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Commission initiates landmark designation for Burdett Building (90–92 Second St.) citing 1906 fire survival
Summary
Staff recommended initiating Article 10 landmark designation for the Burdett Building (90–92 Second Street), describing it as a rare surviving small-scale commercial building that remained largely intact after the 1906 earthquake and fire; the Commission voted to initiate the designation unanimously.
Planning staff presented a proposal to initiate landmark designation for the Burdett Building at 90–92 Second Street in the South of Market neighborhood. Jonathan Lammerse said the two-story brick commercial building, constructed 1903–1904 and designed by Bliss & Faville, survived the 1906 earthquake and fire with its contents and windows largely intact, making it a rare surviving example of pre‑1906 downtown commercial construction.
Staff said the building is eligible for Article 10 landmark designation because of its direct association with the 1906 disaster and its architectural significance as an example of early twentieth-century commercial construction; staff also noted existing photographic documentation taken before, during and after the fire offers interpretive opportunities. Staff reported no known public opposition so far and that outreach to property owners is ongoing; staff clarified owner support is not required to initiate designation under the code but would be sought before the Board of Supervisors hearing.
Commissioners debated the merits of initiating designation given conservation-district protections already in place and the building’s modest architectural profile. Some commissioners emphasized the building’s small scale and survival value amid new development pressures; others said cultural-story landmarking sometimes carries different priorities. After discussion, a motion to initiate landmark designation passed unanimously 7–0.
