135 Van Ness Av San Francisco Unified School District, 11. Stock Photography

This Spanish Revival building located at 135 Van Ness Av in San Francisco, was originally opened in 1926 as the Commercial High School. But as more high schools opened around the city, students had more options, so fewer and fewer came here, until it was closed in 1952.Through out the 1980`s, famed San Francisco artist Ruth Asawa advocated to use the building as a school for all of the arts: music; dance; painting, etc. The main sticking point here was the `Field Act` of the 1930`s, which required all public school buildings to be earthquake safe. And then the Loma Prieta Quake of 1989 hit, and that move was shelved, the Arts School remaining at their original location Diamond Heights.Another problem is the buildings `Landmark Status`, which strictly limits alterations to the outside of the building.In the mean time, parts of the building are being used by the School District as offices, and parts have been rented for use by the cities `Arts and Lecture` series. As seen October 2021.