San Francisco federal building renamed for Dianne Feinstein

The federal building at 50 United Nations Plaza was officially renamed the Senator Dianne Feinstein Federal Building on Monday morning, giving one of Civic Center’s most visible landmarks a new name and a sharper claim on San Francisco’s political memory. The six-story tower now carries Feinstein’s name in a corridor where City Hall, federal offices and the city’s public past meet every day.

The building is about 350,000 square feet, was built in 1936 and was designed by Arthur Brown Jr. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the San Francisco Civic Center Historic District, and it serves as headquarters for the U.S. General Services Administration’s Region 9, also known as Pacific Rim operations. A $121 million renovation was completed in July 2013, keeping the building central to the federal presence in downtown San Francisco.

The unveiling was held in a small, private ceremony and drew Feinstein’s family members, including Katherine Feinstein and Eileen Feinstein Mariano, along with U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla and Mayor Daniel Lurie.

Feinstein served as San Francisco’s 38th mayor from 1978 to 1988, taking office after the assassinations of George Moscone and Harvey Milk, then represented California in the Senate from 1992 until her death in 2023. Congressional remarks in support of the renaming described her as the first woman and, at the time, the longest-serving female U.S. senator in history.

The renaming moved through Congress as S. 4489, introduced by Padilla and former senator Laphonza Butler. The Senate unanimously passed the bill before it moved to the House, and President Joe Biden signed the measure in December 2024. The same legislation also renamed the post office at 180 Steuart Street in Rincon Center as the Dianne Feinstein Post Office.