1123 Lincoln Way

In a continued effort to find more Victorians that are full of charm and sans ridiculous price tag - stumbled across this ADORABLE full floor unit located directly across the street from Golden Gate Park. Less than a $1,000,000 and across the street from a park - I DARE you to find a comparable property in Manhattan!

Here are the facts:
PRICE: $699,000 (a whooole lot more reasonable in comparison to yesterday's 1b/1b property)
- 2 beds / 2 baths
- Now the listing doesn't provide the year it was built, but I'm assuming that the fabulous Victorian features (that dominate many of the central rooms) are original - wainscoting, vintage fireplaces, box-beam ceilings, crown molding, window seat, built-ins, tiling, ect
- Upgraded (though a bit plain) kitchen, landscaped (and quite large) backyard, parking, storage room, laundry, AND convenient location across from GG Park







Listing Agent's Site

MLS Listing

1947 McAllister Avenue

At last a more modestly priced property - granted that it is only 1 bedroom / 1 bath! Okay, so there really isn't much to say about this little apartment, but I had to include it on the blog because there's an undeniable adorable-factor to it - and it's sub-million$ (a highly neglected category here in SF Victorian Times).

Here are the facts:
LOCATION: 1947 McAllister Ave (unit A) - right in the heart of the city, near USF, GG Park, UCSF, Alamo Square, and much more
PRICE: $499,000 - seems a bit high to me..
BORN: 1898
* Eat-in kitchen with granite countertops, private deck and common courtyard, high ceilings, laundry room, lots of Victorian details (light fixtures, wainscoting, crown molding)





Listing Agent's Site

MLS Listing

1901 Jackson Street

I had every intention to feature a more affordable property today, but after stumbling across unit #1 (of 2) in le "Chateau Bleu," I just couldn't resist. Built at the turn of the century by the Rothschilds and re-done in 2001, le "Chateau Bleu" has obviously been built with the high-end clientele in mind, however, I personally think it lacks cohesiveness design-wise. It seems as if the owner had differing tastes depending on each-and-every room of the two-unit property. For instance: a few rooms have beautiful tin or box-beam ceilings and stunning chandeliers, and then adjacent rooms have contemporary inlaid lighting. And don't get me wrong, I am not the purist type that believes that you absolutely cannot mis-match different interior styles, my problem with 1901 Jackson is that it lacks a cohesive vision - it's as if the owner wanted all of these amenities and features, but didn't want to put too much effort into "making it work" interior design-wise. Mr./Ms. 1901 Jackson should take a lesson or two on interior design from the lovely PMB estate (previous property of the day).

Here are the facts:
LOCATION: Pacific Heights
PRICE: $3,790,000
BORN: 1900 (although completely re-born: 2001)
- $711 / sqft
- 5 beds / 4.5 baths
- 5,333 sqft
- Seems as if the listing agent couldn't place a finger on how exactly to categorize this property either. It is described on the listing agent's page as, "colonial, contemporary, custom" hmmm..
- Elevator, garage with 4 enclosed spaces, top of the line kitchen and electronics throughout, small garden area, turn of century decorative opulence (original?), and snooty touches such as a "Car Here" alert system.







Listing

Movoto

Palmtag Muzzio Bowen Mansion

Valentines day may have come and gone, but here at SF Victorian Times, we are going to preserve the Valentine's-vibe by featuring the lovely Palmtag Muzzio Bowen Mansion - a (very romantic) 19th century Italianate Victorian manse in Santa Cruz, CA. The estate in general is perfection: every room is decadent, rich, and colorful - yet entirely personable and unique. The property (literally) looks torn from the pages of Living Magazine. 

Okay, so now I am going to stop typing - I am just not a good enough writer to give this house half of the written appreciation it deserves - I'll just let the pictures do the rest of the talking...

(BUT before the good stuff) Here are the facts:

LOCATION: On a bluff above the ocean near Santa Cruz (with views all the way down to Monterey Bay)

PRICE: $3,450,000

BORN: 1873

- 4  acres of organic farmland and lawns

- 13 ft ceilings, carriage house, wainscoting, crown moldings, box beam ceilings, stunning light fixtures, radiant heating, 9' tall windows and views from EVERY room, antique fireplaces, 1915 Glenwood gas stove, gourment kitchen appliances

Built four years after the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869:

*Sidenote: Property was featured in This Old House (9/2002, 8/2003) and Architectural Digest (6/2007) Magazines

PMB Mansion Website

Sprekels Mansion

In honor of St. Valentine’s Day, I thought it would be only suitable to feature the estate of the San Francisco local and ROMANCE Novel Extraordinaire, Miss Danielle Steel. Now, for us singles out there: Valentine's Day festivities may just include one of her paperback potboilers (or, if you prefer, one of her Lifetime made-for-TV movies) along with alcoholic beverage(s) of choice.

