The former Central YMCA building (San Francisco landmark), constructed in 1909–1910 following the 1906 earthquake, has been converted into 172 units of permanent housing and supportive service space. The new housing units, while larger than the original YMCA hotel rooms, average 230 square feet and include private baths and compact kitchenettes. The ground floor is largely occupied by a Department of Public Health clinic for residents of Tenderloin supportive housing, with an emphasis on holistic services, wellness, and permanence.
As a landmark building, the street façades and several of the original common spaces have been restored to their original grandeur. The monumental entry stair, which had been removed at some point, has been reconstructed similarly to the original, recalling the building’s original sunlit grand entry sequence. The renovated second-floor main lobby and auditorium will be used primarily by the residential tenants for community functions. The gymnasium on the fifth floor will be available to the residents and to clinic visitors for health and fitness classes.
On the eighth and ninth floors, existing squash courts have been demolished and replaced with new construction for housing units. On the roof, a deck for residents adjoins a staff lounge and tenant lounge/laundry room. 92 percent of the housing units are accessible according to either state or federal standards.