Permit 202604239983 $$$ $60,000

    1/f: new 78 sq ft trash room addition + alteration within existing approved common kitchen at main level.

DBI holds 86 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 86. 9 of them are nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits. 10 expired or cancelled permits are not shown.