Work Begins On New Housing For The Disabled At Page & Masonic

Work Begins On New Housing For The Disabled At Page & MasonicPhoto: Camden Avery/Hoodline
Camden Avery
Published on October 30, 2015

Nearly two years after we reported that the property at 1500 Page St. was going through city permitting to become a housing development for the developmentally disabled, work is finally ready to begin.

According to city permit records, the work—a $3.3 million conversion of the Page & Masonic building into 17 apartment units for disabled adults—was actually approved last summer. Long vacant, the building was formerly a 38-room residential hotel.

The new project is a joint undertaking by Mercy Housing and The ARC to provide low-income affordable housing for adults with developmental disabilities. The origins of this specific project dates back four years, to when it was awarded an initial capital funding grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

As of October 27th, a start-work inspection was logged with the city to allow work to commence. Tim Dunn, a senior project manager for Mercy Housing, said that the work is expected to take a year, wrapping up sometime in October of 2016. 

As to what the building will shape up to include, Dunn said, "there's going to be a big community room with a community kitchen, so that's going to be the primary focus of the activity programming."

He said the renovation would also include a garden on the west side of the property, and offices for the property and services managers.

Mercy Housing already has properties in the area: it's the existing operator of Mercy Terrace, the former Southern Pacific Hospital at 333 Baker St., and a Hayes Valley affordable housing development is also on the way.

Although 1500 Page St. (aka 1099 Masonic Ave.) isn't yet listed on Mercy's property registry, there does exist a rudimentary website with renderings of what the corner might look like post-construction. (Update, 3:45: this is apparently an outdated site—we'll update the story with current renderings when we have them.)

Signs on the building indicate that asbestos abatement is underway; contractor parking permits are valid for the next four months.

Thanks to Dave W. for the tip.