301–401 Van Ness Avenue

1. 1978

   The War Memorial Opera House, where a memorial service for Harvey Milk was held in November 1978; the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus sang here in San Francisco Opera performances in 1988.

   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. 1984

   The War Memorial Veterans Building, administered since 1921 by a trust for the benefit of the city's veterans and the base of the city's American Legion posts; the Alexander Hamilton Post 448, the only gay and lesbian post affiliated with the American Legion, was founded in 1984 and listed its office and monthly meetings here. A designated San Francisco landmark (No. 84).

   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
3. Dec 1991

   Remove existing return air duct-installnew return air duct.

   Expired Permit 9123638 $$$ $38,312
4. Jul 1994

   1/f work related to path of traval/3/f & 4/f convert museum.

   Expired Permit 9411157 $$$ $2,200,000
5. Dec 1994

   Seismic upgrade and repairs.

   Issued Permit 9421373S $$$ $42,000,000
6. Dec 1994

   Existingbasement wll be expanded to the north, sidewalk be replace.

   Expired Permit 9421426S $$$ $1,800,000
7. Mar 1996

   Modify existing auto fire sprinklers, standpipe sys @ annex/house.

   Cancelled Permit 9604032 $$$ $827,000
8. Aug 1996

   Design/install auto fire sprinklers/standpipe systems.

   Expired Permit 9616227 $$$ $820,000
9. May 1999

   Reroofing.

   Expired Permit 9909428 $$$ $450,000
10. Sep 2001

    Plaster crack in 4 stairwells & 1 corridor.2nd fl-green room, disabled access ramp, painting &retrof.

    Issued Permit 200109279371 $$$ $300,000
11. Dec 2001

    2 built up acoustically lined air handlers/modifying distripbution piping and e historic materials.

    Complete Permit 200112054558 $$$ $800,000
12. Dec 2003

    Renovate sevice elevator&install new equip.new catuales on upper grid level for access to mach room.

    Complete Permit 200312192731 $$$ $940,000
13. Jan 2005

    Replacement of existing 180 ton chiller with two 90 ton air cooled chillers, including related demolition.

    Expired Permit 200501032477 $$$ $500,000
14. Jun 2007

    Comply with nov 2007 07226: demolishing existing non-bearing partition, constructing new non-bearing partition and expanding control room on the 5th floor; constructing mechanical enclosure on the 6th floor; and altering ceiling and lighting as needed to accommodate these changes.

    Complete Permit 200706285393 $$$ $200,000
15. Apr 2012

    Seismic strenthening of building, improvements to buildings mepf systems, ada upgrades & tenant improvements.

    Complete Permit 201204269224 $$$ $75,000,000
16. Dec 2013

    Tenant improvement for the educaiton, studio, performance hall, administrative offices, costumeshop & support spaces on the 4th fl as well as storage & costume support in the basement. n/a for maher ordinance.

    Complete Permit 201312234851 $$$ $10,500,000
17. Feb 2014

    Ref. #201204269224 install new overhead fire sprinkler system, new standpipe and 5'0 (stub out) underground. 4th floor portion seperate permit underground permit application 201403049826. maher-compliance with ordinance no. 155-13. not required.

    Complete Permit 201402037656 $$$ $2,067,000
18. Jun 2014

    Construction of new memorial and fountain commemcrating california veteran's.

    Complete Permit 201406178698 $$$ $1,400,000
19. Jun 2014

    Ada upgrades at site path of travel, site drainageimprovements & electrical improvements.

    Issued Permit 201406178696 $$$ $360,000
20. Aug 2014

    New fire alarm system includes: 1 fire alarm panel, 2 first vision interative firefighter's displas, 4 fire alarm control cabinets (hppf-8cm + daa-5070, 3-anninciators, 11 dual monitor modules, 2 dual racay/monitor mobules, 36 delay modules, 3 control modules, 7 monitor mobules, 77-ducg detectors.

    Complete Permit 201408053020 $$$ $200,000
21. Dec 2014

    Sprinkler ti: add 560 headssprinkler heads in the basement including paint booth and exhaust duct in the unsprinklered rooms of the 4th floor. ref appln #201312234851- orginal permit for sprinklers 201402037656- building will eb fully sprinkler protected.

    Complete Permit 201412184054 $$$ $243,000
22. May 2015

    Installation of (1)kohler 400 reorzj 60 hz vl 2200 diesel generator, (1)460 gallon diesel storage tank in basement of the war memorial veteran's building. generator serves emergency power for the veteran's building & opera house. fuel oil permit under permit application 2015/02/24/9203.

    Complete Permit 201505287379 $$$ $100,000
23. Jul 2015

    Replace upper balcony fixed seating furniture- replace and add egress lighting; maher n/a.

    Complete Permit 201507020513 $$$ $893,000
24. Jun 2018

    Office ti 2 e suites on the 3rd fl war memorial veterans building. total 7525 gross sq ft suite 313 2940 sq ft add sidelites, build 3 interior walls new paint new carpet in 2 offices. suite 310 4585 sq ft new fl finish, new offices, storage rooms, podcast room, storage closed meeting rm per plan.

    Complete Permit 201806212539 $$$ $853,000
25. Apr 2025

    Modernization of passenger traction elevators #6 and #7 and related mechanical and electrical upgrades. fire sprinker and fire alarm to be modfiifed as required by sffd project to provide accessible path of travel from storage entry door to evleator #2.

    Issued Permit 202504033691 $$$ $2,200,000
26. Jun 2025

    Metal roofing reroofing of the historic war memorial opera house building and alternate scope of installing fall protection system with roof access ladders. no hotworks without sffd operating permit.

    Issued Permit 202506128521 $$$ $9,682,244
27. Oct 2025

    Remove and replace existing air cooled chillers (roof).

    Issued Permit 202510248061 $$$ $415,000

DBI holds 108 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 108. 11 of them are nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits.