Swinerton is providing general contracting services for the construction of a new community center in the heart of the redeveloped Sunnydale HOPE SF neighborhood. The center serves as a new gateway into McLaren Park. Combined with the adjacent Herz Recreation Center, the project creates a new campus HUB that supports community connection.

The new 30,000-square-foot neighborhood resource is a two-story mass timber resource that includes a teaching kitchen, study areas, a recording studio, a mix of spaces for a full slate of social events, workshops, and classes, and a living room for neighbors to meet and connect. The center will also include new facilities for Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco and Wu Yee Children’s Services, greatly expanding the capacity of both organizations to provide top-tier childcare and programming for neighborhood youth.

To ensure a warm and inviting community space and LEED Gold certification, CLT and glulam were chosen based on biophilic, sustainable, structural, and aesthetic qualities. The exposed wood structure is a simple scheme meant to take advantage of mass timber’s increased construction speed and decreased waste.

Mass timber brace frames are showcased in key locations throughout the design via framed, glazed openings. These brace frames also allow for a more open exterior skin with more access to daylight and views. The mass timber beams and girders will also be exposed and visible at locations where programming requires long spans to demonstrate their structural capabilities. The project offers an impact on the entire neighborhood by showcasing the possibilities of mass timber construction, the importance of environmental responsibility, and providing beautiful architecture in a previously distressed community.