Miss Steel's Sprekels Mansion was originally built for the bride of (sugar-daddy) sugar-heir Anthony Sprekels. The Sprekels were famous art collectors – probably most well known in San Francisco for donating the Legion of Honor to the city - and for building this monument of a house. The massive 55,000 sqft estate is considered the largest private single-family residence in the city (no source for that one, just something I’ve heard a few times). Although the property screams “Beaux-Arts” louder than it does “Victorian,” it can technically still be considered Victorian since it was built before the end of (said) era in 1915.

LOCATION: 2080 Washington Street, Pacific Heights (right across from the lovely Lafayette Park)
SIZE: 55,000 sqft (aka same size as the WHITE HOUSE)
BORN: 1913
OTHER FACTS: Made out of white limestone, 55 rooms, Louis XVI ballroom

Now, I doubt that Miss Steel will be vacating any time soon, but I would love for this house to come on the market just so we could get a peek inside those massive vine encased walls (and possibly into that Louis XVI ballroom of hers…).





Awesome Birds-Eye-View of Property: Miss Steel: owner of trampoline - I had no idea!

Sprekels Article

Possible image of the late Mrs. Sprekels INSIDE the mansion

235 Broderick Street

Since Haight-Ashbury is one of my favorite places in the city to hunt for fabulous Victorians, you can understand my astonishment after realizing I have yet to feature a property from the infamous locale. Hopefully this wonderful Buena Vista Park (almost) McMansion makes up for my delinquency.

BUT before I introduce the lovely 235 Broderick, I must must MUST give a little history lesson on WHY I love the Victorian architecture in the Haight-Ashbury region so very much:
Un. It was one of the few areas spared by the fires following the 1906 earthquake - preserving many Victorians from destruction.
Deux. Many Haight-Ashbury Victorians were home to the bohemian subculture of the 1960's, 70's, (and today?)
Trois. Many Haight-Ashbury Victorians reflect the overall colorful and bohemian attitude of the area and of San Francisco in general. AND people seem less fearful to use COLOR in this neighborhood.

Okay, okay, back to the property. 235 Broderick is a 4-level, 4,000 sqft (!!!) estate. Exterior-wise, this house appears jam-packed with personality, but interior-wise, ehh, not so much. Now don't get me wrong, this house is beautiful and completely livable (cough child-proof cough), but it just wasn't what I expected after first seeing the exterior photo. The inside delivers a slathering of cream tones and classic Victorian touches: inlaid floors (I don't think there is a single sqft of carpet in this whole house), stained glass, wainscoting, crown modling, bay windows, built-ins, vintage fireplaces

Here are the facts:
- $2,129,000 , $532/sqft

- 6 beds / 3 baths
- Born: 1900
- 1 car garage
- Garden, patios, cute vintage stove in kitchen

Overall, very beautiful, especially the main floor (what most pictures seem to be of). Some of the bathrooms and (possibly) the kitchen look like they may need some "refreshing."

(note: some of the photos are a bit dull - I blame the mish-mash of "staging")











This property went on the market on 1/18/2008, I'll be curious to see when/for how much it sells for

Listing Agent's Site - limited Pictures

Movoto - More Pictures

MLS - More Pictures

Cubist Victorian?

LOCATION: Western Addition
BORN: 1890's
The title may seem like an oxymoron, however, this house does in fact exist - and more than that - I happen to find it adorable! The most interesting aspect of the house is the contrast between the exterior and interior. Its Victorian facade is only a costume over its cubist innards. The restoration and remodel (which cost approx $750,000) resulted in a traditionally looking Victorian (exterior-wise) with a stained wood and glass core.

Although this property is not currently on the market, I think the quality of the renovation and the uniqueness of the design would be foolish pass up. One of the main features of the house is its (double-story) open air atrium that reminds me of those Japanese-esq meditation rooms (complete with bamboo). Besides "just" remodeling the Douglas's (owners/renovators) also added on to the 1,600 sqft property (now 3,600 sqft). Owners say that one of the main reasons why they remodeled was to escape from the small dark rooms often found in Victorians. I have to say that the interior is not what I would traditionally refer to as "my style," but this house is so unique-yet-livable I simply cannot resist my positive feelings

Focal Point:

Mahogany Kitchen (looks out on garden):

Skylit Bathroom:

Open-sky-atrium:

(I wish there were more pics: since it's not on the market, I guess they didn't feel the need to photograph every nook and cranny - I would love to see the bedroom design though)

SF Gate Article