The St. Clare at Capitol Park

2024 Residential Design Award Citation Recipient

The St. Clare at Capitol Park

Originally constructed as a pair of hotels in the 1910s and later connected, Capitol Park Hotel served many purposes including a women’s college, furniture store, and hotel. Developed by Mercy Housing and Sacramento Housing & Redevelopment and renamed St. Clare at Capitol Park, the eight-story, historic hotel reopened in early 2024 as permanent housing for those transitioning out of homelessness. The adaptive reuse transformed the building consisting of 180 hotel rooms into 134 studio apartments, 64 of which are reserved for unhoused residents living with a serious mental illness. In addition to residences, there are 2,500 SF of ground floor retail that connects the building to downtown Sacramento, and resident amenities including on-site counseling offices, laundry facilities, community rooms, and a restored lobby.

The rehabilitation work was extensive, especially preserving the building’s exterior and interior historic features—allowing the project to qualify for Federal Historic Tax credits. The seismic retrofit design introduced concrete shear walls and incorporated concrete moment frame columns and beams. The single-pane windows were replaced with similar-looking thermal, double-paned windows that are more energy and sound efficient. Accessibility was brought up to code, and building systems were upgraded.

The rehabilitation of this pair of National Register-listed buildings into supportive housing celebrates Sacramento’s architectural heritage while simultaneously providing much-need affordable housing and service to a population that is often overlooked or given just enough to make-do. Cory, a new resident, said, “This looks like something out of a magazine. This just isn’t real.”

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This re-use of a handsome existing building into high-density, well-located affordable housing is realized with a detailed and well-informed approach to environmental performance. It is a a really wonderful upgrade.

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Measure 1: Design for Integration

The rehabilitation of this pair of National Register-listed buildings into supportive housing celebrates Sacramento’s architectural heritage while simultaneously providing much-need affordable housing and service to a population that is often overlooked or given just enough to make-do.

To qualify for the Federal Historic Tax Credit, the project needed to meet the Secretary of the Interior’s (SoI) Standards for Rehabilitation, so many historic elements were retained, repaired, and modified to a minimal extent. The façade was fully rehabilitated to it 1910s appearance. However, the single-pane windows were replaced with similar-looking thermal double-paned windows that are more energy and sound efficient. Other retained original elements include the black and white tile floor and the double-volume lobby on the main floor.

Circulation complied with both contemporary accessibility requirements and the SoI Standards. Hallways were widened, additional handrails added to the stairs, and two elevators (accounting for the floor height differences) were added.

The St. Clare is safe, user-friendly, and sustainable. The original gas-fired steam heat was upgraded with energy efficient electrical heating and cooling systems, and electric heat pump systems replaced gas water heaters. The building was seismically strengthened the building to current code standards and updated fire and life safety systems.

Measure 2: Design for Equitable Communities

Located at 1125 9th Street at L Street in downtown Sacramento, the St. Clare is only two blocks from the State Capitol. Residents can walk to stores and services, have access to public transportation including several bus lines on L Street and light rail on K Street, and access to shaded open space.

The rehabilitation included reintroducing a historic canopy on 9th Street that provides environmental protection from the sun and rain.

The St. Clare provides secure bicycle storage for up to 49 bikes.

Measure 3: Design for Ecosystems

The St. Clare is the rehabilitation of an existing multi-story hotel that had no impervious landscape area. As part of the project approximately 25% of the existing sidewalk area was removed and replaced with native and drought tolerant plants.

Exterior lighting on the St. Clare is minimal and discreetly located at the underside of the protective canopy. This provides light on the street and enhances safety while shielding light pollution.

Measure 4: Design for Water

In conformance with California Title 24 water requirements, low flow plumbing fixtures were used in the residential units and the public spaces. Uniquely, the St. Clare provides in-building laundry and, like all the appliances, the washing machines are Energy Star rated, conserving water and electricity.Mechanical systems do not rely on cooling towers for the air conditioning.

About 25% of the sidewalk was removed to create a bioswale, landscaped with native and drought resistant plants, to provide for onsite stormwater management.

Measure 5: Design for Economy

Because the St. Clare is the adaptive reuse of two century-old buildings and it serves 134 formerly homeless individuals is an exemplary design for economy.

Nearly all the exterior building fabric was retained in place. All the units are affordable and about 50% are designated for those with severe mental illness. The single bed studio unit design is efficient and compact, averaging 225 SF, with durable low VOC finishes, Energy Star rated, low-maintenance appliances, and fully adaptable or accessible.

All the community rooms and spaces are accessible and adaptable; accommodating users with different needs.

Measure 6: Design for Energy

Energy efficiency was at the core of the building’s design and were discussed in the earliest design stages. The St. Clare was modeled and as compared to the 2019 Title 24 energy code and exceeded the code by 1.30%.

Because this is an existing building, there were limits to what could be done: the building’s orientation was determined, and the window configuration was fixed, although upgraded with thermal double-paned glass.

Other sustainable features include energy-efficient LED lighting, and cool roofing on top of rigid insulation.

Measure 7: Design for Well-Being

The St. Clare is a community for formerly homeless individuals can reside safely and learn life skills. The combination of private and communal spaces allows for individual and group activities that support this growth and development.

Finishes, fixtures and furnishings in the communal spaces, especially the double-volume community room, were carefully selected to provide easily maintained spaces that are comfortably lit and that provide a mixture of individual and small group seating areas. The space can be configured to accommodate large groups. Low VOC finishes were specified throughout the project.

The units enjoy Individualized climate control.

Measure 8: Design for Resources

As an adaptive reuse of a historic building, where most of the materials were retained—including masonry walls and timber floor and roof assemblies—the project saved a tremendous amount of embodied carbon.

Mercy Housing has developed their own code-compliant finish, fixtures and equipment standards that are durable, have a low environmental impact, and meet the California Affordable Housing Tax Credit Program standards.

To ensure occupant comfort, the sound ratings of walls and ceiling assemblies were carefully detailed, specified, and constructed to minimize sound transmission between each apartment and between tenant rooms and public spaces.

Measure 9: Design for Change

As a firm dedicated to the creative and adaptive reuse of existing and historic buildings, we know that buildings have many lives—well beyond what their intended use.

This project revitalizes two historic hotels for continued use as permanent affordable housing for the homeless.

Measure 10: Design for Discovery

The project offers many lessons learned and those have been shared with our staff to improve future projects.

The technical aspects of the façade restoration will be shared with members of the profession as part of the Architect’s Newspaper’s Facades+ conference in Los Angeles this November.