An Abandoned Skyscraper: The Pac Bell Building
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By Jonathan Haeber
If you’re one who frequently photographs in your free time, then you’re probably well aware of the dreaded “burnout.” It’s that feeling of stasis that digs in after a long stint of snapping your shutter. It’s a bit like that callous that begins to develop after an hour or so of playing guitar.
I feel there are two solutions to that feeling. One is to stop altogether – take a breather, and recompose. And the other involves stepping it up; finding something new; and rekindling the excitement you once had for taking photos. In the past year, I’ve slowly stepped up the challenges I’ve assumed in my photography, whether it required greater risk, greater physical demands, or ever-deeper preliminary research – each new location has brought with it new challenges, higher potential to “screw up,” and much, much more promising rewards.
Scott Haefner and I have been exploring places for over a year now. The two of us, along with a few others (whom I have grown to trust and rely on for moral and logistical support) have been through thick and thin. Scott was there for Neverland. We were both there when a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle tagged along for a trip deep inside of a defunct sugar refinery. We’ve been nearly a hundred feet underground in scores of missile silos. And we’ve evaded security guards more than once, often to the chagrin and knowledge of said security guards.
So it came to be a few months ago that the two of us decided to explore a Neo-Gothic, 26-story masterpiece in downtown San Francisco. Full credit for discovering the building belongs to Stephen Freskos, who originally scoped the building. I took a few scouting trips in the weeks that followed. Scott and I finally decided to make the leap – underground.
Exploring the Pac Bell
On a Scale of 1 – 10 in exploration difficulty, the Pacific Telephone Building probably hovers between a 7 and 8. The fact is: This building was most recently bought for $118 milllion by a well-known San Francisco investor. Though it has been abandoned since 2005, it remains fully manned in the lobby by a watchful security guard who, unlike most night security guards, actually manages to remain fully alert and awake during his shift.
Scott and I walked up to a pre-determined entry point. We had, just minutes earlier, temporarily borrowed some orange cones from the Museum of Modern Art. Looking as official as two hoodlums could look at night with dark camera bags on our backs, we hopped deep into the basement of the 26-story building, just as drunken revelers a block away squinted in confusion at the two men disappearing beneath the sidewalk. We were in the basement of the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph building. It was there, 89 years ago, that the first pylons were driven into San Francisco mud. At that time, the building was constructed at a cost of 4.8 million, a fraction of its last $118 million sale. One couldn’t help but notice the symbolism inherent in building the West Coast’s tallest skyscraper only decades after the city’s most disastrous moment in history.
As Scott and I peered into the fully illuminated basement (this abandonment was fully powered and seemingly alarmed with motion sensors — an unpleasant surprise to seasoned explorers such as ourselves), we took note of the massive boiler, which provided heat to the entire structure. It stood two stories high and about 40 feet across on each end, the end of its back, receding into the unilluminated portion of the basement. As we climbed the catwalk into the second level of the basement, we heard the faint sound of the guard’s radio. It almost sounded as if he was listening to a baseball game. Really: One could only wonder what he was listening to at 11 at night.
The Pacific Telephone building is probably one of the best preserved buildings we’ve photographed. Designed by James Rupert Miller and Timothy L. Pflueger, it still stands proud in the San Francisco skyline, alongside newer – but less auspicious – spires. After we had ducked in a dark corner in the building’s former underground garage, we spent a few heart-wrenching moments trying to decide whether or not to head up. The guard was, after all, within a few feet of our only way up. Sitting literally six feet beyond a set of semi-transparent double doors, you could hear him turning the knobs on his radio and tapping his feet out of boredom. We had taken considerable risk to get where we already were, so the decision was expeditious and absolute: We would make our way up.
Two Eras, Two Buildings
Exploring the Pac Bell Building is a different universe than Oakland’s own abandoned jewel, the Key System Building. To say nothing of their opposing architectural styles. One exhibits the forward-looking sleekness of an Art Deco, Neo-Gothic hybrid, and the other a Beaux Arts bone of the past with its own elegant curves and pilasters. The true difference between the two is in the experience alone.
