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| The Queen Anne Hotel |
This more than century-old Victorian stands among several prominent San Francisco landmarks built by Senator James G Fair. One of the Comstock Lode Silver “Kings”, Senator King left many reminders of his passion for grand architecture. However, The Queen Anne’s beginnings were not quite so ostentatious. Built in 1890, the building originally housed Miss Mary Lake’s Finishing School for Girls which offered upper class young women an opportunity to groom themselves for future roles in San Francisco Society. Two of Miss Mary Lake’s pupils were Senator Fair’s daughters, Virginia (Birdie) and Tessie, who later built the venerable Fairmont hotel atop Nob Hill, to their famous father’s honor.
The school officially opened on 15 February 1890. Even for the day when the Victorian Architecture was more the rule than the exception, the building was hailed for its originality of design and praised for the quality of construction and innovative features. Much media attention was given to the various craftsmen involved in the project to create the imposing structure. The architects were Schulze & Meeker, who also designed another existing landmark in San Francisco, the Flood building at 1870 Market Street.
The San Francisco Newsletter reported on the building’s “handsome and imposing entrance on Sutter Street”, “staircases of the finest Spanish Cedar”, “stained glass work of the most artistic character...” This attention to detail became particularly significant some 16 years later. Narrowly escaping complete devastation during the infamous earthquake and fir of 1906, the Queen Anne was just two blocks away from the fire wall, many of the original accouterments are still evident today. Even the floor plan, modified slightly to add modern bathrooms, is remarkably like Miss Mary Lake’s school.
The main entrance to the building at that time was Scotch granite steps leading to the second floor entry door facing Sutter Street. The main door and its overhead Transom were embellished with stained glass panels created by San Francisco craftsmen, Thomas C. Butterworth.
The first floor was a bit different from how it appears today. The Lobby and the Salon used to be the site of an “infants classroom” seating 65 students. The Parlour is the original gymnasium and both the classroom and the gymnasium were connected by sliding glass doors that were opened for commencement exercises and other student pageantry. The former pantry of the house is the current Boardroom, and the school’s dining room and kitchen operations are where the Library and present kitchen and hotel employee areas are today. The playground and separate servant quarters were located where an apartment building now stands on the corner of Octavia and Bush Streets.
The second floor was the area of principle activity and was laid out with extensive consideration of the main entrance and the central grand staircase. Separating the front door and the activities in this floor was a “Moorish grille work screen” with carved seating areas, all made of English Oak. The main hallway has the existing inlaid floor parquetry of strong geometric pattern and five- foot high panelling of carved oak. The grand staircase on the main floor is also made of carved oak.
The balance of rooms on this level were approximately 28 feet by 28 feet each and included three large connecting drawing rooms with stained glass windows, a music room, library with stained glass windows, a history room, art room, a mathematics room and there large general classrooms.
The third and fourth floors were primarily designed as dormitories for the sixty-five to seventy student boarders. Each sleeping unit was designed in different colors and there were “inglenooks” and fireplaces everywhere with views from all bay windows. “One can imagine the pastoral views of the time in the Western Addition”. Each residential area had large toilet rooms, closets, and specific storage areas that could each hold up to five huge Saratoga trunks and all the paraphernalia that would accompany each young girl. Because of the size of the trunk, a large power trunk lift was installed near the Octavia Street rear entrance, along side of the exterior laundry chute. s The floor also contained an infirmary and a large medicine closet at its sunniest corner
The staircases on these levels were created of Spanish Cedar and inlaid floor parquetry was simplified. The attic was another trunks storage area and the entire staircase was illuminated overhead by a giant skylight installed on the roof. All woods were naturally finished and the windows were equipped with built in shades that were specified as “Hill Patent Sliding Blinds” – an innovation in 1890, Nine years after the school opened, the building was sold to “The Cosmos”. This exclusive gentlemen’s club, about which little is known, was certainly a major departure from the buildings prim and proper occupants. Guarding their privacy zealously for twelve years (much to the consternation of some San Francisco historians), the Cosmos eventually sold the building to the Episcopal Diocese who founded the “Girls Friendly Society Lodge’.
Its purpose was to serve as a home and haven for young working women though it later became a co-ed establishment. Of all the buildings occupants, the lodge was to leave the most evidence of its existence. A safe, with the name lettered in gold, was unearthed during the restoration of the building and is now on display in the Parlour. A printed flyer with a picture of The Lodge was also recovered and hangs in the Telephone Booth, a former confession booth.
The Diocese Lodge was also to be the longest tenant, nearly 25 years. The church sold the property after World War 11. But as years passed, without the interest of any subsequent occupant in preserving the former school for historical reasons, the building ran down and eventually closed. it was boarded up for most of the 1970’s, later to emerge, in a very unique manner, into one of the many small hotels for newcomers to The City.
In 1980, the now defunct K.R.V. Company purchased the property, brought it up to meet San Francisco’s stringent building codes, and gave it a new identity, the ‘Queen Anne’. Work began immediately to renovate and restore it to meet the codes while salvaging the unique ambience of the building. Fifty preservation professionals laboured on the project over the course of a year, tediously stripping away six coats of enamel paint from all woodworks and reopening the many fireplace flues that were long covered for the sake of easier maintenance.
Interior walls were moved and sound-proofed to provide the new accommodations with private and modern bathrooms, new plumbing and wiring. Special fire and safety feature were installed. Through the years, architects and interior designers sought to keep as much of the original flavour of the building as possible, including marble sinks and original moulding and medallions.
The Queen Anne officially opened on 15 April 1981 as a small luxury hotel. Each of its 48 rooms and suites were individually decorated with colors complimentary to the various architecture; features and furnishings. The final installation included modern digital telephones with voicemail alerts, queen or king sized bedding, remote controlled cable TV, hair dryers, and an extension telephone in the bathroom. Bay window were turned into breakfast nooks and in some rooms a platform was installed to create a stage for particular antique seating. Fourteen of the rooms contain wood burning fireplaces and the popular Honeymoon “Garden” Suite has two of them. All rooms include an elegant private bathroom and some feature original marble sink wet bars. Some rooms lack a closet but have the convenience of beautiful antique armoires and dressers instead. Some distinctive in-room features have brass plaques noting their origins.
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| The Queen Anne Hotel |
The exterior was modified somewhat to allow easier ghotuest access and hotel operations. The crumbling steps were removed and a new entrance was created on the ground level. To compliment the restored grand staircase a modern and spacious elevator was installed and decorated with fine oak panelling, textured Victorian wall covering, and its very own crystal chandelier.
In 1983, the Queen Anne was awarded the coveted Four Star Award for Excellence, making this luxury boutique hotel the smallest property to achieve this honor in the city of San Francisco. Shortly after, public space restoration of the Queen Anne was completed to create the Salon and the Boardroom for executive conferences and elegant related events.
Queen Anne Hotel
1590 Sutter Street, San Francisco, California 94109Contact: 415-441-2828 Fax: 415-775-5212
Email: stay@queenanne.com
Website: http://www.queenanne.com/
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