The city’s historic 1926 Financial Center Building on the corner of Montgomery and California opened as the luxurious Omni Hotel in downtown San Francisco in February 2002. Making a unique commitment to San Francisco and its esteemed history, Omni Hotels & Resorts embarked on a restoration project that transformed the 17-story famous office building into a 362-room luxury hotel.
As part of the historically accurate restoration of the Florentine Renaissance building, the first four floors of exterior granite have been removed, and using the original drawings, the cast stone facade has been recreated. Ten floors of corniced brick and the top three floors of cast stone also have been restored to replicate the original exterior of the historic building.
The hotel has been redesigned to meet the contemporary needs of the sophisticated traveler, yet retain a tradition of elegance that connotes serene comfort. Inside, the innovative design showcases a two-story “light and airy” lobby atrium, expansive suites, graciously appointed guest rooms, meeting rooms designed with a meeting planner in mind, a “secret garden” exterior terrace adjacent to the Grand Ballroom, the only award-winning steak house in the financial district, an intimate corner bar, and a full-size fitness center.
BUILDING HISTORY
The Financial Center Building was built on the site of the former Parrott Building, an 1852 granite structure that survived the fire and earthquake of 1906. The Parrott Building was demolished in 1926 to make way for a more modern building that could serve the needs of the growing financial community. Noted San Francisco architect Frederick H. Meyer designed the 1926 building with collaborations from Albin R. Johnson.
Built in nine months, the new Financial Center Building opened in 1927. Since its completion, the facility has been owned by a number of financial-related companies and has housed a variety of banks and businesses. Prior to Omni Hotels & Resorts’ purchase, the building was unoccupied for more than a decade.
THE INTERIOR
The interior of Omni San Francisco Hotel reflects Old-World style with a classic, traditional décor and a strong residential ambiance. To recreate the 1920s atmosphere, all guest rooms feature high ceilings with crown molding and mahogany and cherry wood furniture. Guest bathrooms include Chinese granite vanities accented with Italian marble floors and walls.