Located at 2963 Webster (on the southwest corner of the Filbert and Webster intersection in Cow Hollow), the Vedanta Society Old Temple is an architecturally stunning building. It’s one of our favorite buildings in all of San Francisco, and truly a Cow Hollow neighborhood gem.
The Vedanta Society Old Temple recently got a new paint job, and the new paint really makes the architectural details of the building pop! It’s a pleasure to see a neighborhood treasure restored and shining once again. Here are some photos:
Here’s a bit about the building from the Vedanta Society’s website:
The Old Temple was designed by Swami Trigunatitananda with Joseph A. Leonard, architect, of the San Francisco and Suburban Home Building Society.
The first two stories were constructed in 1905, and in 1908 the temple was completed with the addition of the third floor and towers.
Except for the lobated arched windows of the ground floor, the first two floors, with their bowed windows and cornices above at the front, and overhanging bay windows on the side of the frame building, represent typical turn-of-the-century architecture. The main entrance, on Webster Street, is recessed behind Ionic columns which frame the covered entryway. The 112-person auditorium and various offices comprise the first floor; the second and third floors were occupied by the monastery of the Vedanta Society for many decades.
Below are some “before” pictures that were taken a few years ago and show the previous paint job:
What are some of your favorite San Francisco buildings?