Land Use Committee unanimously forwards initiation to landmark Diego Rivera fresco at 155 Sansom Street

San Francisco — The Land Use and Transportation Committee voted unanimously Monday to forward a resolution initiating landmark designation for Diego Rivera’s 1931 fresco "The Allegory of California," located at 155 Sansom Street, to the full Board of Supervisors. The committee’s positive recommendation sends the measure to the Board agenda on April 27, 2021.

Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who introduced the initiation, told the committee the work is an early Rivera piece installed inside the Stock Exchange Tower and visible in a public area of the City Club of San Francisco. "At the center is a huge female figure representing the state of California and Calafia," Peskin said, describing the composition and noting the mural was modeled in part on tennis star Helen Wills Moody. He said Rivera’s frescoes highlight blue-collar workers and figures important to California’s art and labor history.

The committee noted Planning Department staff were on standby to answer questions. Chair Myrna Melgar called for public comment; the clerk reported there were no callers in the queue. The committee then moved to consider the resolution; the clerk recorded the motion as offered by Vice Chair Dean Preston and called the roll. Preston, Peskin and Melgar each voted aye, and Chair Melgar declared the motion passed unanimously.

The resolution initiates landmark proceedings under Article 10 of the Planning Code and would next proceed to the full Board of Supervisors and, as applicable, to the Historic Preservation Commission for review. Committee clerk John Carroll told the panel that items acted on by committees would appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda of April 27, 2021.

The committee adjourned after the vote. Planning Department staff named during the discussion included Marcel Bordeaux, Baudreau and Pilar La Valle; Peskin thanked his staff member Lee Hepner for providing visual materials shown to the committee.