Woman's Athletic Club of San Francisco
Also known as: Metropolitan Club
Why it's listed
Located at 640 Sutter Street near Union Square in San Francisco, this six-story clubhouse was built for the Woman's Athletic Club in two phases, completed in 1917 and 1923. Bliss & Faville designed it in an Italian Renaissance style modeled on Florentine palazzi and a New York library by McKim, Mead & White. The street facade combines red brick, cream terra cotta, wrought iron balconies and a red-tile roof. Inside are a swimming pool, a tennis court, more than 80 hotel rooms, and dining rooms and lounges on the ceremonial fourth floor. The club was the first women's athletic club west of Chicago and, after the 1923 expansion, the largest in the country. It reflected the Women's Club Movement and helped spark a women's club district in San Francisco during the 1920s. Its period of significance runs from 1917 to 1954. Despite the loss of some balcony portions and a few interior changes, the building retains a high degree of integrity and continues to serve as a club and hotel.
Significance in brief: The club was the first women's athletic club west of Chicago when it opened in 1917 and the largest in the country after its 1923 expansion. It was a distinctive building type produced by the Women's Club Movement. Its construction also catalyzed a women's club district in San Francisco in the 1920s.
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 04000955, listed September 10, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 640 Sutter St., San Francisco |
|---|---|
| County | San Francisco |
| Listed | September 10, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000955 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1917-1954 |
| Architect / builder | Bliss & Faville (architects); Caius Tacitus Ryland built the original 1917 portion |
| Architectural style | Italian Renaissance |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a clubhouse, sports facility and hotel (the Metropolitan Club); retains a high degree of integrity apart from removed balcony portions and minor interior alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Lower Nob Hill Apartment Hotel District |
| Coordinates | 37.78899, -122.41063 (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 04000955.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q125759066
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.