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Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation Celebrates
Renovation of 94-Year Old Klimm Apartments
Project Preserves and Modernizes 42 Affordable Apartments
in San Francisco's Tenderloin District
SAN FRANCISCO — The Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC) is pleased to announce the grand re-opening of the Klimm Apartments on 460 Ellis Street. Home to 66 residents, the 94-year old building’s renovation simultaneously modernized it while preserving its architectural heritage. TNDC will celebrate the completion of the 18-month project with a re-opening ceremony on Tuesday April 17, 2007. Among the attendees will be representatives from TNDC’s Board of Directors, San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing, and lenders including Bank of America, Silicon Valley Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank and equity investor Merritt Community Capital.
The Klimm Apartments, built by Frank Klimm in 1913, was acquired by TNDC in 1986. The Klimm provides 42 affordable homes to low-income families and individuals – most of whom earn less than 30% of the annual median income in San Francisco. “Restoring and renovating the Klimm is doubly gratifying,” explains TNDC Executive Director Don Falk. “We’ve completed some much-needed work that will make the building more habitable and safer for residents while, at the same time, putting the shine back on one of the Tenderloin’s grand old buildings.”
Prior to the renovation, the Klimm’s systems were in urgent need of repair and upgrades. In 2003, TNDC secured $8.4 million in financing, enabling a comprehensive rehabilitation and restoration of the building. Many of the improvements aimed to make the apartments more comfortable for the residents, including new paint, carpet, cabinets, counters and appliances in all of the units. In addition, three new wheelchair accessible units and a hearing/visually-impaired apartment were created, along with accessibility improvements to common rooms, hallways and bathrooms. The fire and life safety features have been modernized, as well as the building’s plumbing and electrical systems. There was also an addition of a new elevator.
The Klimm, like many apartment buildings in the Tenderloin, is nearly 100 years old. During the Klimm’s restoration, TNDC made extra efforts to preserve the building’s architectural integrity and restore some of its past grandeur. Detailed attention was paid to restoring the building’s original lobby, which includes ornamental plaster and decorated wood pilasters with marble bases. General contractor AmOne Corporation even replaced two damaged marble panels at the entrance of the building for no additional cost.
In recent decades, the Tenderloin has become home to a large population of newly arrived Asian immigrants. The Klimm is home to many of these households, providing individuals and families with safe and stable homes plus an after-school youth center, job referrals, and access to neighborhood social services.
Founded in 1981, TNDC’s mission is to provide safe, affordable housing with support services for low-income people in the Tenderloin community and be a leader in making the neighborhood a better place to live. TNDC now owns and manages 25 buildings that provide homes for 2,500 extremely low-income seniors, families, people with disabilities, low-income wage earners, immigrants and others in the Tenderloin and nearby neighborhoods. In addition, TNDC provides on-site supportive services and resources such as social workers and after-school programs to help residents stabilize their lives and develop a sense of community.