It's happening: Vaillancourt Fountain demolition begins. Plus, Colgate Mansion on Alamo Square, a Victorian with a turret in Pac Heights, and an Eichler in Concord...
A fountain's era is coming to an end.
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Well, hello there. On Monday, I boarded the 1 California bus and rode it till the end of the line.
A short walk led me to Embarcadero Plaza, and the fenced-off Vaillancourt Fountain, which is firmly in its dismantling era. Workers were already scattered about the structure, where they were beginning to label the parts and remove grout, according to a spokesperson for the Rec and Parks department.
I’ve previously reported about the protracted battle between fountain fans and the parks department, but now the phased removal of the fountain is underway.
The five-decade old, 40-foot high, 700-ton sculpture is made from precast concrete square tubes. It was originally designed to pump 30,000 gallons of water per minute. Now the fountain is dry, deemed a safety hazard, and sits behind fencing.
The monument was created by the now 96-year-old Quebec artist Armand Vaillancourt at the Embarcadero Plaza and designed by celebrated landscape architect Lawrence Halprin. It was constructed to mask the sound of the elevated Embarcadero Freeway, which has long since been demolished.
Over the decades, the concrete pipes and gushing water have served as inspiration for San Francisco skateboarders, the background of many a protest, and even the stage for a U2 concert, where Bono notoriously sprayed graffiti on the sculpture.
But the aging fountain has been labeled a public hazard by the city, and with an estimated repair cost of almost $30 million, no one has stepped forward to foot the bill. Perhaps it can return at a later date at another site. Any tech billionaire takers?
According to a statement provided at my request by Rec and Parks, the methodical removal process (to cost about $4 million) will be in stages. A new plan for the park featured in the SF Chronicle doesn’t include the sculpture. But an appeal to the lawsuit to stay the removal filed by Friends of the Fountain looms, and could be decided as soon as Friday.
The first phase, underway now, is to label the pieces. In May, the project will launch an exploratory “pilot” phase of one or more of the sculpture’s arms, allowing the engineers and preservation experts to study the structure. And finally, cranes will lift each of the arms of the structure onto a flatbed truck, and the disassembled pieces will be transported to a “secure facility.”
In other real estate happenings, permits have been filed for the project I wrote about in the Sutro Heights neighborhood, SF Yimby reports. Stanley Saitowitz Natoma Architects is responsible for permits and design, which features a glassy complex of 20 units—including two affordable ones. The development will look out over a nature preserve and is steps to Sutro Heights Park and the beach, close to the 38 bus line, and a Safeway (undergoing a development as well).
And, after just over a week on the market, the sculptural estate designed by Olle Lundberg in 2002 is now pending sale. The listing represented by Stacey Caen and Joseph Lucier of Sotheby’s International Realty – San Francisco Brokerage, located across from Alta Plaza Park, asked $22.5 million, and could be a record sale for a home on the park, the New Fillmore reports.
Also, those looking for a swanky pad may want to head over to Russian Hill, where the single-owner Fisher Home just landed on the market for $17.25 million. The estate was built in 1998 by and for developer Robert Fisher (who collaborated with architect Sandy Walker), the younger brother of the Gap co-founder, and builder of Gap stores.
The result is a contemporary estate with 6,200 square feet and such highlights as a Sol LeWitt wall drawing in the entry, and views of Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco Bay, and Alcatraz.
Stacey Caen and Joseph Lucier of Sotheby’s International Realty – San Francisco Brokerage hold the listing.
Plus, have you seen new Giants manager Tony Vitello around town? SF Chronicle reported the skipper dined downtown and caught a Dave Chappelle show at the Punchline in mid-April. We don’t know where Vitello bought in the Bay Area, but we do know he successfully sold his five-bedroom mansion in Knoxville in mid-December. In an off-market deal, the 7,600-square-foot home on five acres sold for $4 million. Vitello owned the luxury pad for just over a year before the Giants came calling.
