285 Turk Street Melds 1920s Elegance and Modern Convenience

Few urban areas embody the interplay of old and new more than the Tenderloin in San Francisco. The district is a vibrant hub of present-day action against a historical backdrop; even its oldest buildings are caught in a constant state of renovation and reimagination as generations shift and local interests change.

Mosser Companies’ apartment building at 285 Turk Street models the Tenderloin’s classic-yet-changeable spirit perfectly. With its Art Deco facade and ornate iron gate, the building holds the exuberant soul of the Booming Twenties in the shining panes of its cheerful bay windows. The building has been lovingly maintained and updated for modern needs, and its restorations have managed to add a twenty-first-century polish to 285 Turk Street without ever compromising the building’s innate architectural elegance.

Residents of the building enjoy the best of old and new; they can appreciate the aesthetics of a classic building without sacrificing the conveniences of a younger residential complex. Today, every one of 285 Turk Street’s 42 units boasts gleaming stainless steel appliances - including a microwave and dishwasher - as well as gleaming granite countertops in the kitchen and bathroom. The bay windows are polished to a shine, allowing sunlight to brighten the expansive interior spaces. All of the updates are careful to emphasize, rather than detract, from the unique charm of the original building.

It is worth noting that while 285 Turk Street is unique in its way, its blend of old and new is in fact characteristic of its neighbors. This is due in part to its history; in 1906, the Tenderloin was rattled and very nearly burned to the ground after suffering an earthquake and weathering a series of fires. The district was rebuilt the following year and quickly gained a reputation for its 1920s style and spirit - the area was infamous for its excitement, arts, and vice. Over time, the region began to veer away from its relatively homogenous identity to adopt distinctive flairs from the diverse cultures of its residents. The thriving enclave of Little Saigon, for example, developed after Vietnamese and other Southeast Asians set down roots in the early 1970s.

The Tenderloin is always on the move - architecturally, culturally, and creatively. Much of the region’s identity and charm lies in its tendency towards reinvention and innovative thinking.

Consider the evolution of the Golden Gate Theatre. The Art Deco-styled performance house opened in 1922 as a vaudeville theatre and quickly established a reputation as one of San Francisco’s premier venues for high-profile acts. It hosted Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and even the Three Stooges - but its status as a theatre didn’t last. In 1954, the elegance of the original theatre was summarily torn up and replaced by two conventional movie screens and an escalator.

If the theatre hadn’t been in the constantly-evolving Tenderloin, this shift in identity might have been the Golden Gate Theatre’s last. In 1979, however, the building underwent yet another transformation and was restored to its original theatrical glory. The structure maintains its classic theatre aesthetic to this day - albeit with a twist. While the bottommost floors are still utilized for entertainment, the top seven levels of the theatre are now used as a collaborative workspace by approximately 200 startups and small businesses.

A city is defined by the needs of its residents. As each new generation brings new ideas, interests, and priorities into their residential and public spaces, they imbue long-standing buildings with new life. Like the Golden Gate Theatre, 285 Turk Street offers a delightful study of old and new intertwined; it’s a space that retains its history without ever being afraid to look towards the future.

285 Turk Street is a similarly delightful study in contradictions; a space embedded in history, but unafraid to look towards the future.