The evolution of the American Industrial Center has roots beginning as far back as 1915. That is the date American Can Company began construction on the first part of the 3rd Street complex in San Francisco. Stretching from 20th Street to 23rd Street, and completed in 1955, American Can employed thousands of men and women, in the manufacture of cans and bottles for the West Coast canneries. The plant was shut down in 1969, and purchased in 1975 by Angelo Markoulis. The complex quickly went from a vacant 850,000 square foot cavern, to a home for several warehousing facilities along with a few industrial users. By 1985 American Industrial Center had gone from having 35-40 large tenants, to spaces for a “small community” of 285 businesses ranging from architects to warehousing and everything in between.