I’ve written that exploring Key System is a spiritual pilgrimage. Its meaning – to me – is not in its size, nor the way the light plays on stale puddles of mud that edge their way around the dark reinforced pillars, in a way begging any avid photographer to take a shot, even when all one really wants to do is look. The Key System building is simply a dark place of refuge and an escape into the past. The Pac Bell Building, on the other hand, is gigantic (the tallest abandoned building both Scott and I have explored). Its alabaster walls and perfectly preserved fixtures seem to represent everything that we explorers tend to walk away from — yet the building still drew us both inside, and higher.
We tiptoed up the stairs, one by one, until we reached 26. Bursting silently into the top floor lobby, we poked around the old equipment rooms and emerged outside, high above the rest of San Francisco. Only a single, embellished belvedere stood above us, two stories higher than the top floor auditorium. One could only wonder what it felt like in 1926, when the airplane was a relatively new and untested contraption that only a few moguls and quixotic adventurers had been given an opportunity to try. For a moment, I framed my mind in the world of Proust, imagining myself to be the unknown pilot that Marcel describes when he first sights a plane:
“I felt that there lay open before him all the routes in space, in life itself; he flew on, let himself glide for a few moments over the sea, then quickly making up his mind, seeming to yield to some attraction that was the reverse of gravity, as through returning to his native element, with a slight adjustment of his golden wings he headed straight up into the sky.”
In the distance, 747s skeeted over the bay bridge at half the speed of sound. To the northwest, rooftop bars and revelrous company parties ocassionally startled the eyes with the distant flashes of disposable cameras. We looked ahead to the looming sentries – the eight plastered eagles watching over us. Alarmingly enough, we realized, despite clearly evading the eyes of the guard down in the lobby we were still being watched by these thirteen-foot behemoths. And their own wings were a constant reminder of the heights we had just reached.
Scott and I did the usual long exposures from the top and staggered our way down, feeling all the more zombie-like with each floor. We had managed to make it down to Floor 16 – finding the original board room in the process. When we finally wedged ourselves up from underground and emerged back into the dark streets of 4 AM San Francisco, a lone man from Australia – seemingly unsurprised at our whack-a-mole-like appearance from the ground – started chatting with us and asked for directions to his hotel. He staggered off in search of a bed, any place where he could lay down and let the alchohol evaporate from his system.
Walking back, we arrived at Scott’s truck to find its windows broken. On our final trip a few nights later, his bike was stolen. I’d like to think we were vexed by the watchful eagles from the top, but if that’s the case, I’m afraid of what and when my own recompense will become? Despite these setbacks, we had managed to explore every floor of the building, from top to bottom, splitting up floors between Scott, Stephen and me on our farewell visit. Soon after we visited, PacBell Building had started its own phase of development in full-force. The permits were granted and the building will find a new life as 135 “extra-large” condominium units.
Whatever happens to the building, and its eagles, I’m hopeful that years from now, we’ll look back at our nights on the Pac Bell Building and laugh at all the circumstances: the unwitting guard; the drunken australian; the temporarily borrowed cones from MOMA (yes, they were returned). Oddly enough, we may be in our best times, as explorers in an economic recession. Sure, the good stuff is always going to be risky, but only a recession would make a $118 million building accessible to a few camera-wielding outlaws in search of the next click-fix.
Further Research
- Entire story of the building at Preservation Magazine
- Architectural Information and Future Plans from Urban Bay Properties
- A 1925 Description of the Building
- See the entire set of photos from the excursion here [My own set of photos]and here [Scott's photos].
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June 22nd, 2009 at 8:18 am
I hadn’t heard the whole story about your adventures here, only bits and pieces. Great anecdote and photos. This place is incredible!
June 26th, 2009 at 2:21 am
You’ve been able to get marvellous images under the constraints of secrecy and low light. Beautiful building.
June 27th, 2009 at 5:21 am
[...] An Abandoned Skyscraper: The Pac Bell Building An Abandoned Skyscraper: The Pac Bell Building [...]
