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450 O'FARRELL

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

“We are excited to work with Fifth Church of Christ, Scientist to significantly add to San Francisco’s Essential Housing stock, addressing the needs of the city’s working families. With the help of our partners, we are not only addressing underutilized spaces, but also paying attention to a frequently overlooked corner of the market – housing for the middle income worker – and doing it all without government financing.”      

                                                                                - Richard Hannum, FORGE Founding Partner​

450_ofarrell

Preserving History & 

Engaging the Community. . .

Forge is partnering with Fifth Church of Christ, Scientist to revitalize the church’s former project by creating 316 unique units of high-tech, high-touch rental homes targeted at today’s middle-income worker. Forge will also create a new 10,000 square foot turnkey worship space that allows Fifth Church of Christ, Scientist to continue its healing mission in the Tenderloin community that it has called home for almost 100 years.

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For the 450 O’Farrell project, Fifth Church of Christ,

Scientist will exchange their property for a turnkey church and allow Forge to develop, own and manage 316 essential apartments sleeping up to four individuals with state-of-the-art private baths and cooking facilities in each unit. The repurposed design almost doubles the number of units from the previously approved plan, and increases the inclusionary Affordable Housing by a similar ratio.

450 O'FARRELL RENDERING

The new 10,000 square foot church facility will remember its past by reusing of the stained glass windows, stained glass oculus, bronze clad entry doors and church pews allowing for services in a space that honors the original church. The new development provides a street-level Christian Science Reading Room serving the public for prayer and study, inviting greater community participation and engagement with the neighborhood.


As part of its quest to partner with thought leaders in the community, Forge is excited to work with the San Francisco Interfaith Council and its Executive Director Michael Pappas on transforming underutilized church properties in San Francisco. Together, they will identify church properties that could be similarly transformed into sensible projects that keep established churches in their communities while also allowing the City’s often overlooked middle income workforce to live where they work by providing new essential housing.

Fifth Church of Christ Scientist Oculus

FIFTH CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST OCULUS

The Details

13 stories of mixed-use building with a total of 316 state-of-the-art units, designed for maximum space efficiency with minimal comfort sacrifice.

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Architect: Gensler 

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  • 316 new 345 to 500 square-foot units sleeping up to four individuals.

  • All units feature state-of-the-art private baths and cooking facilities

  • Roof decks and multiple interior courtyards and shared amenities for residents

  • Roughly 7,000 square feet of locally serving retail

  • 10,000 square foot church facility including historic artifacts from the existing structure

  • Street-level Christian Science Reading Room open to the public for prayer and study during the week

  • New sidewalks, trees and plants to add vitality and greenery to the area

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