Cenury-old Slide Ranch Commons to get a Makeover

CAMPAIGN FOR THE COMMONS

  The Slide Ranch farmhouse was built in 1916 by Portuguese dairy ranchers who had been running cattle on the land since the late 19^th Century.    The building was constructed with lumber salvaged from the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco.  Existing floor joists and board bear this moniker in hand-painted letters.

  In 1970, when Slide Ranch was established as a nonprofit environmental education organization, the farmhouse became the Commons, the central kitchen and dining room for the Frontier Arts Institute community that lived and worked at the ranch.

After nearly a century of coastal weather and ranch wear and tear, the Commons needs a complete structural rebuild from the foundation up.  Slide Ranch currently has signed structural drawings and calculations from Santos & Urrutia Structural Engineers Inc. based in San Francisco and building elevation drawings by Sternberg & Benjamin Architects.  Both firms donated their services. 

  By rehabilitating the building using salvaged lumber, reusable doors and windows, energy efficient appliances and the placement of a photovoltaic solar energy system, we expect the Commons will be an outstanding example of sustainable construction methods.

Seed funding for this project has been raised from the SD Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, and several individual donors.  The project has conditional approval from the National Park Service for construction; we are now raising the funds necessary to complete the project in two phases.

   With the rebuild of the Slide Ranch Commons, we have an opportunity to accentuate the relevance of our work and further support our program and our community.  Traditionally, the Commons kitchen has provided the cooking, refrigeration, storage and other facilities necessary to bake and cook food with our program participants.    This use has existed more or less harmoniously with the primary purpose of the Commons - the central gathering space for Slide Ranch teachers and staff to prepare and eat meals together.

   As we proceed with plans to rehabilitate the Commons building, we will be able to consider the design and function of the spaces and how they interact with the lower part of the garden and the traditional gathering area for thousands of visitors each year.  By creating new points of access and flexible space, we can achieve greater functionality for the program while encouraging a spirit of hospitality among our visitors.

   If you would like to support the Campaign for the Commons through a donation of professional services, labor, materials or, most needed, funds, please contact Slide Ranch Executive Director Charles Higgins at 415.381.8758 or email charles dot higgins at slide ranch dot org.  Cheers!