Photography by Adam Rouse Photography
When it comes to San Francisco history, this Jackson Square building has more than its share. It’s constructed from lumber salvaged from the ships that clogged the bay when the enterprising 49ers rushed into the city and then to the Sierras to find their fortunes. Because pre-1906 records are spotty thanks to the legendary earthquake that leveled the city that year, no one is quite sure when it was built. But its original use was as a horse stable.
Before cars were commonplace in the City by the Bay, horses were quartered in common stables—something like an equine parking garage. In an ironic twist of fate, many of the large stables were converted into actual parking garages when cars became the dominant form of transportation.
There’s some evidence that this building went down that conversion track, but history didn’t stop there in this case. It’s been through many cycles of ownership, and has served as, among other things, an antiques store and an architecture office. Today, thanks to a recent renovation that marries the past to the present, it’s home to the investment bank Scenic Advisement.
