Thomas Paterson Ross was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and immigrated to San Francisco in 1890.

After the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, Ross partnered with engineer A. W. Burgren. They designed a number of residential and commercial buildings throughout San Francisco.

His career was cut short in 1922. While inspecting construction of the Union League Club at 555 Post Street his skull was fractured by falling bricks. He survived and lived until 1957, but he was unable to work. He died on April 26, 1957 at the age of 84.

The Sing Fat Building and the Sing Chong Building, at the intersection of Grant Avenue and California Street, mark the entrance to pre-1906 Chinatown. Old St. Mary's Church is also at this intersection.

Ross was the first architect to design Chinese inspired buildings in Chinatown, a practice which became common after the 1906 Earthquake and Fire.

You can view buildings designed by Ross in chronological order here, or use a link in the following table to visit a specific property.