40 for 40: 1994 – Hamilton Family Center

The year 1994 saw Americans watching a live feed of OJ Simpson fleeing the LAPD in a white Ford Bronco, while in South Africa, the nation’s first multi-racial election is won by Nelson Mandela.  President Bill Clinton becomes mired in the Whitewater investigation.

Children and their parents left the theater humming Hakuna Matata from the movie “Lion King” and other film fans cheered on Keanu Reeves as he rescues Sandra Bullock from certain disaster on a bus barreling down the road in “Speed.”   Comic actor Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels act the part in the prescient satire of things to come, “Dumb and Dumber.”

Green Day’s major label debut Dookie becomes a breakout success and popularizes the retro punk movement of the ‘90s, while TLC enjoys even huger success with their second album CrazySexyCool.

At the same time, AND begins work with Hamilton Family Center on a site to create new supportive housing for homeless parents with children.  The Center was established in 1985 as the first homeless shelter for families in San Francisco by Hamilton United Methodist Church.   Staffed entirely by church volunteers, the program grew as did the desperate need for its services and transitional housing for homeless families in the City.

Located in a dense neighborhood on a through block connecting Hayes and Fell streets, the new facility was designed by AND to meet the needs of homeless parents with children.  The site’s unusual configuration allowed AND to create two separate street-facing residential buildings linked by a landscaped, trellised courtyard and children’s play structure.  AND works with community input on a design that fits into, and is respectful of the surrounding neighborhood’s character.

The Transitional Housing Program provides families the time and space they need to identify and address the multiple barriers and factors contributing to chronic homelessness, and helps them improve budgeting, parenting and life skills while preparing for stability.   Families initially stay in the north residential building in group housing (16 one- and two-bedroom units with private bathrooms and shared living/dining areas and kitchens).   As their lives stabilize with onsite counseling, childcare and social programs, families transition to the other building that has 9 separate apartments.  Here, each family is able to function independently as they apply for affordable housing in the community.

In 2000, Hamilton Family Center receives a Best Practices Award from the US Dept. of Housing & Urban Development.   Then in 2007, the Center is honored by the National Alliance to End Homelessness for its achievement in expanding focus and services from sheltering to ending homelessness for families.   AND is proud to have been a part of Hamilton Family Center’s success helping these families gain stability through this innovative and transformative project.

40 for 40: 1974 – The Early Days

In 1974, Watergate caused the resignation of Richard Nixon, the first sitting president in US history to do so.  Mel Brooks scored two big hits: “Blazing Saddles,” starring Clevon Little as a black sheriff trying to save an all-white town from a band of “rustlers, cutthroats, murderers, bounty hunters, desperadoes, mugs, pugs, thugs, nitwits, half-wits, dimwits, vipers, snipers, con men, Indian agents, Mexican bandits, muggers, buggerers, bushwhackers, hornswagglers, horse thieves, bull dykes, train robbers, bank robbers, ass kickers, shit kickers and Methodists," headed by Harvey Korman as “Hedley Lamar.”  December saw the release of “Young Frankenstein,” Brooks’ and Gene Wilder’s affectionate parody of 1930s horror classics.

Sporting some fine bell-bottoms, Swedish group ABBA burst onto the music scene with “Waterloo” by winning a Euro TV talent contest, while discos played Kool & the Gang’s “Jungle Boogie,” and southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd gave the world “Sweet Home Alabama.”

The fledgling AND, now a certified nonprofit,  continues to define community needs, providing technical and space planning services with architecture student volunteers moving, painting and implementing improvements.  Though funding is scarce, AND takes on projects in San Francisco Chinatown such as planning and construction supervision for a remodel of Everybody’s Bookstore; and design and building a free-standing photo display system for Asian Community Center.  AND members also participate in community meetings for Chinatown Committee for Better Parks & Recreational Facilities.  In SF Japantown, AND produces storefront designs and materials for the Committee Against Nihonmachi Eviction and offers space planning help to Kimochi’s Food Program.

AND projects in Oakland Chinatown include planning for Asian Law Caucus; a report on the Chinatown Redevelopment Project, and poster design advertising bilingual medical information for Asian Health Services.   AND produces the Home Buyer’s Handbook and distributes copies to low-income Asian families with limited language skills to help them “escape from highly congested living conditions.”  AND begins operations from volunteer staff members’ homes, eventually moving to an office on Waverly Place in SF Chinatown.

40 for 40: Oak Park Apartments - 2002

 

While President George W. Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act, Michael Jackson received the Artist of the Century award at the American Music Awards.  Barry Bonds hits his 400th home run as a Giant, becoming the first player in baseball history to slug that many homers for one team.  Americans are soothed by the strains of 'Always On Time' by R&B artist Ja Rule while the US invades Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attack.  Distracting and entertaining us at the movies were Spider-Man; The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers; Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones; Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and, last but certainly not least, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the top 5 grossing films of the year!

AND began working on a landmark project for two respected nonprofit housing organizations, East Bay Asian Local Development Corp. (EBALDC) and Affordable Housing Associates (AHA) in East Oakland.  The project involved the renovation of the Oak Park Apartments, a relatively large complex containing 56 1-bedroom units in six separate buildings surrounding a courtyard.  A key goal of the project’s sponsors, 26th Ave. Housing Associates (a joint venture between EBALDC and AHA), was to accommodate the overcrowding of multi-generational low-income families living in single units.  This was addressed by reconfiguring the complex and converting existing structures into 37 1-, 2-, 3- and 4- bedroom units. 