June 28th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
These nighttime photos remind me of something out of a noir movie set , ala BladeRunner.
June 28th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
I went with my friend to Hat Creek Telescope array. Really, great place to take photos.
I want to go to DUSEL when they finish pumping all the water out. Let me know if you want to go!
I would love to tag along.
Thanks for the fantastic photos.
June 29th, 2009 at 6:25 am
Scott, I actually read about DUSEL in the WSJ. That would be incredible, too. One has to wonder what remains from the original lab down there.
Cheers,
Jon
July 1st, 2009 at 12:45 am
Don’t ever think that you’re bulletproof inside buildings with guards. Crazier things happen every single day. We have an abandoned modern ss here in the Big Easy called the Plaza Towers. It is 44 stories. I think it is currently being gutted of asbestos for conversion to condos. Be very careful, talented people are hard to find. In 1975, looking out of the vacant top floor windows, I can remember thinking that I would be dead before the oil that ran all those cars began to run out. Wrong. Keep up the brilliant work, but remember Watergate.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:20 am
Oh, and those manhole guys carry gas detectors for a reason, deadly hydrogen sulfide. It killed three guys in NYC a few days ago. To much carbon dioxide, which sinks, will have you talking to St. Peter too.
July 6th, 2009 at 9:38 am
nice photos! a gorgeous building. takes me back – for a few months in 1996, I worked with a group of consultants out of the conference room on the top floor, next to the totally unused ballroom. I was totally intrigued by the building. sad it’s no longer in use.
July 6th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
[...] mani di una nota società di investimenti locale. La sua attuale destinazione non è chiara e varie incursioni fotografiche mostrano già chiari segni di degrado degli interni. Tags: [...]
July 7th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Love your photo collections. From the looks of your photographic images you would love the Baker Hotel. Website above
July 26th, 2009 at 7:13 am
OMG, I have been WAITING for an article like this! I had a class in SF near the Terminus for a week last year, and on my lunchbreaks I would roam the streets looking at the old buildings and talking to the doormen about the history of the buildings. I found this one and was so surprised that it wasn’t being used! Not to mention disappointed after seeing the lobby…
I researched online but could find very few pictures of the interior, despite reading that there was a theater and a ballroom. THANK YOU for posting this! And thank you for upholding the ideals of urban exploration.
September 9th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
[...] Faded glory – the auditorium’s waiting room on the 26th floor in sunset glow: Image: Jonathan Haeber [...]
September 10th, 2009 at 6:28 am
[...] Faded glory – the auditorium’s waiting room on the 26th floor in sunset glow: Image: Jonathan Haeber [...]
October 6th, 2009 at 3:52 am
[...] Faded glory – the auditorium’s waiting room on the 26th floor in sunset glow: Image: Jonathan Haeber [...]
November 26th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
For a second there I thought it was the building from Ghostbusters, but this is far more amazing.
March 8th, 2010 at 10:52 am
What a shame, this building should NOT be modified in ANY way shape or form ESPECIALLY for Condos!!! ( Like Cali NEEDS anymore Condos LoL)…
Instead it should be preserved and recognized as a historical Cali monument since Pac-Bell no longer exists and IS apart of California history
I’m a Cali Native who grew up knowing ONLY Pac-Bell as my telecommunications carrier, It’s a shame to see them gone
Both my son’s mom & grandma worked for them until retirement & the infamous split of Pac Bell & AT&T.
Oddly enough while I was UNEMPLOYED on vacation in San Fran, I randomly had my pic taken in front of a Pac-Bell phone booth that was located next to my hotel. Never noticed the irony of that pic until a year after being jobless, an opportunity to work for Pac-Bell fell into my lap. That job changed my whole life and came just when I needed it and in the nick of time.
Pac-Bell was an awesome laid back family oriented company to work for. I will Always be grateful for the opportunity they gave me, It’s because of that opportunity I was able to buy my 1st new car, a house and SURVIVE independently… Amazing what 1 job can do huh???
