Historic Preservation Commission backs landmarking of R.L. Goldberg Building, forwards recommendation to Board of Supervisors

The San Francisco Historic Preservation Commission voted unanimously Dec. 17 to recommend Article 10 landmark designation for 182–198 Gough Street, historically known as the R.L. Goldberg Building, and to forward the recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.

Planning Department preservation staffer Jonathan Lamers told commissioners the designation report was revised since the last hearing to reflect the Commission’s finding that the building is eligible for landmark designation “for its significant architectural expression rather than its association with Rube Goldberg.” Lamers said staff removed interior residential character-defining features from the draft and refined the list of exterior features, including paneled ceilings and decorative vents at storefronts, linear tile accents at bulkheads, a hip-roof skylight with wire-glass glazing at 190 Gough Street, and a bead-and-lozenge tile accent and paneled soffit at the corner commercial entry. Staff also prepared an Appendix A listing owners and occupants through time to identify any connections with writers or musicians.

Lamers said the revised draft landmark ordinance — updated after consultation with the city attorney — was not printed in the packet but had been emailed to commissioners and copies were available at the hearing. He told the panel the department had received one email from a neighborhood resident opposing designation, and that the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association had submitted a letter of support.

Members of Goldberg’s extended family and neighborhood supporters spoke in favor. An unidentified public commenter read excerpts from a letter by Jeffrey George, describing family memories of Rube Goldberg living and working in the building and urging the commission to landmark the property: “My father remembered visiting his grandfather Max there…After seeing the photos, he remembered 1 trip out west…It brought my dad right back to his childhood.” Another commenter described recent family losses and said preservation would protect a piece of San Francisco history.

After public comment a commissioner moved to adopt the recommendation to forward the designation to the Board of Supervisors; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously, with Commissioners Hyland, Jonk/Jeong, Johns, Matsuda, Perlman (listed in the record as Pearlman in one place), Wolfram and Commission President Haas voting yes. Lamers said that if the board approves the recommendation it will go first to the Land Use and Economic Development Committee and then to the full Board of Supervisors for final action.

The commission’s recommendation does not itself impose landmark controls; it sends the revised designation ordinance and supporting report to the Board of Supervisors for the next steps in the local legislative process.