 They included the Center for U.S.-U.S.S.R.Initiatives, which helped more than 1000 Americans visit the Soviet Union and more than 400 then-Soviet citizens visit the U.S."

The building is situated on a San Francisco Bay shoreline frontage parcel with almost of bay frontage.From above, the building plan resembles an isoceles right triangle; the base of the triangle faces the bayfront to the north and has the large glass atrium protruding from its center, and the equal-length sides face to the southwest and southeast.