The Contemporary Jewish Museum San Francisco

An architecturally iconic building designed by Daniel Libeskind, The Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM)—consisting of three main sections that mix the old with the new—sits in the heart of downtown San Francisco as a symbol of dialogue and contrast. With the original part of the building constructed in 1907, this historic structure is a registered landmark in the city. Combining a very complex, highly angular newer building with the early 20th century historic building, any work performed requires meticulous care.

The historic section of the museum includes exterior walls, roof, skylights, and elements from its original use as a PG&E power substation. Libeskind’s 2008 addition is referred to as the “Yud and Chet” (referring to the two Hebrew letters spelling “L’Chaim”, which means “To Life”) is an angular structure with custom blue steel paneling that intersects the historic building. And the “Slice,” a two-story extension on the north side, is integrated into the larger Four Seasons hotel. The historic section and Yud/Chet both house the museum’s galleries, storage, café, retail, and event spaces. The Slice serves as the museum administrative offices. The museum shares a loading dock at the basement level with the adjacent Hyatt Regency’s parking and loading areas. Site improvements, including a landscaped courtyard with a water feature facing Mission Street, are shared with adjacent properties and the City of San Francisco. The non-collection museum spans approximately 53,000 square feet.

Marx|Okubo was engaged to conduct a comprehensive facility condition assessment and develop a 15-year capital reserve schedule. Our selection stemmed from our extensive experience with institutions such as MoMA (facilities in NY and PA) and SFMOMA. The goal with The CJM is to collaborate closely with the museum to identify issues and coordinate future work effectively. This approach aims to prioritize tasks and timelines efficiently while preventing waste and duplication of effort. Our team possesses deep understanding and expertise regarding the distinct operational characteristics of and stakeholder concerns within museums, regardless of their size. Additionally, we are conducting energy audits and a hygrothermal analysis utilizing the WUFI software to understand both short-term and long-term thermal and moisture performance in support of the museum’s zero net carbon objectives.

During the building assessment, we pinpointed the source and cause of water intrusion at the juncture of the angular, iconic addition and the historic structure. We then formulated a solution that uses the current exterior wall assembly to reduce, redirect, and disperse runoff without detracting from the building’s notable appearance. Furthermore, when the museum faced boiler failures during the project, we devised a strategy for repairing and ultimately replacing them. Our approach is founded on a longstanding partnership with the museum, through which we will continue to provide reliable advice.