Real Estate

Downtown’s Next Big Restaurant Will Be in the Historic Telephone Building

Timothy Pflueger's 1925 Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Building has been vacant since being sold by AT&T in 2007
Timothy Pflueger’s 1925 Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Building has been vacant since being sold by AT&T in 2007 Photo: Wonderlane/Flickr

A prominent new piece of restaurant real estate in a historic building is being shopped around to some of the biggest chefs in San Francisco. The 26-story Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Building at 140 New Montgomery, built in 1925, is undergoing a major renovation and earthquake retrofit — the largest of its kind on the West Coast for a historic skyscraper — and we had heard about a few prominent chefs and restaurateurs were being given tours of the downstairs. Now the Journal confirms that Ferry Building developer Wilson Meany Sullivan has had some interest from several unnamed restaurateurs in the larger of two retail spaces off of the main lobby, which is getting restored to its elaborate Art Deco glory.

The building was designed by renowned architect Timothy Pflueger, and is one of only a few Art Deco buildings remaining in S.F.’s downtown. It has been vacant since being sold by AT&T; to Wilson Meany Sullivan in 2007, and requires major seismic upgrades.

After delaying their plans due to the financial crisis, WMS are now planning to convert some of the floors into 118 luxury condo units, and build out 280,000 square feet of offices as well.

The completion of the project, and the arrival of a potential restaurant, could be summer of 2013. File under: Developing. We’ll keep you informed as soon as someone bites…

New Call by Developer on Historic Tower [WSJ]

Downtown’s Next Big Restaurant Will Be in the Historic Telephone Building