One Lombard Street
Also known as: Merchants Ice & Cold Storage; Union Can Co.
Why it's listed
One Lombard Street is a load-bearing brick warehouse at the corner of Battery and Lombard Streets in San Francisco, standing on filled land that was once part of the bay. Designed in 1900 and completed in 1901, it has three stories plus a partial attic, arched window openings, brick pilasters and a brick and terra cotta cornice. The Union Can Company first occupied it, and Merchants Ice & Cold Storage used it until 1975. Its significance rests on architecture. Willis Polk designed it while working with George W. Percy, and it was Polk's first warehouse and his move into large-scale commercial work. It is also the only industrial building produced by the Percy & Polk partnership. The design shows Polk's preference for Classical restraint and reflects a shift in industrial buildings toward balancing function with beauty. Windows were bricked over in 1924 and reopened in 1976, yet the exterior keeps a high level of integrity, and the heavy timber interior framing remains largely intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an excellent example of early twentieth-century industrial architecture and is tied to master architect Willis Polk. It was Polk's first warehouse and his first large-scale commercial work, and the only industrial building from the Percy & Polk partnership. It also shows a transitional period in industrial design, balancing function and beauty.
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 09001300, listed February 3, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1 Lombard St., San Francisco |
|---|---|
| County | San Francisco |
| Listed | February 3, 2010 |
| Reference number | 09001300 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-1901 |
| Architect / builder | Polk, Willis |
| Architectural style | Early 20th Century Industrial |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use for business and professional tenants since the 1970s. The exterior retains a high level of integrity and the interior timber framing is essentially intact. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Port of San Francisco Embarcadero Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.80400, -122.40199 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 09001300.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q133464780
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.