On the Cover
Six-bedroom mansion in Pacific Heights has two wine rooms
The penthouse at 2712 Broadway in Pacific Heights opens to a dramatic roof terrace with views of Alcatraz, Angel Island and the San Francisco Bay.
One of San Francisco’s most prestigious and ambitious designs can be yours, provided you can leverage $40 million for the keys.
Located on the aptly named Billionaire’s Row in Pacific Heights — part of a three block stretch known as the Gold Coast — 2712 Broadway serves as a testament to persistence, as well as a monument to top-end design. The newly built structure offers a limestone exterior complemented by steel framing and an
arcing roofline. Frosted glass fencing borders segments of the property, allowing sunlight to filter through while still providing privacy.
“You definitely feel a connection to the outside in a way you don’t in many homes,” said developer Bill Campbell of Marble Management, who purchased the home for nearly $8 million in 2009. “It feels like the bay is laid out in front of you in both day and night.”
When a home takes years to build, it’s safe to assume the process was meticulous. Every finish, angle and detail was cause for concentration.
For instance, Campbell chose expensive, anti-reflective glass along the northern facade to enhance the environment.
“At night, you can have the lights on and still see outside,” he said.
These are certainly views worth protecting. The home enjoys a coveted location overlooking the Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.
The brand-new construction takes the
place of a clapboard home erected sometime in the 1800s. Prior to changing ownership, the residence served as a home for eight renters in their 20s. News articles at the time indicate neighbors weren’t too enthused with their boisterous neighbors.
A wholly reimagined residence with nearly 11,500 square feet of living space now stands in its stead.
The home is grand, but it isn’t wasteful. Solar energy heats the home’s water as three underground tanks reclaim water from the roof and driveway to irrigate the garden.
With a price tag of $40 million, it will be San Francisco’s most expensive home for sale. when it hits the market. While it’s a dream for 99.9 percent of people, the home has a price that shouldn’t cause sticker shock for everyone. After all, 2701 Broadway closed for $31 million in 2015.
It’s hard to consider a home with a $40 million price tag as a “spec house,” but that’s what this limestone sanctuary is defined as. That means the home isn’t built for a particular owner. Instead, the finishes and touches are selected to engage a variety of needs and appeal to any number of buyers.
The sustainable element appeals to the big-pocketed buyer concerned with carbon footprints, while the wall-mounted tablet computers speak to tech-savvy tycoons. No designation officially exists, though Campbell told the Wall Street Journal they are in the process of getting the home LEED Platinum certified.
If granted, the platinum certification from the independent entity would be a major accomplishment. After all, businesses tend to receive platinum status far more frequently than homes. Residences don’t routinely apply for LEED’s rating system. There’s only
a handful of LEED Platinum homes in the city.
The home’s curved stairway rests below a skylight, resulting in a sunny light well brightening the home. Round lines with sharp edges give the staircase a distinctive, eye-shaped design when viewed from above or below.
The home culminates at the top of this staircase with a dramatic roof terrace. A glass railing borders the deck, offering protection yet minimal obstruction to the views of Alcatraz, Angel Island and San Francisco Bay. A built-in grill complements the roof terrace’s status as a commanding entertainment space.
Details
Address: 2712 Broadway, Pacific Heights, San Francisco. Price: $40 million.
Features: Located on Billionaire’s Row in Pacific Heights, this palatial six-bedroom enjoys resplendent detail inside and out. An elevator with gold-plated doors services all levels and the roof terrace, while a curved staircase creates a dramatic focal point in the foyer. The mansion includes a pair of wine rooms, as well as an outdoor kitchen on the roof. The spa-caliber master bathroom includes a soaking tub beneath a series of view windows, as well as a walk-in steam shower with rain head fixture.
Reading the home’s amenities aloud could be a great way for someone to get lightheaded. Eight bathrooms and 4½ baths pair with six bedrooms, a striking chef ’s kitchen, a pair of kitchenettes, a home theater, two wine rooms, and a spa with a gym and massage room.
Contemporary refinement radiates from the dining room, a stately space graced by a starburst chandelier. Frosted glass windows filter in light while providing privacy as gallery walls provide the backdrop for paintings and frame photographs. Wide moldings rise to about calf level as speakers rest within the raised ceiling.
The home has not officially been released on the market, though it is expected to appear in the coming weeks.
Tom Biss of Sotheby's International Realty and Val Steele of Pacific Union Real Estate are tabbed as the listing agents for the resplendent construction.