Bay’s last private island will seek buyer
There is no water. There is no power. There is no Wi-Fi. There is no parking. But there also are no neighbor hassles. Red Rock Island, a 6-acre outcropping that is touted as the last private island on San Francisco Bay, is going on the market this week for $25 million, according to its listing agent.
Though the island has been for sale before and has been considered for every possible isolated use, from a rocky top Playboy Club to a wind farm, this is the first time it has been included on a multiple listing service, a database that allows brokers to see other agents’ listings.
“There have been unsolicited offers in the past, but it has never before been officially for sale,” Red Rock’s listing agent, Chris Lim of Christie’s International, said Sunday. “This is such a rare and unique offering. I’ve never seen anything like this my entire career.”
The island, which sits just south of RichmondSan Rafael Bridge, is on the dividing line between San Francisco and San Pablo bays and is in three counties — Contra Costa, San Francisco and Marin. Given the complications, it has not been built upon and it is unknown what kind of construction would be allowed or how crews would get there to build.
As it is, the island is reachable only by air or water, which puts a crimp on the Sunday open house market. Viewing is by appointment only.
“We can go by chartered yacht or boat, by seaplane or helicopter,” Lim said. “For those a bit more adventurous, we could go by Jet Ski or kayak or even paragliding.”
There are challenges to build, beyond the access issues. The property is zoned for residential use in San Francisco County, industrial use in Contra Costa County and general use in Marin County, according
to Lim. But there is no flat spot to build, necessitating hilltop construction. It is also not yet known whether multiple homes would be allowed. Such construction could reduce loneliness on the island.
Red Rock was used by Russian fur trappers in the early 19th century and, later, for mining manganese, the mineral that gives the rock its red color. It has had one known resident, Selim Woodworth, a former state senator who built a hunting cabin on the island.
Subsequent owners Mack Durning, a retired San Leandro real estate investor, and David Glickman, a former San Francisco attorney turned Bangkok gem salesman, proposed building a 20story hotel, casino and yacht harborin the 1960s, but the idea created such a furor that they backed off.
Among the suitors since then was the RollsRoyce-owning Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, a spiritual leader who ran a notorious Oregon commune and was once dubbed the “sex guru.” He was about
to buy Red Rock in 1985, but his commune collapsed and he was deported, Durning told the Chronicle. In 2014, the island became the site of a creative funeral for a sailor.
“There is so much that is possible with this island,” said Lim, noting that the last unsolicited offers were for a wind farm and from two separate princes interested in the island. One unsolicited study was done for the island to include a marina, heliport, restaurant, art gallery, hotel, wedding chapel, observation tower and geodesic umbrellas. “The views of San Francisco, Belvedere, the Oakland hills and the Bay Bridge are incredible.”
The current owner, Brock Durning, inherited the island from his father. It was used for family getaways but Durning has retired to Alaska and has no further use for the island, if he ever did. Durning reached out to Lim, due to the agent’s credential as the former president of Christie’s International Real Estate, which has $100 billion in global sales annually. He is now Global Brand Ambassador for Christie’s and is based in San Francisco.
To familiarize himself with the listing, Lim took a private boat 20 minutes from Point Richmond, he said in a news release, and was able to walk onto the beach without getting wet. He then spent an entire day there.
“I felt an undeniable connection to Northern California — the rugged landscape, unspoiled beaches, and the deep, mesmerizing blue waters,” he said.
Once Red Rock hits the open market, Lim will entertain offers and arrange visits.
“I’m interested in finding a prospective buyer who realizes the exceptionally rare nature of the property,” he said, “whether it is for conservation or for potential development.”