By Design
by Robert Shurell
Providing desirable housing is a competitive venture, especially here in San Francisco. Land parcels are of a definite, limited quantity, and square footage is likewise at a premium. As costs continue to rise, each unit in a development is squeezed tighter and tighter to keep a construction and operation pro forma realistic. The greatest amenity, gracious space, is therefore not available in most cases. What makes housing desirable, then? Two new housing developments in San Francisco, The Paramount on Mission Street and Laguna Grove Care on Laguna Street, are successful operations because they offer the amenity of service.
An amenity is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as "the more ‘human' and pleasurable environmental aspects of a house...as distinguished from the features of the house...considered in or by itself." An amenity may also be described as a feature of a home or property that is not essential to its use, but may increase the value of the home or property. Taken a step further, might the people who inhabit a building be an amenity, increasing the human value of an entire neighborhood in which the building is located?
Big City Living
The Paramount is the embodiment of high-rise luxury living in San Francisco. Opened in 2001 on 680 Mission St., the grey tower of glass and precast panels introduced 43 stories to the corner of Yerba Buena Park.
It stands shoulder to shoulder with the newly minted Saint Regis tower and almost holds hands with the Four Seasons on Market St.—all related in height and bulk. Use is what sets the Paramount apart from the others; it consists of 486 apartment units, while the others around it are condominiums or hotels.
"Luxury lives in the services," says Leasing Manager Cori Prilik. "We are always looking for newer, better services to offer the tenants, to make their lives easier. Our services are our greatest amenity"—in addition, that is, to stunning 360-degree views, a lap pool and fitness center, valet parking, a conference room and business center, and a top-floor sun deck with private cabanas. "Our motto is ‘Expect more at home,' and we do that with our New York mentality: get it done now," Prilik explains. "If a tenant has a problem, any reasonable request, it will be taken care of in less than 24 hours."
Among the unique services offered is the tenants' option to automatically pay rent on their American Express card. This not only safeguards the tenants from forgetting to pay rent, but allows them to collect miles and other perks from the credit card company. "This is an expense they have to pay anyway, so they may as well collect miles doing it. By the end of the year, they can basically take a free trip on us," reports Prilik. Also, the management throws a building party three times a year on the pool deck. They are catered events, with music, food and drinks. Prilik claims, with a wink, that the unmarried residents enjoy the parties the most and look forward to them with anticipation. "It's so hard to meet your neighbors these days. You just walk past each other in the hallway. This is a wonderful way for our tenants to build relationships, and it promotes tenant retention when they feel comfortable with each other."
Feeling Comfortable
Across town, a small, family company is operating a senior care community. The company is called Age Song, and Laguna Grove Care is the community, located just north of Hayes Street. Laguna Grove Care is consistent with the neighborhood—at three stories it is about 40-feet tall. Tan stucco is a background for beautiful dark-stained wood bays, and a central bay provides the surprise: a glass wall encloses a warm two story lobby, creating a unique dialogue with the street. This natural connection is comforting and inviting to the passerby, and much more so for a resident on the inside.
Laguna Grove Care opened its doors in Hayes Valley in 2005 as a 56-bed senior care facility. Community is the focus here—the sleeping rooms are shared and average less than 250 square feet—and the care is individualized and closely monitored. Staff consists of caregivers who tend to safety, cleanliness and foodservice, as well as psychotherapist interns who create and implement care programs for the residents. "In this aspect we are very similar to the Paramount," says Elke Tekin, community-relations director and Age Song family member. "Both properties strive to relieve the resident of the life responsibilities they can't or don't want to deal with."
Age Song's desire to elevate the status of our elderly to traditional levels of respect in the community is displayed throughout the project. Sensitivity to the needs of elders is apparent in, for example, the exit stairwell. Rather than the usual cavelike, utilitarian, fluorescent-lit exit stairs we often see, the space is captured as an exercise area, a sunlit art gallery and a storytelling chamber—the story of the construction of the building is told by many of the pieces of art on the walls. "The seniors come here to enjoy the framed art as they exercise on the stairs," describes Ali Shabahangi, another of the Age Song family, "and enjoy the details of the construction." He motions to the handrail, which is a stylish composition of steel and wood. "I've seen so many places that are just parking lots for the elderly," he continues, "it's very sad. We don't do that. Our residents engage the community." Similar to the Paramount, outings are arranged for the residents, whether to the symphony, wine country, Golden Gate Park, or a simple walk to the nearby cafe. Other services include expressive arts activities in a community setting such as painting, journal writing, storytelling and yoga.
What do these services mean in the larger picture? The creation of a place that, through unique services, invites a special part of our society—senior citizens—into the community and allows them to express themselves: isn't that a service to the community? By providing the amenities that attract the clientele they desire, Age Song has essentially created an amenity in the greater context of the neighborhood. Hayes Valley is, day by day, becoming a better place to live. Wth our elderly an integral part of the neighborhood, full appreciation of them as an amenity can be realized: their "eyes on the street," knowledge and perspective, patronage of local neighborhood shops and use of public transportation. They are the glue that sticks a neighborhood together.
The amount of care and service that a property owner gives to the tenants is directly related to the quality of individual who seeks out the living unit. Providing little amenities—a tenant-appreciation party, a literature club or movie night, move-in assistance or utility-connection assistance service—will add up to make a building a unique amenity in the neighborhood. This in turn will make each neighborhood a greater amenity to the city of San Francisco.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of SFAA or the San Francisco Apartment Magazine. Robert Shurell is a project manager and designer with Architectural Resources Group, a firm specializing in historic preservation throughout the western United States. Feel free to contact him with questions or comments at Robert@argsf.com. © 2006 by the San Francisco Apartment Magazine. All rights reserved.