Board members first saw the property in August of 2019. We were impressed with the roads that would make development easier, the lodge-like feel of the building, and the views to the ocean from 3500′.

Escrow on the first 32 acres closed in September and on an additional 20 acres in December.

Upstairs Chapel

In the 1980s addition, our first priority was to remodel the upstairs room we would turn into our chapel.

We removed low beams and added higher ones. The French doors to the right of the fireplace were replaced with our stained glass lotus window, created by our neighbor on the mountain.

We were talking about the need for a lotus stained glass window when Dixie’s husband was visiting the property, and he mentioned that his wife,Dixie, is a stained glass artist. When we met her, we learned she is not a devotee and is not familiar with our line of Gurus, but with a few suggestions about color and placing the lotus in a blue bubble to suggest the Spiritual Eye, she was able to capture the spirit of our intentions!

The altar was built by Brahmachari Carl and first used in a Berkeley garage before the Richmond Temple was acquired. The Richmond Temple used it in Sunday School and later gave it to the San Francisco Meditation Group (SFMG), who used it when located on Irving Street. When SFMG moved to Ashton Street which is a much larger location, a devotee built a new altar and this one was out into storage. This altar was restored with the idea of giving it to another SRF circle or group that needed one, and when the retreat center property was acquired the SFMG managing council was delighted to share it. The altar and the lotus window have proven to be real draws to the property for visitors.

Finishing the chapel gave us the energy to go forward!

Downstairs in the living room all the windows had to be replaced, and new access to the pool deck was created by adding a sliding glass door.

 

Kitchen

After this work was done we realized the original house built in the 1950s had to be demolished. That portion contained the kitchen, a bedroom and the only bathroom. By starting over, we had an opportunity to reconfigure the floor plan, replacing the small bathroom which was in the kitchen with a large pantry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above the kitchen, by cantilevering out over the deck, we added about 400 sq ft of floorspace, enlarging the bedroom and adding a large en-suite bathroom space.

Upstairs Bedroom

The original small bedroom was at the end of a short hallway. The hallway was eliminated and access to the new larger bedroom is through the chapel.

 

Downstairs Bathroom & Laundry Room

An addition was added to the original house on the north side in the 1970s. Downstairs the room was off the kitchen and contained the water heater, washer & dryer and freezer. Upstairs was a room with a bay window and a sliding glass door.

We kept the outer walls of the addition.  Downstairs we opted to have an ADA compliant bathroom on the same level as the living room and dining room, and make the floor of the laundry room slightly high to match the level of the deck.

The Upstairs Office

The room may have been used as a second bedroom. We meditated in this room while the chapel was being remodeled. Eventually, we removed the old bay window and sliding glass door and moved in two desks and a bed.

Dining Room

Like the upstairs chapel and the living room, the dining room was added in the 1980s on a concrete slab. On the wall between the dining room and the kitchen, there were 2 sets of french doors, which we reduced to one in order to create more prep space in the kitchen and more areas for tables in the dining room. The antique reproduction light fixtures came from a real estate office in San Francisco. The tables were early donations.

Entry / Entry Tower Progress

The previous owners added an exterior staircase and removed the ladder from the kitchen. Dramatic rock columns and large front doors were installed, but the entry was never enclosed and it is difficult to understand where the roof could have gone.

So, the rock columns and large doors were removed and a new 2-story entry tower is envisioned. The exterior metal staircase will be replaced by an interior wooden staircase. And, after the tower is built, the door to the downstairs bathroom will become an interior door, and the current front door that leads to the living room will become an interior set of french doors that separates the two rooms.

All this has happened in less than two years thanks to the many donors who have made this progress possible.

Please continue to support us as we complete the Common House!

Jai Guru!