Alano Club, San Pablo, California

A non-profit organization, the Alano Club purchased an existing single-story residence and converted it into a community gathering space. All the interior walls were removed from the residence, the bathroom was remodeled for accessibility, and a large hall was added to the rear for their meetings and bingo games. Economical trusses were used for the new roof and these were painted and left exposed to the interior to create a sense of spaciousness. Ceiling fans were added for energy savings and a pair of sliding glass doors lead to the rear patio. Thanks to many donations and volunteers from a variety of sources, the final price tag was approximately $60/square foot, an extremely low cost for Bay Area construction.