This complex development fills a formerly industrial city block with an innovative housing mix: Affordable urban townhomes to keep growing families in the city and family housing adjacent to senior apartments to prevent seniors from living in isolation.
Aerial view, image courtesy David Baker + Partners | Photo by Brian Rose
Master Plan, drawing courtesy David Baker + Partners
Leading a trend of transit-oriented development along the district’s main business corridor, the development lies just a block from a stop of a new light-rail line, a park, and a health center.
Senior Housing, image courtesy David Baker + Partners | Photo by Brian Rose
Senior Housing, image courtesy David Baker + Partners | Photo by Brian Rose
The senior building, with 116 affordable rental units, serves as the anchor for the development, housing neighborhood-serving retail space and services and presenting an iconic tower at the corner that signals a sense of place.
To reflect the historically African-American population of the neighborhood, design details were drawn from traditional African textiles and symbols. Textile-inspired paint and window arrangements combine to wrap the public face of the building in an interlocking “quilt” of color and pattern.
The courtyard is ringed by a wall inset with Ashanti tribal symbols representing security, wisdom, power, love, unity, and hope.
Based on income, the rents range from $0 to $635/month, with qualifying income levels below 50% AMI and some units reserved for formerly homeless seniors.
Senior Housing, image courtesy David Baker + Partners | Photo by Brian Rose
The building is LEED NC Registered, with a goal of Gold. It features many complementary green strategies, including storm-water management, solar arrays that heat domestic water and light the common spaces, and healthy interiors and materials.
Senior Housing, image courtesy David Baker + Partners | Photo by Brian Rose
The senior apartments overlook the park, the courtyard, or a landscaped mews that runs between the building and the family townhouse development. The mews, an extension of the city street grid, provides direct access to the surrounding neighborhood and serves as a walking path away from the main arterial roadway.
Family Housing, image courtesy David Baker + Partners | Photo by Brian Rose
In the family development, two mirrored sections of stacked townhouses flank a large open public courtyard above one level of parking, lobby, and community spaces. While staying connected to the city streets through private stoops and balconies, the townhouses surround the central courtyard, which features vegetable gardens, outdoor seating, and a picnic and play structure. Each side also features a smaller private courtyard with planters and picnic tables.
Of the 124 family townhomes, half feature three and four bedrooms, allowing people to stay as families grow. Many larger units are designed for aging in place, with stairs wide enough to accommodate wheelchair lifts and accessible living quarters on the entry level. These for-sale townhomes range from $175,000 to $345,000 and are available to families earning between 60 and 100% AMI.
Family Housing, image courtesy David Baker + Partners | Photo by Brian Rose
The townhouse development is a $60m project with a $40m construction cost, or $168 per gross square foot. The senior apartment building is a $40m project with a $30m construction cost, or $230 per square foot.
Overall the buildings provide 240 units on 7.14 acres, for an average density of 76 units/acre.
Family Housing, image courtesy David Baker + Partners | Photo by Brian Rose
+ Project credits / data
Armstrong Place Senior Housing (Rental Apartments)
Architect: David Baker + Partners
Location: San Francisco
Date of occupancy: June 2011
Gross square footage: 131,800
Site area: 35,000
Construction cost: $230/sq. ft.
Client: BRIDGE Housing/San Francisco Redevelopment Agency/HUD
Collaborators: Circle Design Group
Structural Engineer: Structural Design Engineers
Electrical Engineer: Bhatia Associates
Lighting Designer: Horton Lees Brogden
Geotech Engineer: Treadwell + Rollo
Mechanical/Plumbing Engineer: Tommy Siu + Associates
Acoustical Engineer: Wilson Ihrig + Associates
Solar Contractor: Sun Light & Power
Contractor: Nibbi Brothers General Contractors
Photographer: Brian Rose
Awards/Certifications: AIA Housing Award/LEED NC Gold (Registered)
Armstrong Place Affordable Housing (For Sale Townhouses)
Architect: David Baker + Partners
Location: San Francisco
Date of occupancy: June 2011
Gross square footage: 238,400
Site area: 101,700
Construction cost: $168/sq. ft.
Client: BRIDGE Housing/San Francisco Redevelopment Agency
Structural Engineer: OLMM Consulting Engineers
Electrical Engineer: Bhatia Associates
Lighting Designer: Horton Lees Brogden
Geotech Engineer: Treadwell + Rollo
Mechanical/Plumbing Engineer: Tommy Siu + Associates
Acoustical Engineer: Wilson Ihrig + Associates
Civil Engineer: Luk and Associates
Contractor: Roberts-Obayashi Corporation
Photographer credit: Brian Rose
Collaborators: TSH International
Awards:
AIA Housing Award
Real Estate Deals of the Year: Affordable Housing in San Francisco (San Francisco Business Times)
+ All images and drawings courtesy David Baker + Partners | Photo by Brian Rose