* PAC BELL
BTW… Thanx for sharing your adventure guys wish I coulda gone. Sounds like fun & sumthin I would do lol… I LOVE DA PIX!!! Here’s to many more future excursions (=
June 6th, 2010 at 8:09 am
I love that art deco look. This building is conscious of itself. The interior needs some work, but I would go for this one as “my” neverland. Used to check this building out when traveling on the Bay Bridge, how could you not. Would make a great film noir type backdrop.
June 7th, 2010 at 7:08 pm
Claudia: I agree about itmaking a great backdrop for a film. Thanks for the feedback
August 12th, 2010 at 12:23 am
Just walked by this building and thought about your article. It’s still abandoned with just guards in the lobby and signs for the Fire Dept. telling that this building has no tenants.
I’d even pay to get in there to take pictures. Looks like an amazing place.
August 12th, 2010 at 4:52 am
Dan: I wouldn’t doubt it if it takes a full 5 years before this building is occupied. The Great Recession has dealt its blow to a number of San Francisco structures. Good news for you and me!
September 21st, 2010 at 6:59 pm
i have a proposition for you, send me an email and well talk..
September 22nd, 2010 at 2:07 am
Where the hell did you park? I parked for years next to that building (behind the firestation and SFMoma) and never had a problem. Of course, I often gave the homeless camped there a couple of bucks to watch my car whenever they were present (most evenings they were) – but still. Sounds like you were near the bus terminal – that’s a bad spot.
September 23rd, 2010 at 12:40 am
Hey mgabrys:
We actually parked near Folsom and 2nd. Bad idea?
October 4th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
[...] (images via: terrastories) [...]
October 5th, 2010 at 8:13 pm
[...] (images via: terrastories) [...]
October 15th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
I can apprediate a lot of what Cali Girl says as I worked for the Bell System myself. They spent a lot of money making many of their buildings a work of art. Don’t know why. Anyway, their Main Office in Denver, CO, which is still in use, is an excellent example of this trend both inside and out. It even has some murals on the outside painted inside small porticos on the south side of the building. The building has a few major additions which are very blah. You have to go in the east entrance to see the original work.
November 8th, 2010 at 12:25 am
Great piece, photos and all! I am very interested in this place and I am going to research it this week. I live less than a mile away, so I don’t have to worry about parking. I wonder if it’s still empty or not.
November 17th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
I too am an avid adventurer and urban explorer. I am inspired by what I have seen of your urban exploration experiences. Last night I gained entry to the Key Systems building via the only door in the boarded-up facade (facing Broadway). I found the building remarkable and graffiti-free. The old staircase, basement delivery lift, and roof are definitely the best features. The only drawback was the crazy pigeons that would frantically fly around the building when disturbed. I know you probably don’t what any extra company on your adventures, but I would love to join you one day and I’m especially interested in visiting the Pac Bell building in SF.
December 19th, 2010 at 3:58 am
Thanks for the memories. I worked in 140 New Montgomery as a Pacific Telephone janitor in 1965 and 1966 when I was going to College. At one time or another I was in every room in that building and cleaned every room from the sub basement to the flag pole except the boiler and generator rooms. The guys that operated and maintained that equipment kept is so clean you could eat off it.
The foreman was a nice old Irishman that believed in education and as long as I got my work done and stayed out of sight, I could use the remainder of my shift to do homework. My shift was 6 hours a night and I averaged 3 hours a night of homework. My favorite homework spot was the library on IIRC the 26th floor. I could hear the elevator coming if anyone was in the area.
I really enjoyed seeing the Boardroom and Auditorium in such good condition. Too bad you weren’t able to photograph the lobby, it’s impressive.
January 21st, 2011 at 3:23 pm
hey,
i need the plan and section of this building, can anyone help me?
is really difficult to get information of these building, i just find photos.
thanks
February 10th, 2011 at 6:52 am
[...] Bearings favorite, Timothy Pflueger (who you may know through our post about exploring the Pac Bell Building) had a hand in multiple buildings on the island. Miguel Covarrubias painted gigantic murals [...]
April 5th, 2011 at 4:04 pm
Great photos!
