Development Waiting to Happen Drops Price to $15M
An undeveloped lot with plans for 29 homes and 58 parking spaces has dropped its price by $5 million, taking it from $20 million to $15 million. The land, located on the western slope of Mount Sutro, is no stranger to the Planning Commission. Multifamily homes were first proposed for the site back in 1963, but nothing was built. In 2013, the latest iteration of housing was approved, despite neighbor objections. Once again, ground was never broken, so it went before the city this past May, and was approved again with slight modifications. It showed up on the MLS in November with a $20 million price tag.
Huge, Sexy Condos Proposed for Site of Franklin St. Sex School
Renderings via Alan Tsehttp://www.alantse.com/design-with-planes/The area of Lower Pacific Heights around Pine and Bush Streets has, in its past, been characterized primarily by cars. There is fast-moving traffic in every direction, from Van Ness to Franklin to Pine and Bush themselves, and the neighborhood is part of the old Van Ness automobile district. Lately, however, the area seems to be something of a development hotspot, and yet another shiny new building was just proposed on what is now the site of the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality.
Massive Landmark Oakland Mansion Up for Sale for $1.8M
Photos courtesy Dave Higgins, Grubb & Co. Realtors
Oakland's landmark Ellen Kenna House is a massive 8,000-square-foot mansion with a wild history: According to the book History of an Old House, its first owner was the widow of a man killed in a Wild West shootout. She built the house in 1888 and used as her architect Augustus Laver, who also built the Pacific Union Club at the top of Nob Hill. The house was purchased three years ago by Steve Kopff, who paid $1 million and then put another $425,000 worth of renovations into the place, according to the San Francisco Business Times. He tells us that he financed the remodel by renting it out for catalogue photoshoots for companies like Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware. He's now put the mansion back on the market for $1.8 million.
Life and Art Meld in a Berkeley Home and Gallery
Welcome to House Calls, a recurring feature in which Curbed tours lovely, offbeat, or otherwise awesome homes in the Bay Area. Think your space should be featured next? Here's how to submit.
Bonnie Grossman's home is also her gallery; photos via Patricia Chang
For the first time in 45 years, Bonnie Grossman is soon going to be able to come downstairs in her robe. After operating the Ames Gallery out of her home in the Berkeley Hills for nearly a half century, Grossman is retiring and liquidating her vast collection of what many would call folk and naive art (although she hates labeling it). For her, there's virtually no separation between life and art, as the works are displayed in nearly all the spaces of her home. Although it's by appointment only, she's accustomed to drop-ins. Thus, it pays to be dressed and ready for business.
Bonnie Grossman's home is also her gallery; photos via Patricia Chang
For the first time in 45 years, Bonnie Grossman is soon going to be able to come downstairs in her robe. After operating the Ames Gallery out of her home in the Berkeley Hills for nearly a half century, Grossman is retiring and liquidating her vast collection of what many would call folk and naive art (although she hates labeling it). For her, there's virtually no separation between life and art, as the works are displayed in nearly all the spaces of her home. Although it's by appointment only, she's accustomed to drop-ins. Thus, it pays to be dressed and ready for business.
Elite Street: 10 Impressive Homes of World Leaders
Clockwise from top left: Rashtrapati Bhavan in India, Palácio da Alvorada in Brazil, Prague Castle in the Czech Republic, and cin South Korea
While the race for the White House may seem like it's already lasted an entire four-year term, the real battle traditionally begins this month, as hopefuls start fighting in earnest for votes and delegates in Iowa and New Hampshire. There are plenty of reasons politicians spend years battling for the presidency; the opportunity to live in the Neoclassical masterpiece at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, designed by Irish-born architect James Hoban, who won a prize to envision a then-new presidential residence in 1792, is just one. Arguably the most recognizable buildings in the country, the home and office of the President of the United States, like other such residences across the globe, represents architectural achievement and symbolizes national pride. Beyond some of the more well-known seats of power, such as the Kremlin or 10 Downing Street, these select homes of some of the world's most powerful men and women showcase both historic and modern architecture, and help tell the story of their particular countries and rulers.
Grand Presidio Heights Home Back on Market for $11.25M
It's not quite spring selling season yet, but 2016's first smattering of big fancy homes hit the market over the weekend. The largest of them all was actually a repeat from late 2015 but with a slightly higher price for the new year. The shingle-covered 3323 Clay Street was after $11 million last fall, but delisted in November. It's now back and looking for $11.25 million. 
