Exploring the architecture of San Francisco's Central City

July 17, 7:27 PMSF Architecture & Design ExaminerKaleene Kenning

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"Conveniently Located" by Mark Ellinger (vol. 1, Sixth Street)

The San Francisco Architectural Heritage 2009 lecture series began on Thursday, July 16, with Mark Ellinger as opening speaker. Ellinger’s lecture explored the architecture, murals, and blade signs of San Francisco’s Central City, accompanied by a slide presentation of his own rich photographs and a small selection of archival photographs.

While many of Ellinger’s photographs of Sixth Street were taken from the fire escape outside his old hotel room at the Shree Ganeshai, most of his other photographs are shot from street level, looking up as a passer-by might see the city by looking upward. Ellinger recommends, “cast your gaze aloft every now and then, just to see what is there - you might be surprised.”

Ellinger has recently completed a three-volume book set of his photography called Up From the Deep – covering Sixth Street, Mid-Market and the Tenderloin.

Volume One: Sixth Street stems from his own experience of living for five-and-a-half years in a Sixth Street single resident occupancy hotel (SRO). Often disrespectfully described as “Skid Row,” Sixth Street is a residential neighborhood for over 1,000 SRO tenants.

"Billiards, Furniture and Carpets" by Mark Ellinger (vol. 2, Mid-Market)

Volume Two: Mid-Market, covers Fifth to Tenth Streets, once a thriving theater district that was the entertainment capital of the Bay Area. “Under the 1967 Market Street Beautification Act,” said Jack A. Gold, Executive Director of San Francisco Architectural Heritage, “the incredible collection of marquees and most of the Art Deco blade signs were removed from the buildings along Market Street. That really gutted the outward soul of the street.”

"Mentone" by Mark Ellinger (vol. 3, Uptown Tenderloin)

Volume Three: The Uptown Tenderloin covers San Francisco’s newest historic district, with a wild and spirited history. It will be available later this year.

San Francisco Architectural Heritage offers lectures, workshops, seminars and architectural walking tours through which thousands of San Francisco residents and visitors have discovered the city’s diverse built environment. Though tours are offered year-around, the monthly lecture series is held July through November only. Ellinger’s lecture was the first in the 2009 series. The remainder of the series includes:

On August 20, Chandler McCoy will speak about “Modernism Inside and Out: The Intersection of Buildings and Landscape Design.” This lecture begins at 6:00 p.m. and is held in the Ballroom of the Haas-Lilienthal House, 2007 Franklin Street. Enter by the side door tour entrance, which opens at 5:30 p.m.

On September 17, Karen McNeill will speak about “Julia Morgan and the Chinatown YWCA.” This lecture is held in collaboration with the Chinese Historical Society of America. Lecture begins at 6:00 p.m. and is held at the CHSA Museum and Learning Center, 965 Clay Street.

On October 15, Jeff Heller will speak about “Historic Preservation in China.” This lecture begins at 6:00 p.m. and is held in the Ballroom of the Haas-Lilienthal House, 2007 Franklin Street. Enter by the side door tour entrance, which opens at 5:30 p.m.

On November 19, Woody LaBounty will speak about “Carville-by-the-Sea: Where Vernacular Architecture was also Vehicular Architecture.” This lecture begins at 6:00 p.m. and is held in the Ballroom of the Haas-Lilienthal House, 2007 Franklin Street. Enter by the side door tour entrance, which opens at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets for single lectures are $8 for Heritage members and students with valid ID, $12 for non-members. Lectures do occasionally sell out, so reservations are highly recommended.

For more information: For information about the Heritage Lecture Series visit http://www.sfheritage.org/events+tours.html#am or call 415-441-3000. For information about Ellinger’s work, visit http://upfromthedeep.wordpress.com/.