Soho House reportedly buying San Francisco Armory (update)

Update Nov. 15: San Francisco Business Times stands by their story. Soho House is, in fact, in the process of buying the historic property, according to the publication, contrary to what the person(s) in charge of the Armory Events Twitter account believes.

We’ve been told on background Soho House has long been interested in the property after touring it when it was first being marketed.

Turning the massive space into a luxe hotel/club would require extensive albeit delicate renovations to the property since it’s a historic space. No official dates have been announced.

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Update Nov 13: According to the San Francisco Armory Events, the story “is not true.” The Armory tweeted a response to both Curbed SF and the SF Business Times.

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San Francisco Business Times reports that Soho House, a pricey and elite social club that began in London, will allegedly take over the San Francisco Armory, a roughly 200,000-square-foot building in the Mission.

The historic property was built as an arsenal for the United States National Guard in 1912–1914, later becoming a sports venue in the 1940s. It later provided interior shots in The Empire Strikes Back.

The building was registered as a historical landmark in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Most recently, the renovated concrete-and-brick structure was purchased by Kink.com, a San Francisco-based porn producer. Sex workshops, films, and parties were hosted at the space. In January, the company ceased production inside the armory.

“The Moorish castle-inspired building is zoned for urban mixed-use, which is a perfect fit for Soho House's typical potpourri of restaurants, workspaces, spas and bedrooms,” reports San Francisco Business Times. ”If approved, San Francisco would be Soho's eighth North American outpost.”

According to the San Francisco Armory Events, the story “is not true.” The Armory sent out the following tweet in response to the SF Business Times piece. We will update as soon as we know more.

• Exclusive: Will San Francisco's Armory trade bondage for posh Soho House social club? [SF Biz Times]