The apartment block owned by Mrs. Madrigal becomes a symbol for San Francisco as a whole. It is inhabited by a diverse cast of characters, whose lives interconnect and affect one another. Mary Ann finds the apartment by chance after viewing a series of inferior options. It is described as a “well-weathered, three-story structure made of brown shingles” and makes “Mary Ann think of an old bear with bits of foliage caught in its fur” (17). Though the building seems nondescript, she likes it instantly.

The building does not exist in isolation; rather, it is an extension of its owner, Mrs. Madrigal. As the owner and operator of the block of apartments, Mrs. Madrigal brings her own character to the building. Approval is a two-way street, and she must approve of them as much as they approve of the building. If she likes a person, then she is far more lenient than a typical landlord. At various times, both Mona and Michael are behind on the rent, but they are given a great deal of leeway by Mrs. Madrigal. This gives the building the sense that it is an incubation chamber, a place where she can gather those people she finds most interesting and—at times—live her life vicariously through them.