San Francisco's Iconic Art Deco Skyscraper Revitalized by Perkins+Will

SAN FRANCISCO, March 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The San Francisco office of architecture and design firm Perkins+Will announces the revitalization of 140 New Montgomery, San Francisco's iconic Art Deco high-rise. Constructed in 1925, 140 New Montgomery was one of the tallest skyscrapers on the West Coast at the time of its construction. The building was home to the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company for 80 years until Stockbridge Capital Group and its development partner Wilson Meany, LLC purchased the building and engaged Perkins+Will to help create the premier business address in the city to drive innovation. The revitalization of 140 New Montgomery sought to incorporate contemporary details and highly sustainable systems while highlighting the building's historic character and preserving key spaces.

"We are humbled to be a part of this historic and important project," said Cathy Simon, AIA, LEED AP, Principal for Perkins+Will. "It has been an honor to work on the revitalization of one of San Francisco's most celebrated buildings.  The building has a great story and we are excited to introduce new design elements while honoring the rich history and architectural detail of this landmark."

Along with the preservation and repair of the building's signature lobby, a key sign of the building's new life is the transformation of the former service courtyard into a sculpture garden and dining area for two high-end restaurants. Further amenities include extensive parking and showers for bikers, a restored historic central stair for tenant circulation, and the re-use of historic wood doors throughout the building. 140 New Montgomery was a telecommunications marvel upon its completion in 1925, and the revitalization continues that tradition with all of the mechanical, electric, plumbing and life safety systems upgraded and designed with flexibility, efficiency, and scalability in mind.

Sustainability was a key focus of the project and the LEED-certified project achieved Gold level certification. The original windows were replaced with high efficiency versions, preserving the building's historic integrity and retaining operability as well as providing tenants access to natural ventilation and extensive daylighting.

Many of the building's original details have been protected and highlighted in the rehabilitation including the historic "Bell" symbols in the lobby and elevator banks on each floor, executive board room wood paneling, and marble-clad staircases.

"We have a long history with Perkins+Will's San Francisco team, including its leadership in the renovation of the Ferry Building," said Chris Meany, managing partner of Wilson Meany, LLC.  "With the opportunity to re-craft 140 for today's leading businesses, we wanted to partner again with this accomplished team.  Perkins+Will provided exceptional skill and creativity in fully modernizing the building while maintaining its historic quality."

About Perkins+Will

Perkins+Will is an interdisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm established in 1935 and founded on the belief that design has the power to transform lives and enhance communities. Each of the firm's 24 offices focuses on local, regional and global work in a variety of practice areas. With hundreds of award-winning projects annually, Perkins+Will is ranked as one of the top global design firms. Perkins+Will is recognized as one of the industry's preeminent sustainable design firms due to its innovative research, design tools, and expertise. The firm's 1,500 professionals are thought leaders developing 21^st century solutions to inspire the creation of spaces in which clients and their communities work, heal, live, and learn. Social responsibility is a fundamental aspect of Perkins+Will's culture and every year the company donates 1% of its design services to pro bono initiatives. For more information, visit www.perkinswill.com.

SOURCE Perkins+Will