Widely criticized today for its obstructing views and deteriorating condition. Built in the late 1960s for $2 million, it featured cutting edge modernism with its glass curtain effect, termed the Miesian style, after Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The foundation of the building is over seven feet thick, making it earthquake-proof despite its footing on fill. It is the tallest building in the city, surpassing the former “skyscraper” Security Building. The building was the home to several state agencies: each floor contains over 8,000 square feet of space.
Basically it's a giant fuck all eyesore between the bay and estuary. It's surrounded by one or two story buildings making it look very out of place, even to this day. It's also been abandoned for like 25 years or more. There's been a bunch of ideas and plans but everything has fallen through. So it's just remained dilapidated, graffiti-ed and abandoned.
Also, as I was looking up the background to give a more accurate explanation I discovered They're tearing it down.
Why'd it get that nickname?