A 90-year-old Neo-Classical Nob Hill landmark, originally hailed as a "Temple of Commerce" when it opened in September 1909, was rescued by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. after nearly a decade of deterioration and neglect.

The 17-columned Pacific Coast headquarters of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, which was later the main campus of Cogswell College, re-opened on April 8, 1991 after an extensive four year renovation as a 336-room luxury hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco.   

The hotel's interior is decorated with specially selected eighteenth and nineteenth century antiques and artwork that complements the historic exterior.  "Furnishings and fabrics," explains Mr. Humler, "were selected not only for comfort and beauty, but also to respect the architecture's history