Emanu-El Next Construction Updates

Construction Hours are Monday – Friday, 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. 

If you have an urgent construction-related matter, please contact: 

  • Plant Construction at (415) 680-6009 (Field Office Contact) or 
  • (415) 285-0500 (Main Office Contact)

For general questions or concerns regarding the construction project, please email us at: [email protected] 

 

September 2023 

Courtyard Building

With the historic material salvage completed during the prior period, Plant Construction concentrated their efforts on isolating the Courtyard building from the Sanctuary and removing the existing courtyard. The exterior facade of the Courtyard building is structurally braced and will allow for the project team to progress with underpinning and shoring to support the facade during excavation. Noisy demolition will continue until around September 15th.

Temple House

Demolition of the interiors is progressing at the Temple House and will continue during the September period. The project team will focus their efforts on Level 4 of the building in preparation for asbestos abatement, demolition, and removal of the interior walls.

Removal of demolition debris is ongoing at the Courtyard.

Overall view of the demolition progress at the Courtyard looking east.

Existing flooring and wall finishes have been removed down to the base surfaces within the interiors of Temple House.

Protection at the corridors of Temple House is installed.

Construction Lookahead

Over the next three months, the following construction activities will take place:

  • Shoring and underpinning at the Courtyard building facades that will remain in place
  • Excavation under the Courtyard for the new building
  • Interior Soft Demo to be completed in the Temple House

General Construction Notes

  • As of August 14, 2023, two generators will be used as part of the construction work. One generator will be located behind the construction fencing on Lake Street. This generator will operate during the construction hours of 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. A second generator is located inside the interior courtyard of the building and will provide power for evening and weekend events in the Main Sanctuary for approximately the next three months.

  • The Lake Street generator will be in use from 7:00 am – 6:00 pm on weekdays, and when the Congregation has evening or weekend events, including religious services on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. While on most days, use of the generator will cease at about 6:00 pm, we are providing neighbors with more specific information below about when the generator will be in use. We are looking at all upcoming activities with the goal of limiting hours if feasible and will post more soon.

    • Sept. 8: Shabbat Servies 7:00 am – 7:30 pm
    • Sept. 9: 7:30 am – 2:00 pm
    • Sept 10: No generator
    • Sept. 11: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
    • Sept. 12: 7:00 am – 8:30 pm
    • Sept. 14: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm

  • Please note the following closures during the construction duration:
    • As of June 12, 2023, four (4) 90-degree parking spaces will be available to the neighborhood on 2nd Avenue throughout the duration of the project. These available parking spaces will be demarcated via signage.
    • As of June 12, 2023, the remaining parking spaces along 2nd Avenue towards the retaining wall dead end will be designated for the project’s operations.
    • As of June 12, 2023, all the parking spaces immediately adjacent to the project along Lake Street will be designated for the project’s operations, 24 hours, and 7 days a week.
    • As of June 12, 2023, all the parking spaces immediately adjacent to the project along Arguello Boulevard will be designated for the project’s operations, 24 hours, and 7 days a week.

    • As of June 12, 2023, a portion of the parking spaces immediately in front of the main sanctuary along Arguello Boulevard will be designated for the project’s operations. The northern most 73’-0” of parking will only be permitted for the project starting on June 15, 2023, from Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 6:00 pm only. 

 

 

August 2023

Plant Construction has installed the protective pedestrian canopy at the perimeter of the project site and will adjust it as necessary to continue to provide safe pedestrian access around the site. Salvage and preservation are complete for many of the historic items in the courtyard that will be reinstalled at the end of the project including the brick roof tiles, travertine steps and flatwork, historic light fixtures, and the courtyard fountain. Many of the existing steel windows and doors were also salvaged for reuse off site. The historic façade will remain in place, and the façade columns on Arguello that were removed for construction access will be put back later in the project. Structural demolition and removal of debris at the Courtyard Building is progressing. Although originally anticipated to be completed by the end of August, it is now expected to be completed toward the end of September.

The Lake Street generator will be in use from 7:00 am – 6:00 pm on weekdays, and when the Congregation has evening or weekend events, including religious services on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. While on most days, use of the generator will cease at about 6:00 pm, we are providing neighbors with more specific information below about when the generator will be in use. We are looking at all upcoming activities with the goal of limiting hours if feasible and will post more soon. 

  • Sept. 1: Shabbat Services 7:00 am – 8:00 pm
  • Sept. 2: Shabbat Services 7:30 am – 2:00 pm
  • Sept. 3: Closed
  • Sept. 4 – Sept. 7: 7:00 am – 6:00 pm
  • Aug. 25:  Shabbat Services 7:00 am – 8:30 pm
  • Aug. 26:  7:30 am – 2:00 pm
  • Aug. 27: Closed
  • Aug. 28 – Aug. 31:  7:00 am – 6:00 pm

The generator is scheduled to remain until the end of this year, as it is needed until PG&E installs the full temporary power transformer on Arguello Street. [Note, we are working with PG&E to expedite the installation. We are also working to reduce the hours we use this generator outside of construction by narrowing our operational hours].

