An overlook of Lafayette Park to the north from the living room is a rather nice feature. The south facing private roof deck overlooking Cathedral Hill is as well. Purchased for $2,286,500 in June of 2007, the top floor…
The lines that couldn’t help but catch our attention from the sworn affidavit of Samuel Howard Sloan with respect to the Bourn Mansion at 2550 Webster: I am well aware of everything in the house, including the trap door, the…
As we wrote about 1022 Powell Street (behind the vines) in April of 2006: As you know, it’s not often that we agree with listing hyperbole. And although we’ve only seen pictures (so far), we just might have to…
As we wrote in February: A Bernal Heights single-family (with in-law in the basement) sales comp in May of 2006 at $980,000, 61 Fair Avenue was bought back by the bank in December of 2008 for $949,862 (suggesting a…
The insta-park phenom Pavement to Parks has its most “dramatic” transformation yet in Guerrero Park, with large logs that will soon form the “backbones” of planter beds. Meanwhile, Noe Valley, SF has spotted a (fairly) recent posting of a Mission Streetscape Plan document that shows, among other things, a “gateway” park at Dolores and San Jose. We shall not be sated. [Streetsblog, NVSF]
Ten grand is a pretty modest price chop for a property that went on the market almost two months ago at $810,000— considering also that the 1-bedroom, 1-bath pied-a-terre in Nob Hill last sold two years ago for the slightly more modest sum of $740,000. But it’s Nob Hill, and a price chop to $800,000 is nonetheless a price chop. The unit, at the Montaire at 1340 Clay St, is a nice $1,030 square feet, multiplied no doubt by the mirror wall, which makes that dining table look better suited for, say, an apartment with a couple more bedrooms. Oldest trick in the book!
· 1340 Clay St #302 [Redfin]
Putting aside those massive solar arrays going into our deserts, perhaps the future of renewable energy lies in space, with floating arrays capturing the sun’s energy and beaming it down back to us in the form of kid- and pet-friendly microwave radiation. Japan’s all over it with a 4-square-kilometer solar space station, but so is our very own PG&E, in partnership with a company called Solaren. Let’s just keep those Golden Gate Bridge-melting incidents to a bare minimum. [Inhabitat]
Close as Berkeley is to rethinking— nay, redoing— their downtown, dissenters on the city council have now gathered enough signatures to put the whole thing to a citywide vote. The four-years-in-the-making plan to raise heights and bring more housing and jobs to the center of the city (in some quarters called “Manhattanization”) passed in July by a vote of 7 to 2. But wouldn’t you know it, those pesky two went off, clipboards in hand, to undo it all. Reason? Not enough affordable housing, and fears that developers would renege on promises to be green and community-friendly. If voters nix the new downtown plan, Berkeley can say goodbye to taller buildings, but if they pass it, the plan will go into effect immediately. And by immediately, think “when that time comes that new buildings shall again be built.”
· The Battle of Berkeley [Arch Paper]
· Berkeley Interested in Becoming Actual City [Curbed SF]
[Wells Fargo Building via Flickr//\/\ichael Patric|{]
While other countries are making solid headway upward and out of their recessions, we’re just maybe perhaps thinking about moseying out of ours. Unless a second whammy hits. One based on $1 trillion of mortgages backed by commercial properties, which as one might expect aren’t doing too hot these days. But rather than deal with the ugly problem, banks are taking a “delay and pray” strategy, hoping against hope they won’t actually have to eat their losses. Well… at least they’re praying. [WSJ Developments]
[Harding Theater via Flickr/caffeina]
After getting thoroughly owned by preservationists and then putting the Harding Theater on the market for $4 million, it seems the owner is giving another go of turning the 75-year-old building into condos. A new plan gives a little more love to the history and all that historic-ness by restoring the theater’s facade— putting back a marquee and sign that once adorned the front. But it may be all for naught anyway, as there are still plans to turn the fly space in back into five condos— which means an environmental report will be required since that fly space may (or may not!) be historic. (Elderly vaudeville fan says not.) In any case, Plan B is still in effect, so if anyone wants a dilapidated old theater and has $4 million between their couch cushions…
· Plans for theater to keep historic facade intact [SF Examiner]
· Show’s Really Over: Harding on the Market [Curbed SF]
· Show’s Over: Hard Knocks for Harding Theater”> [Curbed SF]
· Harding Theater: No Vaudeville After All? [Curbed SF]
· Preservationists Unite: Condos for the Harding Theater [Curbed SF]
