The Hills Bros. Coffee plant, at 2 Harrison,
began to phase out of its primary
coffee bean roasting function at an opportune time in San Francisco’s real estate history. Industrial and
commercial buildings were in abundance while Hills Plaza was being refurbished; however, there was a high
need for residential buildings to house the influx of workers. Since the opening of the residences at 75
Folsom Street, the surrounding area has seen the razing of the Embarcadero freeway, the addition of Muni
light rail, AT&T Park, the Ferry Building re-opening, and new high-rise luxury developments from Rincon Hill
to Mission Street.
The history and beauty of the Hills Bros. Coffee plant has made it an official San Francisco city landmark.
Developers of Hills Plaza at the time struck a deal with city officials to add 10 additional floors of residential
units to sit atop the existing structure’s commercial space.
About the Architect:
George William Kelham was born in Massachusetts, Harvard-educated, and graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He was given a
special assignment from his architecture firm, Trowbridge & Livingston in New York City, to work on the rebuilding of the Palace Hotel after the 1906 earthquake.
He served as the Chief Architect for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, the legacy of which remains in the Palace of Fine Arts and the Bill Graham
Civic Auditorium. He went on to build some of the most recognizable and influential buildings of his era in San Francisco, as well as serving as the supervising
architect for the University of California, Berkeley and University of California, Los Angeles campuses.
A HIGHLY COVETED PENTHOUSE AT 75 FOLSOM IS ADDED TO YOUR RESIDENTIAL PORTFOLIO.
A 21-story residential tower is built as part of the adaptive re-use development.
Morgan Stanley purchases Hills Plaza as an investment, stating the property is in the "path to growth."
University of Pennsylvania 's San Francisco branch of the Wharton School of Business m oves into Hills Plaza .
Google subleases office space within the building.
Sara Lee purchases Hills Bros. from Nestle .
2005
1999
2007
2004
1976
1989
1992
2012
2022
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
Mozilla Firefox moves into a corner space at Hills Plaza , previously anchored by Gordon Biersch Brewing Company.
Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA , a coffee centric brand, buys the rights of Hills Bros. Coffee .
Made with FlippingBook Publishing Software