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Overview

This grand, Second Empire office building anchored the corner of Market and Jones Streets. It featured a tall tower that featured a Mansard roof topped by a cupola that looked to have come off of a Chirstopher Wren church in London.

Building History

The well-known San Francisco architectural firm of Kenitzer and Raun designed the Murphy Building in the mid-1880s. After the death of the building's owner, Daniel T. Murphy, his widow and his estate's executor claimed that Kenitzer and Raun discontinued work on the building and refused to provide plans and specifications to her despite being paid in full for their services. The San Francisco Examiner reported on a case brought by the Murphy Estate against the architects: “Anna L. Murphy, executrix of the will of Daniel T. Murphy, has filed a complaint in the Probate Court against Henry Kenitzer and Edward T. Raum [sic], of the firm of Kenitzer & Raum, [sic] architects. The plaintiff alleges that her husband employed the defendants to draw the plans and specifications of the Murphy building, on the corner of Jones and Market streets, and they had charge of the building up to the time of her husband’s death, when the building was left in an unfinished condition. She further avers that the defendants were fully paid for their work, but that they have refused to turn over to her the plans and specifications of the building so that her employees could go on and complete it. If they still refuse she asks that they be committed to the County Jail. Judge Rearden issued the citation as prayed for, fixing the 24th of June for the hearing of the matter.” (See “Troublesome Architects,” San Francisco Examiner, 06/16,1887, p. 4.)

Building Notes

The J.J. O'Brien and Company dry goods store occupied a ground-floor commercial space at the corner of Jones and Market Streets between 1888 and 1898, at least. (See J.J. O'Brien Company advertisement, San Francisco Call, 06/05/1898, p. 26.)

Demolition

The Murphy Building, located near to Albert Pissis's grand Hibernia Savings and Loan Building (1892), was destroyed in the Fire and Earthquake of 04/18-19/1906.

PCAD id: 17043