There are many places and activities that are considered iconic aspects of the Bay Area... wine tastings in Napa and Sonoma counties… the Winchester House in San Jose… driving across the Golden Gate Bridge… 

But, for those who call San Francisco home, one building stands out among all the rest... and that's the Ferry Building…

It's history is long and large…it's seen millions of people come and go…a stately sentry, standing guard as times changed, as the city itself changed… But the ferry building itself, even over a hundred years later, remains a constant…

So, why is that?

To help us delve into the story of the Ferry Building, from when it was built in the late 1890s to how it is faring today, we speak with John King -- urban design critic at the San Francisco Chronicle and author of 'Portal: San Francisco’s Ferry Building and the Reinvention of American Cities.'