Adding 5,000 square feet of mezzanine to the sanctuary presented a significant challenge for the team’s goal of conforming to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Ultimately the intervention would have to be free-standing and structurally separate from the original historic edifice, which would ensure the insertion could be removed relatively easily in the future, if needed, thereby reducing the impact on the original architecture.
To preserve the look and feel of the Romanesque Revival sanctuary, the mezzanine addition was located primarily along the two side aisles, keeping the center space lofty and open. To connect them, a long-span bridge element was designed with a reduced profile, minimizing its visual impact.
Restoring the Glory
At the outset of the project in the mid-2000s, the facade was clad in a layer of warm beige-yellow stucco intended to look like stone. At Ken Fulk’s request, the project team restored the stucco while altering the color to a cool light gray. Coincidentally, a thorough study by Page & Turnbull’s architectural conservators revealed the original color was a similar gray, furthering the project’s goal of matching the original appearance. Various ornamental details crafted from sheet metal or wood have been painted to resemble stone—except for domes and crosses, which were re-gilded instead.
The historians also found archival photos from the 1940s showing ivy covering much of the south facade. The project team recommended climbing plants for this elevation as an ode to the church’s past and for an added benefit: to create a visual screen obscuring the only visible intervention, the steel columns and horizontal strongback beam installed to shore up shear capacity.
The rose windows dominating much of the façade have been fully restored utilizing salvaged glass dating back to the early 20th century. More than 100 individual panes of stained glass were carefully removed from the towers, labeled, dismantled, individually restored and then reinstalled. All original doors were likewise meticulously restored; graffiti and blemishes painstakingly were removed and corrected before repainting. To the extent possible, door hardware was also salvaged and restored but some considerations needed to be made to achieve compliance with fire- and life-safety codes, as well as ADA requirements.
Other restoration work included carefully removing the altar and confessional booths, cleaning and repairing historic materials throughout the main sanctuary and salvaging original wire glass to be reused in a refurbished skylight. The freestanding mezzanine with connecting bridge is the only visible architectural addition in the sanctuary space, aside from ADA modifications. Intriguingly, the mezzanine allows occupants to enjoy unprecedented up-close view of ceilings, column capitals and other historic details.
All seismic components have been designed to alter the historic fabric as little as possible, and all modern upgrades (electric, mechanical, etc.) are hidden behind plaster or under the floor for the same purpose. The original oak guardrail in the choir loft has been brought into compliance with current building codes through the integration of new wooden base, built with a profile similar to the existing while effectively raising its height.
Regarding the choir loft, it’s worth mentioning one other unique aspect of the restoration. Page & Turnbull set out to repair the historic plaster in this section, for which artisans from Ireland were engaged. That team devised a new recipe to replicate the historic mix of lime, sand and horsehair—without harming any horses. The new mix used burlap instead of hair as the binding agent.
All members of the project team found the adaptive reuse and restoration of St. Joseph’s to be a deeply satisfying undertaking. Working with Ken Fulk as a client and collaborator is a rare enough opportunity, and it was especially rewarding to do so in a way that nurtures San Francisco’s arts community while safeguarding the city’s cultural heritage. Page & Turnbull’s architects, historians and conservators are especially gratified to have been able to bring to bear our knowledge of historic tax credits to make the redevelopment economically feasible.
Retrofit Team
ARCHITECT AND PRESERVATION ARCHITECT: Rick Feldman, Page & Turnbull
INTERIOR DESIGN: Ken Fulk Interiors
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Palisade Builders Inc.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Sattary Structural Engineering, (415) 422-0456
LANDSCAPE: Bella Vita
ELECTRICAL AND DATA INFRASTRUCTURE: McKimmey Electric Inc.
INTERIOR STUCCO, LATH AND PLASTER REPAIRS: William O’Neill Lath & Plastering
STAINED-GLASS RESTORATION: John Joy Art Glass Studio
CLIENT: 1401 Howard Street LLC
Materials
WHEELCHAIR LIFTS: McKinley Elevator Corp.
RADIANT HEAT: AquaHeat from ComfortPro
CUSTOM LIGHTING: Steven Handelman Studios
FABRICATED STEEL (Lateral Force-resisting System of Braces and Spiral Stair): Carlos Welding Inc.
CUSTOM DOOR HARDWARE AND PLUMBING FIXTURES: Van Cronenburg
MEZZANINE KITCHEN FURNITURE: Clive Christian Furniture Co.
MURAL ARTISTS: Bears by Dutch Artists Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren; Vestry Mural by Rafael Arana (In-house Artist at Ken Fulk Interiors); and Apothecary Mural by Deborah Phillips