Oceanview House Marketed With Baffling Pics of Trash
The five-bedroom house at 47 Lobos Street is up for sale and asking just $725,000, a fairly low price for the San Francisco market. However, whoever put the place on the market sure hasn't put a lot of care into getting it ready for sale. The very first photo on its listing is of a garage with bags of trash and bins sitting out front. The second photo is even more baffling: it's of some discarded wooden framework. It only gets worse from there. 
Pritzker Prize 2016 Predictions: Who Could (And Should) Win?
Clockwise from top left: Diller Scofidio + Renfro, David Adjaye, Santiago Calatrava, and Sou Fujimoto
Long considered the Nobel Prize of the built environment and one of architecture's highest honors, the Pritzker Prize for 2016 will be awarded next Wednesday morning. The annual honorific comes with a $100,000 prize and a bronze medallion, given to a living architect (or, occasionally but not always, an architecture duo) who has "produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity." The yearly event invites plenty of speculation throughout the global architecture community, and while the award presentation lacks musical numbers and reaction shots, it does offer a look at how the "official" canon of design greatness may be expanded.
Facebook Gives Office Ownership a $202M Thumbs Up
Facebook now owns this sign and the land it fronts; photo via WikiMedia Commons
Facebook has gone from tenant to owner by paying $202 million for their 57-acre Menlo Park campus at 1 Hacker Way, according to the San Francisco Business Times. Only in Silicon Valley could such a considerable sum be considered a bargain price. Consider this: Sources tell the SFBT the figure was agreed on in 2011, when the social networking behemoth first leased the property from Sun Microsystems. To calculate what it would be worth today, look at the comps: Facebook paid nearly $400 million in February for 56 nearby acres.
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SoMa's Major 5M Project Gets Sued by Local Activist Groups
Rendering via Forest City
In San Francisco, the fight over new development isn't over even when it's over. On the same day that opponents of the new Warriors' arena announced a new lawsuit over the development, activists in SoMa and the Tenderloin sued San Francisco over the major 5M project that was approved in November. The lawsuit claims that 5M's Environmental Impact Report failed to reveal the severity of the project's impacts and didn't consider alternatives that would mitigate traffic, shade on city parks, or provide for open space.
Grand Flood Estate Chops Off 50 Acres and $45M From Price
Back in 2012, the 92-acre Flood Estate at 331 Greer Road in Woodside came on the market for the first time ever asking a mind-boggling $85 million. According to the estate's official website, it dropped its price to $69.8 million at some point but never found a buyer. This week, part of the estate popped up on the MLS offering up 40+ acres at a new bargain price of $39.98 million—easily affordable for the lucky winner of Powerball's $800 million prize on Saturday night. 
Bid to Turn Short-Term Vacation Rentals into a Hotel Denied
Screen grab via San Planning Department executive summary
Word this morning that the San Francisco Planning Commission has denied an owner's request to convert the building she had long been leasing as vacation rentals into a hotel. The SF Planning Commission unanimously rejected the request, saying in their recommendation that allowing the building to be a hotel would "remove three rent-controlled units from the market" and that could "exacerbate the current housing crisis."
Lawsuit Filed Against Warriors' Planned Mission Bay Arena
Rendering via Manica Architecture/steelblueIn unsurprising news, the battle over the Warriors' planned Mission Bay arena isn't over yet. When the arena breezed past a challenge to its Environmental Impact Report at the Board of Supervisors last month, opponents promised that they would consider suing. Now, the Mission Bay Alliance—a collection of stakeholders who oppose the arena over issues like traffic—and the mother of a six-year-old UCSF patienthave joined forces to file a lawsuit against the project.
SF to Vacation Rental Companies: "Help Us Catch Violators"
An SF woman is asking the city to let her turn her short-term rental property into an official hotel; screen grab via Google Maps
This has been a heck of a week for vacation rental news. Here's the latest on the topic that has largely divided SF: The San Francisco Chronicle reports that city officials are pleading with hosting platform companies like Airbnb, VRBO, FlipKey, and even Craigslist to help them find people who are breaking the vacation rental laws enacted just a year ago. There's little word from the platforms or hosts, but if the published numbers are any indicator, we think we may have just heard a big shrug of indifference.
Farmhouse Sinks: The Practical Choice or Overrated?
What do exposed brick, reclaimed wood, and the Eames shell chairhave in common? How about that they were all interior design moves that were quite frankly overexposed in 2015? Well, one more thing that was everywhere last year and shows no sign of slowing down in 2016 is the farmhouse sink, which is usually deeper than the average modern sink and isn't embedded in any countertop or cabinetry.
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- EditorMary Jo Bowling
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