Located on 16th Street at Capp is a seemingly normal-looking red brick-laid building that has been sold for the second time this decade. The San Francisco Labor Temple, also known as the Redstone Building, is a Mission District landmark built more than a century ago with rich historical ties to labor unions, nonprofits, community groups, activists, and artists. The recent sale of the building comes after an unsuccessful effort by nonprofits and the community to purchase it.

But the sale of this building represents more than just the loss of a beloved building. The sale of the Redstone building represents a broader challenge that communities across the nation face: what happens when nonprofits and civic organizations can no longer retain ownership of the very spaces that make civic life possible? As commercial property prices continue to rise, mission-driven organizations are left having to compete with private investors for scarce real estate.

The story of Redstone is more than one of preservation. It raises questions about whether civil society has the tools to retain ownership of the physical spaces that enable democratic participation.

Why Redstone Matters

Built in 1914 by the San Francisco Labor Council, the SF Labor Temple held its grand opening on February 27, 1915. During its peak era in the 1940s and 1950s, the building was home to 20 employees and was the organizing hub for more than 130 unions. At one point, a 1916 Union Directory listed 54 unions that used the building for their meetings, including wagon drivers, butchers, blacksmiths, cigar makers, sail makers, janitors, and more. Designed to support workers, the building also provided social amenities like billiard tables, medical care, family spaces, and reading rooms.

The temple garnered a place in the spotlight for its role in the 1934 San Francisco General Strike, during which labor leaders coordinated citywide work stoppages from that building. The effort from these leaders resulted in improved workers’ rights. But Redstone didn’t stay a central hub for unions. By 1968, the influence of labor unions had begun declining, and the Labor Council sold the building with only 10 unions remaining. The building was renamed the Redstone and slowly transitioned into a community hub with tenants in the arts and nonprofit spaces.

Read the full article about civic infrastructure by Jason Collins at Nonprofit Quarterly.