An intensive conservation and construction effort will begin August 12th by a team assembled by the 500 Capp Street Foundation. When 500 Capp Street reopens it will become the latest arts organization to join the culturally dense Mission District. 500 Capp Street will provide the Bay Area community not only with public access to the house, but also a study center and archive for Ireland’s works, as well as an artist-in-residency program.
Led by Director Carlie Wilmans, this project has been in development since the Foundation’s establishment in 2009. The project’s goals support the Foundation’s mission to preserve the home of David Ireland. The home will be set on a new concrete foundation, Ireland’s work on the interior will be stabilized, the exterior will be restored using lead-free paint, an elevator will be installed to provide more universal access to the house, and a study center, gallery space and an outdoor terrace will be added to provide a place for community events.
The 500 Capp Street Foundation has partnered with Jensen Architects, the award winning Bay Area firm that designed the SFMoMA Rooftop Sculpture Garden, to create a innovative concept for the new study center and terrace that will utilize all aspects of the property to create a fuller community and visitor experience while maintaining the artistic and historical integrity of the property. Architectural Resources Group, having just completed the structural restoration of Coit Tower, will restore the interior surfaces to their original appearance when David completed the home in 1978. While the work on the home has only begun this month it has already received recognition, receiving the honor of “Best of Design: Preservation” by 7×7 Magazine in 2014.