Historic preservation commission recommends landmark designation for University Mound Old Ladies Home

The San Francisco Historic Preservation Commission voted 7–0 Aug. 5 to recommend landmark designation of the University Mound Old Ladies Home at 350 University Street in the Portola neighborhood and to forward that recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.

Department staff presented the designation report and recommended landmark status, saying the current building was constructed in 1931–32 in the Colonial Revival style and replaced an earlier 1875 structure. Staff noted the home’s association with James Lick’s endowment for a retirement home for elderly women and identified architects Martin J. Wright and Alfred I. Coffey as the building’s designers. The department updated the report to add an appendix on the history of retirement housing and recommended a period of significance tied to the building’s construction and long use.

Shannon Ferguson, planning department staff, told commissioners that some character-defining interior features listed in the report appeared to have been altered or removed; staff said they would update the character-defining features section to reflect changes observed during a recent site visit. Department staff and commissioners reported meeting with representatives of the owner/operator (including Nadir Shabahangi, identified in the record as a founder, and Ami Champarneri, identified as executive director). Commissioners said neighborhood residents and Supervisor Campos had expressed support for designation, while owner representatives raised concerns about how landmark status might affect the facility’s ability to make accessibility and code-related modifications.

Commissioners discussed options for balancing preservation and operational flexibility, including early involvement of the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) and the potential for a preservation consultant to help develop alternatives that address accessibility requirements and life-safety systems. Staff noted examples of likely retrofit work discussed on the site visit: adding ramps, considering elevator placement at the rear of the building, and options for sprinkler and lighting work that might affect decorative ceilings (including the possibility of installing a drop ceiling if necessary). Staff also reported that some original light fixtures may have already been removed, and that chapel fixtures could be rewired and reinstalled if available.

A motion to adopt the staff recommendation for designation was made, seconded, and approved unanimously 7–0. The commission’s vote forwards the designation recommendation to the Board of Supervisors for final action. The department indicated it would update the designation report to reflect the site visit findings and the commission’s discussion before the item proceeds to the Board.