And while this isn’t a music newsletter, we had to flag a video that will appeal to all mid-century modern aficionados. The latest from Icelandic sensation Laufey features a guest cast of hot co-stars (including Oakland’s gold-medalist Alysa Liu) and a dreamy bossa nova beat. Most important to our particular interest, the video for “Madwoman” uses an Eichler home in L.A.’s Granada Hills as its backdrop. We couldn’t pinpoint the exact address, but the MCM residence gets plenty of screen time.
This week’s letter features a viral Victorian with a turret. And a historic Alamo Square mansion is now available. Plus, Eichler fan Erik Gunther covers one way out in Concord. Read on.
Viral Victorian with a turret is a hit for $7.6 million
San Francisco certainly has its share of Victorians. But this standout topped with a whimsical turret is now available for $7.6 million. Joan Gordon and David Cohen with City Real Estate hold the listing.
Built in 1891 by Newsom and Newsom, the Queen Anne-style residence features that aforementioned turret (complete with porthole windows), a keyhole arch, and an ornate glass and iron entry door.
Inside, the interior offers six bedrooms and six baths spread across 7,255 square feet. Highlights include a rare triple parlor layout, high ceilings, crown moldings, and marble fireplaces.
The home also offers some flexible floor plans for the modern age. The top floor, a legal second unit, includes a large family room with a walkout view deck, huge bedroom suite with bathroom, a second bedroom used as an office, a full bath in the hall, and a second kitchen/laundry room.
There’s also a lower level with a media room. And the cool turret room is a fun spot for an office or reading nook with a bird’s eye view of the city. The location is close to Lafayette Park, and the shops and restaurants of lively Fillmore Street.
Minty fresh: Colgate Mansion on Alamo Square asks $6.8 million
A neighborhood known for the Painted Ladies on Alamo Square has a new offering on the market. Located just about a block from Alamo Square park and those famed Victorians, the Colgate Mansion is noteworthy for its size and its history.
As the listing from Compass agents Mollie Poe and Declan Hickey notes, “Some homes are large. This one is expansive in a way that enhances how you live and how you move through it.”
Built in 1903 by architect Frank Van Trees for Joseph Colgate-McQueen (yes, a member of the family that brought us Colgate toothpaste), the property features four floors, 5,500 square feet, six bedrooms, six bathrooms, and a detached carriage house.
Connected by a staircase topped with a skylight, and decks at every level, the home features modernizations such as glass-floored bridge, a kitchen with high-end appliances, a garage-to-kitchen dumbwaiter, EV chargers, and interior sprinklers.
The addition of the carriage house for use as guest quarters, office, gym, or studio is “a rare bonus that few properties at any price can offer,” the listing states. Other highlights include a top floor dedicated to the primary suite and deck, a lower level media room, and a landscaped backyard.
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Way out in the East Bay: This Eichler is wow-worthy
You can take BART from SF to Concord, but I doubt many city dwellers have made the trek out to the farther reaches of the East Bay. Although the weather is certainly warmer and the city boasts plenty of good eats, it’s not exactly a destination.
And for a homebuyer in search of style, Concord doesn’t spring to mind. It’s pure suburbia. However! There are 175 Eichler homes lurking in the most populated city in Contra Costa County.
One of those coveted homes recently landed on the market for $1,435,000 — an ask that would thrill priced-out Eichler lovers in Palo Alto, San Jose, and Mountain View.
Listed with Dara Buzzard of Dudum Real Estate Group, the four-bedroom home boasts a lovely atrium, gorgeous wood paneling, and an enormous backyard with an inviting pool.
Designed by architect Claude Oakland and built in 1964, this smartly updated residence nods to its past while incorporating modern upgrades today’s buyers desire.
The listing details note the home has been featured in Dwell, Wallpaper*, and the Robb Report. From the photos it’s easy to see why.
Perhaps a city buyer would want to give Concord a chance? This place is certainly an appealing alternative.
— Erik Gunther
Must Like Fog is a San Francisco-based newsletter that’s looking at must-see real estate, cool architecture, fun neighborhoods, and more. Come obsess with me, a long-time real estate reporter who wants to keep the party going with a Bay Area twist. If you’re into real estate, the Bay Area, and want to get the inside track on these topics and more, please subscribe.
Huge thanks to editor extraordinaire Erik Gunther.