Colombo Market Arch

I successfully nominated the Colombo Market Arch to become San Francisco Landmark, No 311.  The arch is the sole surviving remnant of the Colombo Market building constructed in 1894 and designed by architect Clinton Day. The building was the catalyst and epicenter of San Francisco’s produce district. Originally founded in 1874 as a wood building, the Colombo Market is  associated with immigrants from northern Italy who came to the West Coast during the 19th century. They created a wholesale market for vegetables and related agricultural products. Agriculture is one of the state’s most important industries, and the Colombo Market was a catalyst for the development of the state’s fruit, vegetable, and other agricultural products. The market introduced Italian vegetables and herbs to California. It was demolished by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency in the early 1960s for the Golden Gateway Center. Only the arch remains.