AND helped transform the existing “motel” aesthetic of the complex through a new design incorporating a new hipped roof, new windows and new entry portals into the complex, reflecting an Asian architectural motif.  Additionally, a new community building was built in an area formerly used for parking that included a multi-purpose room with kitchen, computer room, resident manager’s office, two ADA-accessible toilets and two private study rooms.  Today, in addition to its new construction, Oak Park Apts. features a basketball court and community garden.

The Oak Park Apts. represent the culmination of a community organizing struggle in partnership with New Hope Covenant Church to address the severe living conditions of its predominantly Central and Southeast Asian immigrant residents.  Not only did this project address construction deficiencies, the phasing of the construction process allowed many of the families to remain in place and transfer to new units after the completion of the first phase.   AND is honored and proud to have played a small part in helping to improve the living conditions of this underserved community through our work on this project.

40 for 40: Lao Iu Mien Culture Association Community Center - 2000

 

In 2000’s US presidential election, “hanging chads” became the center of debate in Florida with the victor of the race in question for over a month until the Supreme Court made the final decision in Bush V. Gore.   “Oops, I Did It Again,” Britney Spears’ second album, sells a record 1.3 million copies in its first day of release while the song “Who Let the Dogs Out?” by Baja Man becomes a regular theme at sporting events.  The country was mesmerized by the new reality show “Survivor” where a group of contestants on an isolated tropical island vied to be the last man or woman standing.

Transplanting their traditional leadership structure to a US setting, elders of the Iu Mien tribe--refugees from the Laotian highlands--established the nonprofit Lao Iu Mien Culture Association, Inc. (LIMCA).  Their goal was to unite Iu Mien community members who were scattered across the Bay Area and help integrate them into American life.

LIMCA’s organizers purchased a half-acre site with a small single-family home in East Oakland with the hope of making a community center and (King Pan) Buddhist temple that would serve as a focal point for Iu Mien cultural, language and religious events, celebrations and archive.   

Kouichoy Saechao, LIMCA’s board chairman, said, "We believe that the Iu Mien Cultural Center will help strengthen our commitment to the preservation and rebuilding of the Iu Mien culture and religion. We need to maintain and preserve our cultural values, our confidence and our sense of security in order to become productive citizens in America."

AND worked with LIMCA for the first phase of the project to obtain necessary conditional use and master plan permit documents for development and construction. The original vision was to house a multi-purpose auditorium/meeting/activity space, offices, museum and library.  Activities at the center would include the annual Lunar New Year and King Pan celebrations, high school and college graduations, cultural performances and social service programs.

Due to limited resources, the project was broken up into two phases, with the help of owners’ rep and longtime AND ally Thomas Lauderbach (with whom AND partnered previously on the Aarti SRO hotel renovation project).  Phase I prioritized general site infrastructure improvements and the construction of a basic shell for meeting, kitchen and restroom facilities.  This phase was specifically designed to accommodate future phase II expansion and development to include the temple, multi-purpose space, elevator/stairs, offices, library/museum and building infrastructure systems.

It was a unique honor for AND to be part of contributing to this important Iu Mien cultural institution. Through our experience, we learned about and were inspired by the spirit of the Iu Mien people--their deep and abiding care for each other and their dedication to nurturing and creating community.  This in turn deepened AND’s own commitment to building and revitalizing underserved communities, our passion for the past 40 years!  For more info, visit limcacenter.org.

40 for 40: Excelsior Youth Center - 1998

 

The year 1998 marked the scandal-plagued investigation and impeachment proceedings against then-President Bill Clinton, characterized by denials of "sexual relations" with “that woman”-White House intern Monica Lewinsky.  Among top grossing movies of the year was Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan” portraying with ultimate bloody realism WWII’s D-Day invasion.  In the world of mainstream corporate radio, Celine Dion’s “My Heart” from 1997’s movie “Titanic” gets constant airplay.

That same year AND, with Kendall Young Associates, designed the Excelsior Youth Center to provide a new neighborhood facility bringing much needed youth services to the Excelsior.  Both the City and SF Unified School District collaborated in the realization of this 22,000 sq. ft. space that includes a gymnasium, activity and multi-purpose rooms, recording studio, computer lab and study hall.  

The building’s design was contextualized to harmonize with the adjacent Excelsior Community School’s brick and plaster detailing.  The center houses the Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco (BGCSF) which works in partnership with the school to encourage youth to participate in its strong after-school programs and provide access to its gym.  BGCSF functions under contract with the City’s Dept. of Children, Youth & Families to operate the clubhouse.  It is the fourth largest clubhouse in the BGCSF organization.

The Excelsior Youth Center provides free Saturday programs, including sports, cooking, open gym, arts, puppetry, drama and family story time.  Toddlers (ages 3-5) can learn new sports and motor skills or attend story time.  Elementary school-aged children can stay healthy while playing sports or explore their artistic side making puppets or learning to cook.  Older youth can take drama class, or play pick-up sports in the open gym.  The center also regularly hosts family and cultural events, adding vibrancy while serving as an integral part of the neighborhood.

AND is honored to have played a part in revitalizing the Excelsior neighborhood through its involvement in the youth center’s creation, one among many that we’ve designed in the Bay Area’s underserved communities.