JCC of S.F. relocates to temporary Presidio home

For years now, some 3,000 people have been coming through the doors of the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco every day.

That number is much lower now.

"Eerily quiet" is how Nate Levine, the JCC's executive director, described the atmosphere.

That's because the big move is in progress, to a temporary facility for the next two years, while a brand-new JCC is built from scratch in the current JCC's location, at the corner of California Street and Presidio Avenue. Construction of the new building will commence in September.

Camp Kochav, the JCC's summer camp, got under way in its new Presidio location in June. And now, one by one, each JCC department is following suit, moving into the temporary headquarters at Lake and 15th streets.

"It's been over a year in the planning," said Levine. "It's a very carefully orchestrated, logistical operation."

Perhaps the greatest challenge is that an organization that had 65,000 square feet at its disposal -- and was already bursting at the seams -- will have to make do with about 35,000. The JCC will lack certain amenities during the next two years, including a room to accommodate larger gatherings like teen dances, cultural events, the emigre concert series and holiday parties.

Levine estimates the temporary facility could hold about 125 people for any one event. "We're looking for outside venues" for the other programs, he said.

The JCC will also be without a pool, a gym and a fitness center -- the fitness equipment was being carted away as he spoke.

But on the positive side, the summer camp is taking place in such a beautiful environment, in the Presidio. "It's a great opportunity. We're within walking distance of Mountain Lake Park," said Levine, "and our programming will evolve to incorporate this."

The nursery school, which is currently housed at the Menorah Park senior residence, will also move to the new Presidio location. And then, the JCC's Montefiore Senior Center programs will move to Menorah Park, in order to be convenient to those who attend them.

Another challenge, Levine said, is orchestrating the move without interrupting the center's activities and programs. At the same time, the plans for the new center are still being finalized, down to every electric outlet and phone jack.

"We were looking around as things were being carried out and we noticed two things," Levine said last week. "One is, it's really happening; the train has left the station." The second is the noise level, which is down many decibels due to the lack of people.

Levine described the mood among the staff as a "combination of exhilaration and exhaustion, but we're trying to pace ourselves. We're in a marathon, not in a sprint."

Also in the next month, the mural by Bernard Zakheim will be extracted and restored by his son and grandson. It will be incorporated into the new building, as will other tiles and fixtures that give the center its distinctive character. Other materials from the building will be recycled.

All of the departments will be completely out by the end of the month, and one last senior lunch will be held on Sept. 10.

Then, as is the practice every year, a pre-Rosh Hashanah gathering will take place on Sept. 17, enabling the staff to eat apples and honey together and the children to hear the blowing of the shofar.

But this year, the event will be different. It will be the last chance for the JCC's staff and those who use it "to take one nostalgic last look" and say goodbye to the old building, as it will be razed to the ground shortly thereafter.

"There's definitely a bittersweetness," said Levine. As for the JCC's temporary home, "just when we work out all the kinks, we'll turn around in two years and move right back."