1187 Franklin Street

1. 1887

   The First Unitarian Church, designed by the firm Percy & Hamilton.

   Architecture, Planning & Preservation Professionals: A Collection of Biographies, adopted 2021
2. February 9, 1889

   The church, built from 1887 to designs by George W. Percy for the congregation Thomas Starr King had led in the 1860s, was dedicated; while it was building, the congregation worshipped at Temple Emanu-El, a favour returned in 1924–25.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
3. 1906

   The bell tower and steeple were destroyed in 1906 and replaced by a square turret base on the original lines.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
4. October 8, 1944

   The inaugural service of the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, the first avowedly interracial, interdenominational church in the United States, was held here with more than 400 attending and clergy of many faiths.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
5. 1959

   A series of lectures given at the Unitarian Church here between May and July 1959 preceded the founding of the International Meditation Society's San Francisco headquarters.

   Donna Graves for San Francisco Heritage, Citywide Historic Context Statement for Counterculture (1965–1975), San Francisco Planning Department, adopted 17 July 2024
6. 1967

   Built.

7. December 10, 1970

   The First Unitarian Church complex, an old church and a new building, covered its whole block, with the sarcophagus of Thomas Starr King beside the new building. The City Planning Commission approved designating the whole First Unitarian Church complex, both the old church and its new building, as a city landmark.

   San Francisco City Planning Commission minutes, San Francisco Public Library (Internet Archive)
8. 1971

   Designated San Francisco Landmark No. 40, First Unitarian Church.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
9. 1981

   The First Unitarian Church hosted a Black and White Men Together gathering after the 1981 Lesbian and Gay Freedom Day parade. A designated San Francisco landmark (No. 40).

   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
10. April 16, 1981

    Howard Thurman's funeral was held at First Unitarian Church, where he had celebrated the founding of the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
11. Feb 1990

    Permit 9003407 $$$ $4,500

    Parapet.

12. Apr 1990

    Permit 9007906 $$$ $48,000

    Remodel existing mens & womens toilet rooms.

13. Aug 1995

    Permit 9512475 $$$ $100,000

    Comply with umb ordinance.

14. Jul 1997

    Permit 9713206 $$$ $1

    Revision to permit application 9512475.

15. Oct 2001

    Permit 200110039833 $$$ $50,000

    Barrier removal only/accessibility upgrades-3 new ramps with handrail.

16. Apr 2002

    Permit 200204265058 $$$ $100

    Revision to#200110039833 omit (delete) power assured doors at south gallery.

17. Aug 2002

    Issued Permit 200208073355 $$$ $33,500

    Reroofing.

18. May 2007

    Permit 200705070585 $$$ $346,000

    Install new schindler model 330 a, 2 stop elevator includes new concrete work, electrical, plumbing (fire suppression is design build).

19. Aug 2007

    Permit 200708311550 $$$ $2,200

    Relocate fire sprinkler line to accomodate new elev. machine room add 2 sprinkler heads.

20. Nov 2007

    Permit 200711278948 $$$ $1

    Renew permit application 9717033 for final inspection only.

21. Jan 2008

    Permit 200801142458 $$$ $4,000

    Install new elevator alarm devices and monitor, and tie in fire alarm devisce to existing control panel.

22. Jan 2012

    Issued Permit 201201192558 $$$ $4,000

    Replace old panel with new smart panel at the same location in the garage level. replace one for one existing devices at the same location to be compatable with new panel. tie in existing water flow and tamper switches. connect ansul system nfpa 72 central system monitoring.

23. Feb 2016

    Permit 201602129522 $$$ $50,500

    Replacement of asbestos roof shingles with new composition shingles to match existing pattern and color at two building roofs. no work at church building.

24. Jul 2019

    Permit 201907125733 $$$ $54,000

    Alteration (new openings in existing wall and holes for conduit) at 1st floor library for 2 futre accessible single user restrooms, hall and small conference room. alterations (cores) at existing multi-user restrooms for future horn strobes.

25. Dec 2019

    Permit 201912179720 $$$ $200,000

    Provide gender neutral restrooms at existing library, one of them accessible.accessibility upgrades@existing multi-user restrooms including: a)replac lavatory in women's+men's with lavatory with rim no higher than 34".b)provide power door operator at men's.c)lower mirrors.d)replace toilet partitions.

26. May 2020

    Permit 202005227719 $$$ $152,926

    Reroofing.

27. Feb 2021

    Permit 202102044098 $$$ $1,500

    Modify existing fire alarm system per ti work restroom, conference room, remove, add devices. 1st floor: 4 horn strobes, 2 strobes. basement: 1 power supply. ref ti: 2019-0712-5733.

1 nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permit is omitted from the timeline. 6 expired permits are not shown. The assessor's roll gives 1967; this address is recorded as built 1887. The city's statement on early settlement era styles dates the church to 1887; the assessor's roll gives 1967.