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Land Use Committee forwards landmark nomination for 2031 Bush Street (Kimon Gakuen Building) to full Board
Summary
The Land Use Committee voted to send a positive recommendation to the full Board to designate 2031 Bush Street—the Kimon Gakuen Building—as an Article 10 landmark, citing the building’s 1926 origins and ties to the Japanese American community and World War II incarceration history.
The Land Use Committee voted to send a positive recommendation to the full Board of Supervisors for an ordinance to designate 2031 Bush Street—the Kimon Gakuen Building—as an Article 10 landmark.
Shannon Ferguson of the Planning Department told the committee the Historic Preservation Commission unanimously recommended designation and that the building’s period of significance runs from 1926 to 1952. "If designated, the building would become the first landmark in the city associated with San Francisco's Japanese American community," Ferguson said, summarizing the nomination.
The nomination packet says the building was constructed in 1926, served as a purpose-built community facility for the local Japanese American population, and was later used from 1942 to 1952 as the Booker T. Washington Community Services Center for African American youth. The Planning Department recommended designation of both exterior and interior character-defining features.
Richard Hashimoto, a board member of Kimon Gakuen, recounted the school’s origins (circa 1910–1912), interruption during World War II when the U.S. government seized the building for assembly and processing of Japanese American families, and the organization’s postwar struggle and perseverance. "For this reason, we're asking you to approve the landmark designation," Hashimoto said.
A public commenter identified as Steve described Japantown’s broader historical footprint and warned that some community members are denying that wartime incarceration occurred. "There are folks in our community now that try to deny that the concentration camps ever existed," he said.
Chair Aaron Peskin moved to send the item to the full Board with a positive recommendation; the motion was taken without objection. Clerk Erica Major noted items acted upon at the committee will appear on the October 8 Board of Supervisors agenda. The Planning Department also agreed to incorporate typographical corrections flagged by former Landmarks Board member Hisashi Sugaya into the case report.
The full Board will consider the ordinance and the Planning Department’s findings at its next scheduled meeting.
