Peek into the secret Freemasonry foundations of the Regency Ballroom

The Regency Ballroom, set up as it would be before a concert. The Regency Ballroom, set up as it would be before a concert. Image 1 of / 33 Caption Close Peek into the secret Freemasonry foundations of the Regency Ballroom 1 / 33 Back to Gallery

Every building in San Francisco is full of secrets, but there are perhaps none with quite as many as the Van Ness street staple better known now as the Regency Center. The four-story complex located at 1290 Sutter Street was built in 1909, and is covered with detailed but subtle images, each paying homage to Freemason iconography of all origins.

Originally constructed as a multi-purpose structure with a Freemason Lodge on a higher floor, the interior boasts ornate plaster moulding, thoughtfully designed tile work, and gorgeous decorative features.

"I kind of feel like people walk into the building and just see the literal translation of stuff, and don't know these things have so many more meanings," Jon Garrett, the Regency Ballroom's stage manager tells SFGATE. "The building itself, not only does it have all the symbols, but it's unbelievably built. I don't think they could rebuild [this kind of space] nowadays."

Among the symbology embedded in its walls are the maned lion's head, an icon thought to represent the sun and rebirth, as well as the double-headed phoenix, which as Garrett says, is likely a nod to the idea of drawing illumination from destruction.

One of the more hidden details in the foyer is the bagua, or eightfold path, which is a symbol seen frequently around the city. Grace Cathedral, for example, supposedly has a representation of the design in a window.

The Ballroom's interior features blonde hardwood floors, neoclassic and beaux arts decor, thirty-five-foot ceilings and twenty-two teardrop chandeliers. It's gorgeous.

But while many people have only seen the Ballroom and entrance, most of the building's reticent history is upstairs in the Lodge. "The Lodge would be reserved for rituals or for people who had been raised to higher levels," Garrett says, adding that there are some curious things they've learned about the construction of the room.

For one, the walls were lined with velvet chairs — thrones, actually, is a more accurate descriptor — each of which was reserved for a member of the Freemasons during special ceremonies.

"[The chairs] would be placed in a special pattern, like a sacred geometry type thing, to kind of emanate energy," Garrett says. "Like, there's power in a circle...Obviously, there was a lot of thought going into it."

Furthermore, Garrett and the organization's electrician were surprised by the odd origin of the room's lights.

"We called around everywhere, and found some original paperwork — it wasn't labeled with the year, but it was from the engineering firm Bechtel, and they must have installed all the lights that are in the Lodge," Garrett says. "They're definitely a government-affiliated corporation. Really high level, like they rebuild countries. I thought it was interesting that they were involved with the Masonic building, being so small."

As he explains, it has been difficult to research the history of the venue over the years, particularly because details about the Freemasons are so sparse. "They removed all the records, all the books, so we've had to piece together things that we found, stuff on the internet, childhood memories."

However secretive the building was during those years, it eventually changed hands. The building became a movie theater in the late '60s, combined with the next door Avalon Ballroom, and existed as such until 1998, sitting vacant until Scott Robertson purchased the Regency in the early 2000s. Goldenvoice, an entertainment production company, has been running the day-to-day of it since 2008.

The venue has hosted some incredible guests, too, even in its short history as a concert hall, including Hillary Clinton, G.W.A.R. (who Garrett notes returns every year), Bad Religion, Chance the Rapper, blues legends Honeyboy Edwards and Hubert Sumlin, as well as a rare performance by Trent Reznor's side project How to Destroy Angels. One time, even Banksy showed up to paint on the back door.

Garrett remembers watching Rock N' Roll Hall Of Famers Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors bantering during soundcheck in August 2011 about the intro to the song "Light My Fire." "After minutes of this the exchange started to get a little heated so the guitar tech looked up the song on Youtube," he says. "Turns out they were both incorrect. Too funny."

And though, by now, the building is busy with its own legacy and decades past its Freemasonry foundations, the current staffers are careful to respect its past and history.

"You know when you feel like you're being watched? Whenever I go into the Lodge I feel that," Garrett says of the former freemasons gathering point. "It's not a menacing feeling, more like an overwhelming warmth."

For more photos and history of the Regency Center, view the above slideshow.

[Ed: Garrett has clarified that the bagua shape at Grace Cathedral is within a stained glass window, not an outdoor labyrinth.]