San Francisco’s historic Mission District building at 1717 Mission Street, once the headquarters of former permit‑expediting chief Walter Wong, has drawn fresh attention after Kink.com purchased the 95,000‑square‑foot property. During a guided tour, the adult‑film company discovered a narrow secret passage behind a hidden door and a concealed half‑floor between the second and third stories.
Hidden passage leads to fire stairs
The passage, accessed by pushing a cabinet‑like door, runs only a few feet before opening onto the fire‑escape stairs. Its size makes it unsuitable for backpacks, but it would allow a person to move quickly from the penthouse office to the street without being seen. An associate of Wong joked that he “was always thinking ahead,” noting that the passage likely existed without a building permit.
Undocumented half‑floor with low ceilings
Beyond the passage, a ladder leads to a panel in the second‑floor ceiling that opens onto a cramped space between floors two and three. The ceiling measures roughly five and a half feet high, and the area contains locked doors, a trapdoor, and a full sprinkler system despite not appearing on any official building plans. Labels on the walls list numerous project addresses tied to Wong’s past permitting work, and a set of plans from the former Metreon development was found on the floor.
New owners involve the FBI
Kink.com reported the discoveries to federal authorities. According to the company, a nonprofit tenant also alerted them that unknown items had been stored in locked rooms within the suite they occupy—rooms that were not searched during the 2020 FBI raid on Wong’s offices. The new owners say they helped the FBI remove whatever was stored there before the building changed hands.
Background on Walter Wong’s influence
For decades, Wong wielded considerable power over San Francisco’s Department of Building Inspection, placing his own staff in key plan‑check and permitting positions. He was known to facilitate “no‑questions‑asked” permits for developers and to arrange contracts for city projects, sometimes in exchange for gifts such as alcohol and jewelry. After the FBI arrested former Public Works boss Mohammed Nuru in January 2020, Wong’s office was raided, leading to his guilty plea on fraud and money‑laundering charges.
Future plans for the property
Kink.com intends to use the building as an office and studio for its adult‑film production, with the former penthouse slated for event rentals. The company has expressed a desire to maintain good relations with neighboring residents and nonprofit tenants, and it hopes to eventually host a restaurant or pop‑up eatery, though that is not a current priority.
Local significance
The discovery underscores longstanding concerns about transparency in city contracting and permitting. While the secret passage and hidden floor were not part of any official plans, the presence of a sprinkler system suggests the space was intended for valuable storage. City officials have not yet commented on whether any further investigations will be launched.
Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.