June 16th, 2011 at 7:36 am
Great writing style, and nice photos! Not to mention, a fantastic building. I recently explored a 50 level abandoned skyscraper building (in much worse condition than Pac Bell)… and have put the photos and story up at http://www.abandonedjourney.com Hope you don’t mind the spam, I would be happy to return the favor. Viva la abandoned skyscrapers!
June 21st, 2011 at 8:34 pm
I would like to use some of your photos for a story I am doing on abandoned skyscrapers for AOL’s travel blog – Gadling. I will provide photo credits and a link back to your site. My last abandoned story received over a million page views, so there should be significant traffic back to your awesome post on PacBell. Let me know. I am publishing on Thursday, so please get back to me quickly. You have some amazing stuff here regardless.
Justin Delaney
justindelaney@mac.com
Travel Writer – AOL Gadling
http://www.gadling.com/bloggers/justin-delaney/
August 9th, 2011 at 5:36 pm
What a sad story. This building is a gem in the rough! I was in the construction industry for 44 years and I’ve never seen a more perfect example of early twentieth century architecture! The question I ask is rather than making million dollars condos out of this building why isn’t it repurposed as a center for homeless and elderly people on the fringe of poverty. That’s an investment that would make these idiots in Washington look like altruistic genious’es. Beautiful photography and amazingly oppulent building. Bravo
August 9th, 2011 at 5:45 pm
Beautiful building! Wonderful photography too! I do hope that the structure is put to good use soon, without losing any integrity.
August 9th, 2011 at 6:14 pm
AMAZING OF WHAT I DO NOT KNOW. I HAVE TRAVELLED ALOT. ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WOULD INTEREST ME FULLY IS TO BE ABLE TO EXPLORE THESE WONDERFUL STRUCTURES. TO STAND AND LISTEN TO THE SOUUNDS OF THE PAST OF WHICH I KNOW THAT EXIST. IT IS SPIRITUAL
August 9th, 2011 at 6:30 pm
Kinda dumb to be snooping around in a place you don’t belong. That’s just me though. Guess people will learn when they die from some kind of mold inhalation or gas leak. Haha. Hope they do. One less stupid person in the world.
August 9th, 2011 at 9:18 pm
Thank you!!! The PacBell article was outstanding. And took me back to wonderful times in the ’70s when I was an advertising account supervisor on the Pacific Bell account. For 3 great years, I walked the hallways (sometimes lost), marveling at the old-school craftsmanship. Presenting ad campaigns in the board room. Calling out on rotary dial phones. Remembering my mom talk with pride about being a Bell switchboard operator in the 20s. Walking on the roof and feeling like the eagles had brought us there. The building had a wonderful life filled with wonderful happy people. Thanks for risking what you did to bring this grand old building alive again.
August 10th, 2011 at 12:35 am
Great pictures! Brings back lots of memories! I started working for Pac Bell in 1949 in the Chief Engineer’s Dept. which was on the 11th and 12th floors “of 140 New Montgomery Street”. I know the building very well. I retired July 31, 1983 from the Outside Plant Underground Engineering District Staff which was in San Jose. Lots of memories! lots of memories!
September 8th, 2011 at 11:46 pm
$4.8M 89 years ago is worth $110M today. So actually, the buyer that paid $118M only paid a minor premium.
October 6th, 2011 at 2:51 pm
[...] stand and gape at its towering decay. The PacBell Building, San Francisco, California (images via: terrastories)San Francisco’s most famous abandoned building is a 26-floor Neo-Gothic stunner topped with eagle [...]
November 3rd, 2011 at 5:38 pm
Beautiful pictures!! I used to work in that building when I started working for PT&T/SBC/AT&T, it has nice lobby. A lot of memories working for the company, grateful that I worked there, took early retirement in 2006.
November 19th, 2011 at 1:59 am
[...] those plans way down. Currently the building sits empty. With the exception of a few night-time trespassing photographers that have blogged about their experience, it is not possible for the public to gain [...]
November 19th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
[...] those plans way down. Currently the building sits empty. With the exception of a few night-time trespassing photographers that have blogged about their experience, it is not possible for the public to gain [...]