Knights of Pythias Apartments
Our Project
This 109-unit affordable condominium development was thoughtfully designed to expand first-time homeownership opportunities while revitalizing an important historic structure. The project combined the sensitive rehabilitation of an unreinforced masonry building with complementary new construction, creating a vibrant, mixed-use residential community. The development features a licensed child care center and street-level commercial condominiums that activate the public realm and support neighborhood-serving uses.
Targeted to a range of first-time buyers, fifty percent of the residential units were reserved for low-income households, with the balance made available to moderate-income buyers, advancing economic diversity and long-term housing stability. Through its blend of historic preservation, new construction, and community-focused amenities, the project delivers lasting value for residents while contributing to neighborhood revitalization and sustainable urban development.
Project Overview
101 Valencia is a 200,000-square-foot mixed-use housing development located in San Francisco. The project combines historic adaptive reuse with new residential construction to deliver a diverse mix of housing, commercial space, and community-serving amenities.
Historic Preservation & Adaptive Reuse
Originally built in 1911, the former Salvation Army Headquarters is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Its renovation required a Section 106 environmental review coordinated with the California State Office of Historic Preservation, ensuring the preservation of the building’s historic character.
Residential Program
The development includes 35 condominium homes created through the adaptive reuse of a 45,000-square-foot historic building, along with 74 newly constructed family housing units. Together, the residences support a vibrant, mixed-income urban community.
Size
The combined total size of the four sites is approximately one acre, with 135,000 square feet of housing and 4,690 square feet of commercial space.
The site includes 12,000 square feet of court yards and plazas with an additional underground parking lot fit for a total of 112 cars, making it one of the largest affordable first-time homeownership developments in San Francisco.
Community Amenities
Residents benefit from a landscaped central courtyard, a two-level underground parking garage, ground-floor commercial space, and an on-site daycare center designed to support families and neighborhood engagement.
Financing & Historical Significance
The project was financed through federal HOME funds and mortgage revenue bond financing provided by the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing. Historically known as the Knights of Pythias Building, the site reflects San Francisco’s social history, serving as both a fraternal hall and the regional headquarters of the Salvation Army for nearly seven decades.
Facts & Logistics
San Francisco, California
LOCATION
101 Valencia is located on the border of Civic Center and Mission.
1998
COMPLETED
Using federal Home funds and Assistance from the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency, 101 Valencia was able to come into completion in 1998.
Residential/ Commercial
CATEGORY
101 Valncia was the rehabilitation and homeownership condominium development of a 109 unit of unreinforced masonry, as well as new construction.
Significance
101 Valencia is a thoughtfully designed mixed-use development that blends historic preservation with new residential construction in the heart of San Francisco. The project encompasses approximately 200,000 square feet and includes the adaptive reuse of a 45,000-square-foot historic building into 35 condominium residences with ground-floor commercial space, alongside the construction of 74 new family housing units.
The development features a landscaped central courtyard, a two-level underground parking garage, and an on-site daycare center, creating a vibrant and community-oriented living environment.
A key component of the project was the renovation of the historic former Salvation Army Headquarters, originally constructed in 1911. Eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, the building required a Section 106 environmental review in coordination with the California State Office of Historic Preservation. The scope of work included a comprehensive seismic retrofit, utilizing shotcrete shear walls and upgraded floor diaphragms, as well as complete modernization of fire and life safety systems, ensuring long-term resilience and code compliance while preserving the building’s historic character.
Project financing was supported through a combination of federal HOME funds and mortgage revenue bond financing provided by the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing.
Historically known as the Knights of Pythias Building, the structure is a rare surviving example of an early 20th-century fraternal organization hall in San Francisco. It reflects the city’s social history, bridging the gap between elite private clubs and commercial halls. The building later served as the regional and local headquarters of the Salvation Army from 1920 to 1989, further cementing its legacy as a cornerstone of community service and social support prior to widespread government involvement in social welfare.