650 California Street

Located prominently in San Francisco’s Financial District, 650 California Street is a 33-story office tower originally designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in 1964 and has been altered several times since its completion. The renovation at 650 California included an enlarged new lobby with a minimal glass façade and plaza. In maintaining the pureness of the initial design, MdeAS preserved the original travertine of the interior lobby core and reused it to clad the new side walls of the enlarged lobby as well as the podium. The modernization project also included new lighting in the public plaza around the property and a brilliant white coating to the existing façades.

Address 650 California Street

City San Francisco, CA

Year 2013

Size 461,000 sq ft

Client Tishman Speyer

Sweeping Views of the Bay

“The building at 650 California is an iconic part of San Francisco’s architectural heritage and preserving that character was essential to the new owners,” said Raúl de Armas, a principal with the firm. “Working closely with the team at Tishman Speyer, this renovation significantly modernizes the property while keeping the essence of its character intact.”

The property is LEED® Gold certified and features extraordinary unobstructed views of both the Bay and San Francisco. The property overlooks the height-restricted historical areas of Nob Hill, Chinatown, and Telegraph Hill, ensuring continuity of the spectacular views from as low as the 6th floor as well as maximum natural light.