Ghirardelli Square - adaptive reuse of a chocolate factory

Ghirardelli Square at 900 North Point Street was the site of the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company's manufacturing complex and was redeveloped beginning in 1964 into one of the United States’ earliest examples of historic adaptive reuse for retail and dining. The project preserved the original brick factory buildings and converted them into shops and restaurants, creating a model for similar preservation-driven developments nationwide. Ghirardelli Square is listed on local historic registers and remains a popular tourist destination adjacent to Fisherman's Wharf.