Pacific Gas and Electric Company Substation J
historic place
The Pacific Gas and Electric Company Substation J, located at 565 Commercial Street and 568 Sacramento Street in San Francisco, is recognized as a historic place. This site is San Francisco Landmark number 142 and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The substation was constructed in two main phases. The smaller component on Sacramento Street was built in 1908. The larger Commercial Street section, designed by Frederick H. Meyer, was completed in 1914. Architecturally, the 1914 building features a Classical Revival, or Beaux Arts, style. It exemplifies the architectural quality PG&E employed for its utility stations, with notable proportions and ornamentation over the entrance. The 1914 structure is an early example of PG&E's "City type" architectural theme, characterized by symmetrical facades and plain wall surfaces. Over time, Substation J saw adaptive reuse. It housed various establishments, including the nightclubs Station J and Whiskey a Go-Go, and the restaurant Paoli's. This site matters historically as an example of early 20th-century utility architecture and its subsequent transformations within the city.