On the boards / old acquaintance

Residential Architect, July, 2004 by Cheryl Weber

An adequate supply of affordable housing is a challenge in any major city, but especially so in San Francisco, where stratospheric real estate prices threaten to shut out all but the wealthiest residents. The Oakland, Calif.-based Hardison Komatsu Ivelich & Tucker is helping to create a solution with its rehabilitation of a historic church on Haight Street for use as very-low-income seniors housing.

Though abandoned for nearly a decade, the century-old church retains its rich character, a neo-Romanesque Italianate style of architecture with beautiful stained glass windows. Fortunately, there were no backyard battles; the neighbors welcomed its use as apartments for independent seniors. But "they were very concerned about the structure and involved in the modifications," says principal Tom Brutting, AIA. "They looked at the plans as we developed them."

HKI&T will preserve the front facade, while reconfiguring the interior. The two-floor structure needs to be gutted to create four levels, which will accommodate seven one-bedroom units and 33 studio units, in addition to a large lobby, a library, a laundry, and other community spaces. "One major challenge is to work with an existing shell to create a housing plan that works," Brutting says. The other formidable difficulty lies in bringing the vintage building up to current seismic code requirements while maintaining its architectural integrity.

The lobby, and a lounge area and circulation spaces on the floors directly above it, will engage the elaborate fenestration on the front of the brick building. HKI&T plans to retain the tall, slender window openings on the church's sides, too, but will spec operable windows and change the fenestration within the existing openings. The firm is currently doing exploratory demolition, seeing how much of the wood paneling, marble, and terra cotta details can be economically preserved. The 31,050-square-foot project will also include six parking spaces and a private patio. "Seniors need to feel secure in their environment," Brutting says. "It's a matter of creating a good barrier around the whole site." Completion is scheduled for fall 2005.