NoeHill: San Francisco Architects

Lewis Parsons Hobart (1873-1954)

Union Oil Company Building
Union Oil Company Building
I do not know the provenance of this photograph. It was given to me by a relative who lives in Berkeley, California. Her father was a mechanical engineer who worked on large projects in Los Angeles, Honolulu and San Francisco. He probably contributed to the structural integrity of this building.

Lewis Parsons Hobart was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He attended preparatory schools, UC Berkeley, the American Academy in Rome and École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. While in Berkeley, he attended drawing classes taught by Bernard Maybeck.

After returning from Europe, Hobart worked in New York until 1906 when he moved to San Francisco to open his own office and help rebuild the city after the 1906 Earthquake and Fire.

In 1932, Hobart became the first President of the San Francisco Arts Commission. He was a member of the Board of Architects for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island.

At least seven of Hobart's buildings in San Francisco have been demolished: Firemen's Fund Insurance Company Building at California and Sansome in 1968; Underwood Building at 525 Market Street in 1973; Federal Savings Building at Post and Kearny in 1986; Cathedral House at Grace Cathedral in 1993; Union Oil Company Building in 2005; California Academy of Sciences and Steinhart Aquarium in Golden Gate Park in 2005.

Hobart's most prominent surviving work is Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill. The cathedral is a San Francisco Landmark.

La Dolphine in Hillsborough is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

You can view Hobart's buildings in chronological order here, or use a link in the following table to visit a specific property.

Name Year Address City Sort Address Sort Name
James Bong Building1908825-833 Market StreetSan FranciscoMarket 0825James Bong Building
Jewelers Building1908150 Post StreetSan FranciscoPost 0150Jewelers Building
Postal Telegraph Building190822 Battery Street San FranciscoBattery 0022Postal Telegraph Building
White Investment Company Building1908280 Battery StreetSan FranciscoBattery 0280White Investment Company Building
Residence190920 & 40 Presidio TerraceSan FranciscoPresidio Terrace 0020Residence
Federal Savings Building (Demolished 1986)1910Post and KearnySan FranciscoPost 0200Federal Savings Building (Demolished 1986)
Grant Mansion (Villa Rose)19102260 Redington RoadHillsboroughRedington 2260Grant Mansion (Villa Rose)
Newhall Building1910260 California StreetSan FranciscoCalifornia 0260Newhall Building
Crocker Mansion191180 New Place RoadHillsboroughNew Place 0080Crocker Mansion
Cathedral House (Demolished 1993)19121051 Taylor StreetSan FranciscoTaylor 1051Cathedral House (Demolished 1993)
George A. Bos Apartments19131050 Green StreetSan FranciscoGreen 1050George A. Bos Apartments
Rosecourt (Cameron Mansion)1913815 Eucalyptus AvenueHillsboroughEucalyptus 0815Rosecourt (Cameron Mansion)
Firemen's Fund Building (Demolished 1968)1914California and SansomeSan FranciscoCalifornia 0425Firemen's Fund Building (Demolished 1968)
Underwood Building (Demolished 1973)1914525 Market StreetSan FranciscoMarket 0525Underwood Building (Demolished 1973)
California Academy of Sciences (Demolished 2005)1915Golden Gate ParkSan FranciscoGolden Gate ParkCalifornia Academy of Sciences (Demolished 2005)
La Dolphine (Newhall Estate)19151760 Manor DriveHillsboroughManor 1760La Dolphine (Newhall Estate)
Lockwood Elementary School19156701 International BlvdOaklandInternational 6701Lockwood Elementary School
Ehrman House19162970 BroadwaySan FranciscoBroadway 2970Ehrman House
University of California Hospital1917505 Parnassus AvenueSan FranciscoParnassus 0505University of California Hospital
Y.W.C.A.1918620 Sutter StreetSan FranciscoSutter 0620Y.W.C.A.
Residence19202421 BroadwaySan FranciscoBroadway 2421Residence
Alexander Building1921149-157 Montgomery Street San FranciscoMontgomery 0149Alexander Building
Apartment Building19211055 California StreetSan FranciscoCalifornia 1055Apartment Building
Monteagle House19212516 Pacific AvenueSan FranciscoPacific 2516Monteagle House
Residence19213424 Jackson StreetSan FranciscoJackson 3424Residence
Steinhart Aquarium (Demolished 2005)1923Golden Gate ParkSan FranciscoGolden Gate ParkSteinhart Aquarium (Demolished 2005)
Building at 660 Market Street1924660 Market StreetSan FranciscoMarket 0660Building at 660 Market Street
Fleishhacker Zoo1925Sloat BoulevardSan FranciscoSloatFleishhacker Zoo
Hotel Del Monte1925Naval Postgraduate SchoolMontereyNavalHotel Del Monte
Tobin House19252108 Washington StreetSan FranciscoWashington 2108Tobin House
Grace Cathedral 19281100 California StreetSan FranciscoCalifornia 1100Grace Cathedral
Macy's Department Store1928101 Stockton Street San FranciscoStockton 0101Macy's Department Store
Selbach & Deans Building1928340-344 PineSan FranciscoPine 0340Selbach & Deans Building
William Taylor Hotel1929100-120 McAllister StreetSan FranciscoMcAllister 0100William Taylor Hotel
Bohemian Club1930625 Taylor Street San FranciscoTaylor 0625Bohemian Club
Mills Tower1931220 Bush StreetSan FranciscoBush 0220Mills Tower
Diocesan House19351055 Taylor StreetSan FranciscoTaylor 1055Diocesan House
Christ Episcopal Church193915th and H StreetsEureka Street 15Christ Episcopal Church
Union Oil Company Building (Demolished)1941425 First StreetSan Francisco!Street 01 425Union Oil Company Building (Demolished)
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