Residential districts as urban redevelopment

C-district

Residential building structure with multi-family
units

Building site

(ha) approx. 400

170

75

10

Dwellings 299

R/ha

D/ha

C/D

Residents 682

St. Francis Square, San
Francisco/USA

Architect: R. B. Marquis and C. Stoller; L. Halprin
(landscape architect)

Building sponsor: ILWU-PMA, Longshoremen
Redevelopment Corporation

Financed by: public funds 221 (d) -3

First projected: 1962

Construction time: 1963/64

Residential district - background

Western district of the town, part of a larger
renovation area between Geary Street, Laguna
Street and Webster Street. The district consists of
three street blocks with a slight slope in the
eastern part of the site. A sociological survey
carried out in 1970 revealed that the residents
(41%) Caucasians, 32% Negroes, 23% Orientals)
jive contentedly together in their districts; child-
ren (40%) take over all the open spaces in the
district. District with responsible residents organ-
isation, home ownership.

Housing development

3-storeyed double combinations with three dif-
ferent types of dwelling are grouped in residential
courtyards comprising about 100 dwellings. The
living side of the dwellings, which have either
an open-sided arcade or a garden, faces the
residential courtyards. Dwelling sizes and distri-
bution: 14 2-room dwellings with 55 m², 107 3-
room dwellings with 75 m², 178 4-room dwell-
ings with 95 m². Construction: timber framework,
necessary open-air emergency stairs. Cost of a
dwelling incl. fittings and outdoor amenities
$11 700 (1962).

Traffic - parking

District closed to traffic by closing O'Farrell and Buchanan Streets, parking in what was formerly the street and around the periphery. Open parking spaces approx. 55%, open collective garages approx. 45%. Max. distance from car to dwelling: 90 m.

Footpaths - open spaces

The footpaths run parallel to the residential
buildings and form a tight network because of the
fact that access to the staircases is from both
sides. each residential courtyard has a series of
playgrounds for small children; a main footpath
with a wide green area runs from east to west;
uniform external appearance and planted areas.
Each upper storey dwelling has an open arcade
2.0 x 3.6 m and those on the ground floor have a
secluded garden 20 m²/26 m².

Amenities

A caretaker's office, which at the same time serves
as a meeting room, and three washing rooms are
located in the residential buildings. A youth hostel
(YMCA) was retained in the district, and
crossing-free access was created for the primary
school in the 4th block.

Site plan 1:3000, Y.M.C.A.: existing youth hostel

see also: AA 120; House & Home 2/1964; AIA Journal
12/1971 (survey on resident satisfaction) Lit. Newman,
1972; Lit. Unhig 1971