Merchants Exchange Building (San Francisco) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Merchants Exchange Building |
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| Alternative names | The Merchants Exchange |
| General information | |
| Type | Commercial offices |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| Location | 465 California Street San Francisco, California |
| Coordinates | 37°47′34″N 122°24′08″W / 37.792721°N 122.40215°W |
| Completed | 1904 |
| Height | |
| Architectural | 225 ft (69 m) |
| Roof | 195 ft (59 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 15 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Daniel Burnham Willis Polk |
The Merchants Exchange Building is a famous office building in San Francisco, California. It is located at 465 California Street. The building was finished in 1904. Today, it is owned by a real estate investor named Clint Reilly.
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History of the Merchants Exchange Building
The name "Merchants Exchange" actually refers to three different buildings in San Francisco's past. The first building was on Battery Street. The next two buildings were built at the current spot on California Street. This is between Montgomery Street and Leidesdorff Alley.
Earlier Merchants Exchange Buildings
The very first Merchants Exchange building was on Battery Street. It was a three-story brick building. It was built in 1851. This building was home to the Merchants Exchange. This was a group of city traders and business people.
The building had a library and a meeting room. In the meeting room, there were updates on ships arriving with goods. Watchmen on the roof would send messages about incoming ships. This helped merchants quickly go to the docks to meet them.
The second building was on California Street. It was also three stories tall. This building was designed in the Beaux-Arts style. Since it was further from the water, it had a tall tower. This tower was used to watch for ships. This building was later replaced by the fifteen-story skyscraper in 1904. That skyscraper is the building we see today.
Design and Survival of the Skyscraper
The current skyscraper was designed by architects Daniel Burnham and Willis Polk. It was built in the Beaux-Arts style. It has a modern steel frame inside. The outside is made of Tennessee granite and brick.
The building was made to do many of the same things as the older buildings. It also worked as a modern office building. It had a big meeting room, which is now a bank. It also had an observation tower, but that is gone today. When it was built, it was one of the tallest buildings in the city.
The Merchants Exchange Building was one of the few buildings to survive the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. However, it was badly damaged. The city leaders believed that fixing it quickly would give people hope. Architect Willis Polk helped with the repairs. He worked with a new architect named Julia Morgan.
Morgan designed the new lobby. It had a skylight and was made of marble. This lobby led to the great hall. Morgan designed the hall's marble columns and its special ceiling. She also designed the vaulted skylights.
Julia Morgan also asked a famous artist, William Coulter, to paint five large murals for the hall. Each mural is 16 by 18 feet. They all show scenes of sailing ships. This hall was once the main meeting room. Today, it is used by California Bank & Trust. Morgan's designs can also be seen on the outside of the building. She designed the Beaux-Arts lamps and bronze eagles.
In 1907, Julia Morgan moved her office to the thirteenth floor of the building. Her old office was destroyed by the earthquake. She worked from this building for the rest of her career.
The fifteenth floor of the Merchants Exchange Building was home to the Commercial Club. This was a place where city politicians and important people met. They would discuss important issues. After the 1906 earthquake, Mayor James Rolph held meetings here. He planned for the 1915 Pan-Pacific Exposition. He also raised money for it here. After some updates in 1995, the Club was renamed the Julia Morgan Ballroom.
See also
In Spanish: Merchants Exchange Building (San Francisco) para niños
