The San Francisco call., 1906-05-16
Class "A" EdifiCes Are
to Be Shown Favor
in All Gases.
Little Changes Are to Be
Made in Proposed
Fire Limits.

Al yesterdays meeting OF the COM
rnittee on the revision Of building laws
It was finally decided TO place no limit
on the height OF class A structures
where the street is 100 or more feet IN
width. on streets between so and 100
feet wide the height Of the buildings
viii be limited to about 200 feet, and on
streets less than so feet wide the height
Of structures VIII not be more than
one and one-half times the width OF
The street. This latter provision would
not permit Of the erection Of more than
liye-stOry structures on Sansome,
Front. Battery, California, Sacramento,
Clay and Kearny streets.
The committee feels that Il might be
induced TO allow a little more latitude
Il the property owners are willing TO
meet them half way and cut off slices
from their frontages 10 permit of the
widening of streets. Some owners with
a few parcels OF land seem inclined TO
refuse 10 sacrifice an inch of frontage
property 70 aid in the beautification of
the city.
Nathan Delbanco, representing prop
erty owners, appeared before the com
rnittee TO protest against the extension
Of the fire limits TO Polk street. The
builders showed that dreproof con-
struction would cost only about ten
per cent more than wooden buildings,
and r H. Porter of the underwriters
added that insurance would be raised
for the latter class of structures. Dell
banco departed with a delegation
somewhat modified and the recon-
niendation as 10 fire limits remained
unchanged,
On the representations Of John Ton
ningsen 1t was decided TO recommend
that the fire limits between Twelfth
and Thirteenth streets be not
extended farther south than a
line extended from the center of
Ninna street parallel with How
ard. The previous plan was 10 ex-
tend the limits to Howard street. Abe
Ruef remarked, See what a pull John
has" II was announced that Bush
instead Of Pine street would be recon-
mended as a boulevard, so the fire limit
line was withdrawn from 136 feet north
Of Pine street TO the center of that
thOroughfare.
W. H. Leahy recommended that all
corridors of theaters be made flush
with the sidewalks, that open courts
be constructed around the sides Of
amusement places and that the con-
struction be practically all class A.
The report was adopted
Supervisor Duffy said his committee
was satisfied with the present plumb
inc ordinance.
jeremiah Deneen said his subcom-
mittee recommended that the height of
frame buildings be not greater than
fOrty-1ive feet. It was also recon-
Inended that no frame building be al
lowed 10 consist of more than three
stories. Such q provision would pre-
vent the erection Of low-ceiling death
traps.
The Vulcan Iron Works and the
Golden State Miners Association (the
latter a miners implements manufac-
turing concern) sent representatives to
protest against making the fire laws
apply 10 factories. It was openly
threatened that unless the committee
would permit the erection of inflam-
maole factories, in which, il was un-
derstood the employees would be
housed the concerns would move
across the bay 10 Oakland. The manu-
1actureIs. II was represented. could not
stand the expense of putting up fire.
resisting buildings The committee
took the matter under advisement
The following suggestions by Charles
Peter Weeks. an architect, were sub
mitted 10 the committee by James D.
Phelan:
A city Is a business center.
Business depends for its SUCCESS on
system
A system IL an arrangement that
can grow with business growth.
san Francisco viii grow.
Market street, before the fire, was too
crowded 20 perform its function as the
main artery OF q system
The future demands another artery.
Market street can drain and supply
the western Addition and Richmond
Let us parallel II with Bryant street.
equal In width and running straight
from the water front 10 Dolores street.
10 drain and supply the Mission and
South San Francisco.
A wide cross street from Market 70
Bryant as the upper end Of Market
street and a widening OF the water
'front.' viii thus inclcse a rectangie
which is destined to become the future
business part Of San Francisco. Why7
Because IT is the only level part of San
Francisco.
Cross this rectangle with widened
streets. First Third, Fifth and Eighth.
Eighth is where the City Hall is.
Widen Eighth street to a mag
nihcent boulevard extending from
Market 20 Bryant. At Bryant street,
opposite the City Hall, locate the grand
central station, and you viii have
planned for a magnificent civic center.
Along this spacious boulevard locate
the public buildings
AT Van Ness and Market run another
wide street to Bryant Extend the
panhandle TO Van Ness and Market
and run A new street from this inter
section TO the Preside at Preside ave-
nue. Run another diagonal from
the intersection of Bryant avenue and
Bryant street 10 the water front.
So much for the rectangle.
Now for the present business center
Of San Francisco. Widen Kearuy 70
California Run diagonal street from