Hale Brothers Department Store (Boundary Increase)
Why it's listed
Three service buildings south of the Hale Brothers Department Store at Market and Fifth Streets in San Francisco were added to the property's registered boundary. The warehouses at 36 Fifth Street and 423-27 and 429 Stevenson Street were built in 1924 and 1926 by and for Hale Brothers and sat across Stevenson Street alley from the six-story, reinforced concrete store of 1912, designed by the Reid Brothers. Two bridges connected them to the store until 1989. The ten-story building at 36 Fifth Street has stucco cladding, Classical Revival ornament and rustication that echoes the main store. The Stevenson Street buildings are plain concrete warehouses, with the lower floors of 423-27 built as a shell for a city firehouse. The main store was rehabilitated in 1985 for retail and office use. The listing recognizes the complex for its architecture and its role in commerce, with a significance period of 1912 to 1945.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the store contributes to the early twentieth century architectural character of Market Street and represents the work of the Reid Brothers. It is also tied to commerce and the development of the department store building type. The added warehouses supported the main store's operations.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 01000490, listed May 10, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 36 Fifth St., 423-27 and 429 Stevenson St., San Francisco |
|---|---|
| County | San Francisco |
| Listed | May 10, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000490 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912-1945 |
| Architect / builder | Reid Brothers - 901 Market Street |
| Architectural style | Late 19th/Early 20th Century Commercial Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The main building was rehabilitated in 1985 for combined retail and office use. The bridges linking the warehouses to the store were removed in 1989. The Mint Street elevation of 429 Stevenson is in poor condition, with nearly half its windows boarded up. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.78348, -122.40806 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 01000490.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.