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Welcome
to the Cadillac Hotel
The historic Cadillac Hotel was the first non-profit “Single-Residence Occupancy” (SRO) hotel West of the Mississippi.
It provides supportive housing for approximately 160 tenants and is an official San Francisco landmark. Built the year
after the 1906 earthquake, the Cadillac was home to wealthy visitors in the first part of the 20th century. The hotel
even had its own furrier.
It was briefly owned in the 1960s by GAP founder Don Fisher who removed some of its historic detail. In 1977, the Cadillac
was bought by the non-profit Reality House West, led by Leroy and Kathy Looper. Together, The Loopers remained actively
involved in the day-to-day operations of the hotel until Mr. Looper's death in September, 2011. Kathy Looper remains
executive director of the hotel's Board of Directors. For over three decades the Cadillac has provided affordable housing
and support services for thousands of low-income single adults who would otherwise have no place to go.
The original Grand Ballroom was leased for
many years by Newman’s Gym, a legendary training facility for boxers. Muhammed Ali and Mayor Willie Brown are
said to have worked out there. When its owner, Don Stewart passed away in 1995, the Loopers leased the space to a federal
Head Start program (administered by SFSU) which promotes school readiness and provides health and social services for children
up to three years old. This is in keeping with the Looper's efforts over many years, to maintain the residential character
of the Tenderloin. There is not enough space here to describe the Looper’s life of giving. Leroy Looper,
a gentle giant and innovator, was known as “The Father of the Tenderloin”. He and his wife, Kathy, have
dedicated their lives to letting people who are down on their luck — know that someone cares about them. Since
1907, the Cadillac Hotel has been known as "The House of Welcome".
In Loving Memory of Leroy Looper 1924-2011
Click
below to see life-saving video:
How to Perform Hands-Only CPR.
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| CLICK ON BANNER TO DONATE. |
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| FRI, JUNE 7. 12:30-1:30PM. |
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| María Volonté, guitar & vocals / Kevin Carrel Footer, harmonica. Tango/Blues |
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| Kathy Looper, BVHP Community Star |
Kathy
Looper Recognized in BVHP
Kathy Looper is not only the Executive Director of Reality House West (owner of the historic Cadillac Hotel), but also
a community star, social entrepeneur and volunteer in her San Francisco neighborhood — Bayview Hunters Point (BVHP).
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE in the BVHP website, "On Point". [You may also click on the photo of Kathy above.] Leroy Looper in NEN Hall of Fame
| CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE. |
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| L/R: Esan Looper, Malik Looper, Kathy Looper at NEN Awards. |
On the evening of Wednesday, November 16, 2011, Leroy Looper was inducted into the NEN Hall of Fame at a special event in the Rotunda of San Francisco's City Hall. The NEN Awards are produced
in partnership by the Neighborhood Empowerment Network and the Community Challenge Grant Program. These annual awards are dedicated
to elevating and celebrating the tremendous work that residents and organizations do every day to make San Francisco a great
place to live. Mr. Looper is this year's only inductee into the Hall of Fame. CLICK HERE to go to the NEN website.
Cadillac
Hotel Celebrates 100 Years
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| Kathy and Leroy Looper at The Cadillac's Centennial Celebration, 2007 |
On September 19, 2007, the Cadillac Hotel celebrated its 100th
birthday. Among those on-hand to help commemorate the Centennial Celebration were dignitaries Mayor Gavin Newsom, Supervisors
Aaron Peskin and Tom Ammiano, and Dan Bernal representing Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Leroy and Kathy Looper
who bought the Cadillac in 1977 through their non-profit "Reality House West", reflected on the changes to the Cadillac
and the Tenderloin during the last 30 years. Kathy and Leroy's sons Malik, Esan and Camlo
also took part in the Centennial program. Brad Paul, long-time affordable housing advocate and former Cadillac tenant,
presented a slide show on the history of the Cadillac. Many of the current tenants of the Cadillac attended alongside
the dignitaries and other friends of the Cadillac. The Patricia Walkup Memorial Piano was formally
dedicated as well as a new glass sculpture by Mary Lynn Devereux-Bowman which is on permanent display in the lobby.
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| Mural of The Loopers that once hung outside the Page Hotel at 161 Leavenworth. |
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| Click on banner for film. (7:06) |
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| Susaye Greene, the last Supreme |
Susaye
Greene, The Last Supreme
Susaye Greene, former member of The Supremes, performed at the historic Cadillac
Hotel on Friday, Dec. 2, 2011, with The Jeffrey Chin Trio (Jeffrey Chin, piano / Ron
Belcher, bass / Marc Lee, drums). Ms. Greene, earlier in her career, performed with Ray Charles as a "Raylette"
and with Stevie Wonder.
The
Patricia Walkup Memorial Piano
The Patricia Walkup Memorial Piano is at home in the lobby
of the Cadillac Hotel — and is one of the great pianos in the City. A fully-restored 1884 Steinway Model D Concert
Grand Piano, it was donated to the hotel in memory of Patricia Walkup, a San Francisco activist and former volunteer at the
Cadillac. The lustre of the Indian Rosewood case is a work of art. The old-growth spruce soundboard is the piano's
original. The instrument is meticulously maintained on a regular basis. The Cadillac Hotel
is an unlikely place for this magificent instrument. But then that is the whole idea. Music has the power to transform
and uplift people — no matter what their station in life. You may download a brochure (4-page
pdf, 264 KB) about the piano by clicking on the blue text below.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PIANO BROCHURE.
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