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Committee backs landmark designation for Rube Goldberg's Gough Street building
Summary
The committee forwarded a nomination to landmark 194 Gough Street (the R.L. Goldberg Building), citing its architectural integrity, association with cartoonist/inventor Rube Goldberg and intact early‑20th century storefronts; staff noted unanimous Historic Preservation Commission support and some written opposition.
The Land Use & Transportation Committee recommended the R.L. Goldberg Building at 194 Gough Street be designated a city landmark and advanced the nomination to the full Board.
Supervisor London Breed described the building's connection to Rube Goldberg and its survival of the 1906 earthquake. Planning preservation staff said the structure is an unusually intact example of early‑20th century mixed‑use architecture and noted the Historic Preservation Commission's unanimous recommendation (Resolution 742). Planning staff also recorded one written opposition and said the property owner had expressed a preference against landmarking.
Residents who live in the building urged designation to preserve the structure for future generations and to avoid demolition and replacement by market‑rate units. The committee voted to forward the nomination to the Board with a positive recommendation.
Planning staff cautioned that an unrelated Ellis Act eviction case involving the property's residents would not be resolved by landmarking and does not bear on the designation itself.
