Following Tuesday’s triumphant unveiling before the San Francisco Redevelopment Commission, all that stands between the Contemporary Jewish Museum and a sleek new home are a couple of building permits, a couple of years — and, of course, tens of millions of dollars.
At the Feb. 1 meeting, officially designated a “workshop,” the commission both gave and received overwhelmingly positive feedback regarding the scaled-down version of the Daniel Libeskind-designed structure it originally greenlighted back in 2000.
Amy Neches, the agency’s project manager for the Yerba Buena Center, said the building plan is tentatively scheduled to be voted on at a March 1 meeting.
She predicted “smooth sailing,” adding, “nothing will keep the design from being approved.”
The museum will continue to check in twice a year with the Landmarks Advisory Presentation Board and the issues committee of San Francisco Heritage. So far, reactions from both agencies have been “extremely positive,” according to Neches.
The museum, meanwhile, continues to play its financial state close to the vest.
Museum press materials originally claimed the current design carries an estimated price tag of $43.1 million, down from $60 million or more. Additionally, the releases said the museum aims to raise $39.1 million for endowment and startup costs.
Museum officials would not disclose how far along things are on their fund-raising goal.
While the museum’s “working goal” for its fund-raising campaign was stated as $75 million, the estimate given for the building, endowment and startup costs totaled $82.2 million.
Cara Storm, the museum’s director of marketing and communications, maintained that “this is not a very large discrepancy,” adding “at this point, the costs are still approximate.”
But later she claimed the $39.1 million figure was a typographical error and should have read $32.1 million, putting overall costs closer to $75 million.
At 60,000 square feet, the revamped design is far smaller than the 100,000 square-foot museum Libeskind originally envisioned. Yet there is still room for 9,500 square feet of exhibition space, a 3,500 square-foot education center, a 3,300 square-foot auditorium and a 2,200 square-foot special events/program space.
Groundbreaking is tentatively scheduled for spring of 2006, with completion estimated for late 2007.
In January 2002, the museum entered into a merger with Berkeley’s Judah L. Magnes Museum, only to separate in February 2003, severing a failed partnership that resulted in rancorous feelings on both sides of the Bay.
Before the merger, the San Francisco museum had announced a 2002 or 2003 opening, but because of financial difficulties, those dates have receded into the past.
Neches confirmed that the Redevelopment Agency — which owns the land — is in the process of altering its property transfer agreement with the museum to meet its new timelines.
The museum will be the first occupant of the former Jessie Street Power Substation in nearly 30 years. Libeskind’s unique, angular design would induce a startling contrast between the 1907 landmark structure’s red-brick façade and his electric-blue creation.
Ramon Romero, the president of the Redevelopment Agency’s board of commissioners, noted on Tuesday that he counted his visit to Libeskind’s Berlin Jewish Museum as the “best museum experience” of his entire life.
“The commission was very positive,” said Neches. “We received only very positive feedback.”
j. staff writer Dan Pine contributed to this story.