San Francisco, CA
Dolmen Property Transforms The Hiberia Into San Francisco Hotspot
Forget dingy warehouses for deafening DJ-driven parties. The latest hotspot in San Francisco is a regal, 132-year-old bank.
The Hibernia, owned by locally based Dolmen Property Group led by Seamus Naughten, has been offering up its soaring Beaux Arts venue to big-name electronic music artists and club parties at 1 Jones Street, in Mid-Market, the San Francisco Standard reported.
While it still hosts traditional weddings, charity galas and corporate take-overs, the four-story bank is increasingly embracing immersive art, live performances and electronic dance music.
The Hibernia, which completed a $15 million renovation in 2015, hit a slump during the pandemic. But it now reflects Downtown’s change of identity, wanting to be known not just for tech events, but as a venue for art and music.
In the past two years, the bank has hosted dozens of local DJs and performers on its lower level. It also drew thongs to two major shows from electronic musicians Honey Dijon and Bonobo, who performed on the main floor under the Hibernia’s Tiffany stained-glass ceilings.
This year, the marble-walled venue with soaring ceilings will launch an EDM residency that includes 14 performances over six weeks.
Welcome to a luxe taste of old-school San Francisco, with plenty of bathrooms.
“We never thought that we’d be on this path, but the excitement is pretty crazy,” Terry Lim, chief revenue officer at The Hibernia, told the Standard. “Coming off the back of Covid, you have to think outside the box. And now we feel like we’re in the middle of it.”
The 42,000-square-foot Hibernia Bank Building, built in 1892 on a design by Albert Pissis, served as home to the Hibernia Savings and Loan Society until it moved out in 1985.
For a while, it served the San Francisco Police Department. When the cops pulled out, it sat vacant for years, its columns marred by graffiti. Dolmen bought the building in 2008 as a “long-term hold” for $3.9 million.
After a seven-year renovation, the landmark was renamed The Hibernia.
The venue has four floors, each with its own distinct vibe, from its brick-and-metal basement to a penthouse roofdeck strung with fairy lights, according to the Standard.
Guests can rent out one section or the entire building, from as few as about 100 people to 800 throughout the downstairs dance floor, or 2,000 for the entire building.
Ultimately, The Hibernia considers itself as a case study in how the city needs to focus on adaptability as a key to long-term survival.
“We’re in the neighborhood that gets bashed every day of the week and we’re still here and standing,” Lim told the Standard. “We’re bringing 2,000 people to an event in Mid-Market. This place is like an argument against the ‘doom loop.’”
— Dana Bartholomew
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A San Francisco man convicted of sexually assaulting two of his relatives was sentenced to a lengthy prison term, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office said in a press release that a judge sentenced Sergio Alvarado, 60, to a total of 25 years and four months in state prison following his convictions.
A jury found Alvarado guilty of three counts of forcible rape and one count of forcible oral copulation for crimes that happened in 2014. He was also convicted of attempted forcible oral copulation on a minor and assault in a 2019 case involving a different victim.
Prosecutors said Alvarado sexually assaulted the first victim repeatedly over a period of several months. Several years later, Alvarado assaulted the other victim, a 16-year-old relative, in his car after he offered to drive her to a job interview, the DA’s Office said.
“Family violence occurs within ongoing relationships that are expected to be protective, supportive, and nurturing,” said Assistant District Attorney Sheila Johnson in a prepared statement. “Mr. Alvarado’s exploitation of that trust caused two generations of women profound psychological trauma. Hopefully, seeing him brought to justice restores their sense of humanity and sends the message that violence of this kind will not be tolerated.”
With rain and wind in the forecast, it may make some people’s holiday travel a little more difficult.
At San Francisco International Airport, more than 400 flights have been delayed. Maggie Nelson’s was delayed coming into the airport.
“It seemed like everyone was in a panic or a hurry to get anywhere,” said Nelson. “The plane was crowded. There was a lot of turbulence.”
Nelson flew in from Redmond, Oregon, usually a quick flight to SFO, just under two hours, but she ended up being delayed nearly that long.
“Originally, we were supposed to take off at 2 p.m. and then our flight got delayed to 2:50 p.m., and then it got delayed again,” Nelson explained. “I don’t think we took off until 3:30 p.m. because of high winds or something.”
California is in the middle of an intense storm period. Two systems bringing heavy rain and strong winds, and Nelson could feel all of it.
“The turbulence was pretty bad,” said Nelson. “There was a point where I got nauseous. I was like ‘Are we there yet? Is this over?’”
While she’s grateful to be on solid ground, Shon Alkaslasi was about to take off or at least try to.
“United sent a text that wind might affect operations,” said Alkaslasi.
He arrived early, just in case of holiday traffic, now he’s anticipating he may be delayed. He’s travelling home to Los Angeles, another area in the middle of the storms.
“I would say I’m not the biggest fan of turbulence so I am a little bit nervous about that,” Alkaslaski detailed. “But if they say it’s totally safe to travel, I’m not usually concerned but the feeling of bumps on a plane is just not the most comfortable and I’ll have to deal with it.”
Airport Duty Manager Crystal David said overall things haven’t been too bad, but West Coast flights, like Alkaslasi’s and Nelson’s, are the ones most likely to be impacted.
“SFO is on a ground delay program throughout the night, through midnight and so right now it’s about 127 minutes because of winds,” said David. “Mostly it’s the west coast flights are that are being affected right now with delays of up to 35 minutes for the west coast traffic.”
She said the delays could continue into the morning, when even stronger winds are expected. She recommends travelers check in with their airlines.
But for Nelson, she’s just glad she made it home.
“I used to live a lot closer so it’s a lot harder to come home now so when I do get to come home, I try to take advantage of that and appreciate it,” said Nelson.
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — ABC7 got in the holiday spirit Monday with the executive chef of San Francisco’s buzziest restaurants that just opened in October — to a lot of fanfare.
We’re talking about Bourbon Steak, inside the Westin St. Francis Hotel.
Legendary celebrity chef Michael Mina’s latest opening brings him back to San Francisco, and everyone came to celebrate: a cable car, Mayor Daniel Lurie, and Warriors superstar Stephen Curry — a partner in this venture who created the bourbon bar Eighth Rule inside the restaurant.
But they’re not just about style. They are first and foremost about steaks.
Because they are on the menu for so many holiday gatherings, we are delighted that Bourbon Steak executive chef Kevin Schantz joined us on ABC7’s “Midday Live.”
Watch the full interview in the player above.
If you’re on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live
Copyright © 2025 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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