San Francisco, CA

140 New Montgomery Street

Scope/Solutions

Completed in the mid-1920s, 140 New Montgomery Street is one of the early skyscrapers built in San Francisco. The Art Deco high-rise, originally known as the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Building, served as the headquarters for the utility for nearly eighty years. Wilson Meany purchased the building and sought to renovate the iconic structure to offer premier office space. SGH consulted on the exterior waterproofing and restoration of the facade, which is primarily clad with glazed terra-cotta.

The renovated office building features an urban garden, a new restaurant at the ground floor, and exterior lighting to showcase the restored facade.

On behalf of the owner, SGH conducted a comprehensive condition assessment of the brick and terra-cotta building enclosure, including the existing steel windows. We water tested the original windows, some of which were previously repaired, and ultimately recommended that the windows should be replaced as part of the rehabilitation.

Following the assessment, SGH collaborated with the rehabilitation design team, led by Perkins & Will and provided waterproofing recommendations. We designed the following repairs that conformed to the City of San Francisco Planning Code and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

  • Replacement of deteriorated steel windows with new aluminum windows that match the appearance of the original windows
  • Refurbishment of select existing steel windows
  • Rehabilitation of the glazed terra-cotta and brick cladding that included stabilization and in situ patching
  • Replacement of low-sloped roofs, steep-sloped roofs, and plaza waterproofing

SGH performed construction administration services for the building enclosure.

Project Summary

completion-date

2008

Completion Date
building-size

370K

Project Size
award-winner

AWARD

Winner
Solutions
Repair & Rehabilitation | Preservation
Services
Building Enclosures
Markets
Commercial
Client(s)
Perkins & Will
Specialized Capabilities
Condition Assessments | Preservation | Roofing & Waterproofing

Key team members

Carolyn Searls
Carolyn Searls
Senior Principal