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Historic commission supports National Register nomination for Japanese YWCA Ise Women's Building
Summary
The commission adopted a resolution endorsing the National Register nomination for the Japanese YWCA (1830 Sutter), citing its local significance to Japanese American women's history and ties to African American civil rights and early LGBTQ organizing; community groups and current stewards urged support.
The Historic Preservation Commission unanimously supported forwarding the National Register nomination for the Japanese YWCA Ise Women's Building at 1830 Sutter Street.
Staff explained the nomination documents the building's significance under Criterion A for Japanese ethnic heritage and social history and for associations with African American civil rights and LGBTQ history; the building was designed by Julia Morgan and completed in 1932. Speakers from Nihonmachi Little Friends (current owners), APIA‑HIP and San Francisco Heritage described community efforts to retain and steward the building and emphasized its layered cultural history, including ties to Bayard Rustin and the Mattachine Society.
Commissioners discussed the nomination's emphasis on social history over architectural significance; staff noted the nomination could be revised to call out architectural authorship and to include oral histories. The commission adopted a resolution supporting the nomination and encouraged staff to include community suggestions in the transmittal to the State Office of Historic Preservation.