 
 

Close up of the support use at the base of a Courtyard column prior to removal.

 

Removal of the existing light fixtures is progressing at the common spaces and classrooms of the Temple House.

 
 

Salvage of ceramic roof tiles facing the Courtyard is nearly complete.

 

Removal of the existing interior finishes is nearly complete at the corridors of the Temple House.

Construction Lookahead

Over the next three months, the following construction activities will take place:

  • Completion of structural demolition of the interior at the Courtyard Building
  • Shoring and underpinning at the Courtyard building facades that will remain in place
  • Excavation under the Courtyard for the new building

General Construction Notes

  • Please note the following closures during the construction duration:
    • As of July 10, 2023, two generators will be used as part of the construction work. One generator will be located near the southwest corner of the property on Lake Street. This generator will operate during the construction hours of 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, and when the Congregation has evening or weekend events. A second generator will be located inside the interior courtyard of the building and will operate 24/7. This generator will support the operations of all fire and life safety equipment for the building for approximately the next two months.
    • As of June 12, 2023, four (4) 90-degree parking spaces will be available to the neighborhood on 2nd Avenue throughout the duration of the project. These available parking spaces will be demarcated via signage.
    • As of June 12, 2023, the remaining parking spaces along 2nd Avenue towards the retaining wall dead end will be designated for the project’s operations.
    • As of June 12, 2023, all the parking spaces immediately adjacent to the project along Lake Street will be designated for the project’s operations, 24 hours, and 7 days a week.
    • As of June 12, 2023, all the parking spaces immediately adjacent to the project along Arguello Boulevard will be designated for the project’s operations, 24 hours, and 7 days a week. 
    • As of June 12, 2023, a portion of the parking spaces immediately in front of the main sanctuary along Arguello Boulevard will be designated for the project’s operations. The northern most 73’-0” of parking will only be permitted for the project starting on June 15, 2023, during Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 6:00 pm only.

Temple Emanu-El Site Logistics Plan

 

July 2023 

Construction is well underway at the Temple House and the Courtyard buildings with the General Contractor wasting no time on erecting the perimeter security fencing. Behind the fencing, work to salvage and protect the historic bronze gates, travertine steps, fountain, roof tile, and other miscellaneous historic elements is near completion.   

As of July 10, 2023, two generators will be used as part of the construction work. One generator will be located near the southwest corner of the property on Lake Street. This generator will operate only during the construction hours of 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. In addition, on a temporary basis, this generator will be operated on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings for Shabbat services until we obtain a new electrical connection from PG&E. We anticipate this happening by the end of December 2023.

A second generator will be located inside the interior courtyard of the building and will operate 24/7. This generator will support the operations of all fire and life safety equipment for the building for approximately the next two months. 

The temporary hot water heaters parked on 2nd Ave, which will be heating the Main Sanctuary, will also be in use for Friday evening and Saturday morning Shabbat services. They will be turned on around 7:00 am Saturday mornings and will be in use for the duration of construction.

Structural demolition in the Courtyard Building is targeted to start around July 24th and will create additional noise as the concrete structure is broken up and removed for about four weeks. 

 

 
 

The shoring is in place in anticipation of the fountain removal at the Courtyard.

 

Removal of the travertine steps and the brick paver system is progressing.

 
 

Salvaged travertine steps will be protected and reinstalled toward the end of the project.

 

The original Temple Emanu-El cornerstone from 1864 will be reinstalled on-site once the construction is complete.

 Construction Lookahead

Over the next three months, the following construction activities will take place: 

  • Demolition of the interior of the Courtyard Building 
  • Shoring of the existing Courtyard façade to remain 
  • Excavation under the Courtyard for the new building 

General Construction Notes 

Please note the following closures during the construction duration:  

  • As of July 10, 2023, two generators will be used as part of the construction work. One generator will be located near the southwest corner of the property on Lake Street. This generator will operate only during the construction hours of 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. A second generator will be located inside the interior courtyard of the building and will operate 24/7. This generator will support the operations of all fire and life safety equipment for the building for approximately the next two months. 
  • As of June 12, 2023, four (4) 90-degree parking spaces will be available to the neighborhood on 2nd Avenue throughout the duration of the project. These available parking spaces will be demarcated via signage.  
  • As of June 12, 2023, the remaining parking spaces along 2nd Avenue towards the retaining wall dead end will be designated for the project’s operations.  
  • As of June 12, 2023, all the parking spaces immediately adjacent to the project along Lake Street will be designated for the project’s operations, 24 hours, and 7 days a week.  
  • As of June 12, 2023, all the parking spaces immediately adjacent to the project along Arguello Boulevard will be designated for the project’s operations, 24 hours, and 7 days a week.   
  • As of June 12, 2023, a portion of the parking spaces immediately in front of the main sanctuary along Arguello Boulevard will be designated for the project’s operations. The northern most 73’-0” of parking will only be permitted for the project starting on June 15, 2023, during Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 6:00 pm only.  

    Temple Emanu-El Site Logistics Plan

     

    Latest Architectural Renderings – June 2023