Experience authentic industrial loft living at Lighthouse Lofts, a historic 1924 warehouse conversion in San Francisco's South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood. Located at 1097 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, this boutique 3-story building offers 22 unique live-work loft condominiums with soaring ceilings, exposed concrete, and exceptional architectural character.
Originally constructed in 1924 with funding from the Cowell family, the building at 1097 Howard Street served as the home and manufacturing facility for the San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind, also known as the Blindcraft Building. The organization produced brooms, baskets, and furniture while providing employment opportunities and services for blind workers. The building remained the headquarters for the San Francisco Association for the Blind until 1956.
After sitting vacant from 1982 to 1996, the historic industrial building was transformed into luxury loft residences in 1998 by Branagh Construction with architecture by Verdigris Architects (Verdigris, Patina, and Rust). The conversion preserved the building's distinctive Gothic-inspired terracotta entrance on Howard Street and striking Art Deco facade featuring 20-foot high industrial windows. The building has been designated a Category III contributory historic landmark by San Francisco Planning.
Lighthouse Lofts offers studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom live-work lofts ranging from approximately 750 to over 4,200 square feet. No two units share identical floor plans, with each residence featuring unique architectural character and custom layouts. One exceptional unit was created by combining three separate lofts into a 4,000-square-foot mega-loft.
Authentic industrial loft features include vaulted concrete walls and ceilings with 13 to 17-foot ceiling heights, exposed mechanicals and ductwork, floor-to-ceiling industrial steel-paned windows, oversized skylights on top floors, steel staircases, wide-plank hardwood and bamboo flooring, and open floor plans with flexible living spaces.
Modern luxury amenities in each unit include gourmet kitchens with high-end appliances (including Liebherr refrigerators, Miele appliances, and stainless steel ranges), in-unit washer and dryer (LG TROMM, Whirlpool, or similar), walk-in closets and ample storage, spa-style bathrooms with Carrara marble details, and complimentary building-wide WiFi (WebPass).
Building amenities include secure formal entry with Gothic terracotta detailing, oversized elevator for easy access, rooftop deck with BBQ grills and panoramic San Francisco city views, underground secured parking garage (most units include 1-2 parking spaces), private storage units, and double-stud construction walls for enhanced noise reduction between units.
Lighthouse Lofts is centrally located in San Francisco's South of Market (SoMa) district at 1097 Howard Street between 7th and 8th Streets. The location places residents in the heart of San Francisco's tech hub, surrounded by major companies including Twitter, Foursquare, GitHub, and Uber.
The neighborhood offers exceptional walkability with a Walk Score of 98 and is considered a walker's paradise and biker's paradise. Nearby attractions include SFMOMA (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art), Yerba Buena Gardens, Moscone Center, Salesforce Park, Civic Center, Union Square shopping, Oracle Park (SF Giants), and Chase Center (Golden State Warriors).
Lighthouse Lofts provides outstanding public transit access with Civic Center/UN Plaza BART station just 0.3 miles away (less than half a mile), Market Street and 7th/Jones Muni stop, multiple Muni bus lines, easy access to I-280 and US-101 freeways, and the Bay Bridge for East Bay commuters. San Francisco International Airport is 21 minutes away, while Oakland International Airport is 30 minutes by car.
Nearby historic loft conversion buildings include Stagehouse Lofts (465 10th Street, built 1924, converted 1998), Oriental Warehouse Lofts (650 Delancey Street, converted 1996), and H2O Lofts (1247 Harrison Street, built 2004) for those seeking authentic San Francisco loft living.
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