Hacienda Heights Design Tour

Hacienda Heights now (and again) provides homes, indoor amenities, and outdoor active spaces for low-income seniors within walking distance of the Richmond Transit Station. Originally completed in 1966 as public housing, the project would eventually close due to compounded neglect. The project’s reinvestment is a long-awaited revitalization not only for the 150-home community, but for the broader neighborhood in downtown Richmond.

The ambitious renovation completely revamps interiors, envelope, and building systems, enhances structural performance, and introduces a 1,600 square-foot ground floor addition that reconfigures the building to be more secure, transit-accessible, and community-oriented. Landscaping was reenvisioned to deliver 30,000 square feet of outdoor space, incorporating active and seating areas, gardens, pathways, and large-scale art pieces that encourage active living. Striking perforated paneling enlivens outdoor circulation spaces while evoking the original midcentury brise-soleil. Ground-floor amenities include a flexible community room that supports free programming such as wellness and skill-building seminars, intergenerational companion programs, and a visiting nurses program. The residences include 25 apartments for those recovering from homelessness and 15 apartments for the frail elderly.

In 2023, AIA East Bay awarded Hacienda Heights the distinguished Beyond Award, which celebrates designs that "transcend the visible, embrace inclusivity and equity, and push the boundaries of innovation to reshape our world sustainably and creatively" – particularly beyond the customary segmentation of disciplines and market sectors. The project has also been recognized with a Gold Nugget Award of Merit for Best Affordable Senior Housing and Affordable Housing Finance’s Readers’ Choice Award for Best Public Housing Redevelopment, featured in AHF’s article “Developers Rescue a Property Deemed Uninhabitable.”

Host or Publisher AIA East Bay