Columbus Tower / Sentinel Building and American Zoetrope

The Sentinel Building, commonly called Columbus Tower, is a flatiron-shaped, copper-green landmark at 916 Kearny Street that was purchased by filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola in 1972. The building houses Coppola’s production company American Zoetrope and is frequently mentioned in accounts of San Francisco’s film-industry presence and North Beach architectural lore. Its distinctive appearance and association with Coppola make it a noted point of civic and cinematic interest.