Dinner at Delancey Street

Delancey Street, San Francisco - Ground floor retail and housing above (overall about 370,000 square feet). In 1991 we completed construction of an expanded and centralized home on the waterfront in San Francisco. This 370,000 square foot complex was primarily built and supervised by Delancey residents. Mimi Silbert was the developer, and Delancey was its own general contractor for this unique development called a “masterpiece of social design” by Pulitzer Prize-winning architectural critic Allan Temko. Covering an entire city block, this four- story complex contains street level retail stores, a popular public restaurant and highly reviewed outdoor espresso café and bookstore, and several other vocational schools and housing units for 500 people that overlook a Mediterranean-style courtyard, which also holds a vast array of educational and recreational facilities for Delancey residents. This was also an unprecedented vocational training program providing 300 formerly unemployable drug addicts, homeless people, and ex-felons now in Delancey Street every skill in the building trades with the support of the unions, as well as training in purchasing, contracting, computer and accounting services. There is nothing else in the country like this self-built, self-managed, self-help complex. George and Cindy Freeman and Steve and Carolyn Ocheltree enjoy dinner at the Delancey Street Restaurant on San Francisco's Waterfront This new home has received numerous commendations including awards from the American Architects Association, Urban Land Institute and the Gold Nugget Building Award. It allowed Delancey Street to expand its population, as well as its services, recreational and vocational opportunities. But more than that, it is a tangible representation of the Delancey Street principle that ordinary people can transform extraordinary – even impossible – dreams into reality by pooling their resources, supporting one another, and living lives of purpose and integrity. This is an excerpt from the Delancey Street website, with an insert of our photo on Thursday night, enjoying a beautiful meal with our friends.  The atmosphere is beautiful, the meals are elegant, yet affordable, and we had a lovely conversation with one of our waiters who is re-establishing relations with his two children.  George asked if Delancey Street is affiliated with Christianity, or any other religion, and our waiter told us it is not.  We believe the only true and eternal healing of the spirit and soul comes through Jesus Christ, but we acknowledge and are thankful for the excellent work that many organizations do to rehabilitate those who have been addicted and incarcerated. And, ultimately, "Don't be deceived, my dear brothers.  Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."  James 1:17 (New International Version) --Posted by Mama O.