St. Francis
Undoubtedly, the commission that put Bliss & Faville on the map was when Railroad Magnate Charles Crocker called upon the pair to design a new hotel for Union Square. He financed their tour of Grand hotels of Europe to gather ideas.
The first section was completed in 1904. By the standards of the day it was considered "restrained" in appearance.
Although the building was gutted
in the 1906 fires, it was quickly restored and further expanded in 1913. It has seen much history in intervening years,