115 Sansome

Designed in 1912 by Benjamin Greer McDougall for the Standard Oil Company, 115 Sansome is located at the corner of Bush and Sansome Streets in the Financial District of San Francisco. This fourteen-story building has a three-part architectural composition detailed in the Beaux-Arts style. The base of the building is clad with Colusa Sandstone, the mid section is primarily buff colored pressed brick accented with cream colored glazed terra cotta window lintels and sills, and the top section consists of two tiers of double floor height engaged terra cotta columns surmounted by a copper cornice.

ARG Conservation Services was retained by the Swig Company to review the conditions of the south façade at 115 Sansome Street. The building was exhibiting spalling and exfoliation of the sandstone as well as cracking of the brick and terra cotta. Through surveying and testing, ARG/CS determined that the cracking was caused by corroding metal within the building. ARG/CS implemented temporary repairs to secure the building, as well as long-term repairs to address the root causes of the distress in a historically sensitive manner.