Projects

San Francisco Friends School Seismic Retrofit
How do you transform a manufacturing plant to a K-8 school while maintaining the historical integrity of the building?
San Francisco Friends School Seismic Retrofit

Customized Solution

  • Forell | Elsesser provided structural engineering services for the adaptive re-use of the Levi Strauss Factory Building at 250 Valencia Street in San Francisco, which was originally constructed in 1906 and is recognized by the San Francisco Planning Commission as a Structure of Merit.  The adaptive re-use of this building from a manufacturing building to a private K-8 school was achieved with a seismic retrofit and renovation.
  • The existing, 87,000 s.f. heavy-timber structure was laterally reinforced with steel braced frames and collectors.  The existing brick footings were replaced with a concrete mat slab and grade beams.
  •  Project challenges include maintaining the historical integrity of the building while adding structural elements and working with many unforeseen existing conditions.
  • The renovated facility includes classrooms, offices, large conference and meeting rooms, parking, and a gymnasium enclosed with new steel roof trusses and metal deck.
San Francisco Friends School Seismic Retrofit
San Francisco Friends School Seismic Retrofit

Highlights

  • Architect: Pfau Long Architecture/Page & Turnbull Architects, General Contractor: Plant Construction
  • Owner: San Francisco Friends School
  • Heavy timber structure reinforced with steel braced frames, collectors, and existing brick footings replaced with a concrete mat slab and grade beams.
  • Sustainable features including building and material re-use, thermal towers, and radiant floors resulted in a 2009 Savings by Design Award of Merit.
San Francisco Friends School Seismic Retrofit
San Francisco Friends School Seismic Retrofit
San Francisco Friends School Seismic Retrofit
San Francisco Friends School Seismic Retrofit
San Francisco Friends School Seismic Retrofit
San Francisco Friends School Seismic Retrofit

Team

San Francisco Friends School Seismic Retrofit

Masume Mansouri Dana

Principal

San Francisco Friends School Seismic Retrofit

Susan LaFore

Senior Associate