Borel & Co.
The Borel & Co. building is a small, two story, granite-faced, steel frame building at 440 Montgomery in San Francisco, California. The city designated it San Francisco Landmark number 109 on April 6, 1980.[1]
History
The Borel Company Building was commissioned by Switzerland born banker and diplomat, Antoine Borel. Although he generally thought of as a commercial bank, the type of service offered was more closely related to investment services. Borel held directorates in the California-Oregon Power Company, the Los Angeles Railroad, The Spring Valley Water Company, and the Bank of California. In 1884, Borel organized a syndicate to purchase the California Street Cable Car line which had been in operation since 1878. It was largely through Borel's efforts that the company expanded its operations by construction of the Hyde Street Line.
Design
The building was designed by Albert Pissis, It exemplifies the Beaux Arts architecture commercial classicism strongly evident in the reconstruction of downtown San Francisco following the 1906 earthquake and fire.
The Corinthian façade begins the colonnaded parade of temple banks that runs northward from Montgomery Street to Columbus Avenue. The building is only 27.5 feet wide, and while this narrow façade offered less opportunity for innovation than would a larger street frontage, it demanded greater innovation to achieve architectural excellence.
References
- ↑ "San Francisco Landmarks" (PDF). San Francisco Preservation Bulletin, Appendix A to Article 10 List of Designated Landmarks. San Francisco Planning Department. January–March 2014. p. 1384. Retrieved December 27, 2017.