Flood Building, San Francisco

The Flood Building in downtown San Francisco at Powell and Market Streets is a historic highrise with unique architecture. Built in 1904 by Albert Pissis, it's a 12-story structure that survived the 1906 earthquake. The building features attractive storefronts, a sandstone façade with intricate windows, and elegant ornamentation, adding to its grandeur.

The site where the Flood Building now stands was previously occupied by Baldwin's Hotel and Theatre, which tragically fell victim to a fire in 1898. James L. Flood, who acquired the property, decided to erect the building as a tribute to his father, James Clair Flood, a Comstock Lode millionaire. Remarkably, as of 2003, the Flood Building remained in the ownership of the Flood family.

After renovations post-1906 earthquake, Southern Pacific Railroad HQ moved to Flood Building until 1917 when it relocated to One Market Plaza. The basement and lower floors housed F.W. Woolworth flagship store. In more recent years, the Flood Building has accommodated notable tenants such as leading retailers Gap, Urban Outfitters, and Anthropologie.

The Flood Building's historical significance extends beyond its commercial tenants. Notably, Room 314 housed the office of the Pinkerton Detective Agency, which employed Dashiell Hammett, an acclaimed author renowned for his hard-boiled detective novels. This connection to the literary world further enhances the building's cultural and historical allure.