On the market since 2014 with a $12 million price tag, which was never reduced, the landmark Russian Hill home at 1032 Broadway has just quietly traded hands with an $11 million contract price or roughly $2,828 per square foot.

Built in 1853 for Joseph H. Atkinson, a builder, bricklayer and real estate agent, the two-story Italian Villa was first remodeled around 1900 by Willis Polk, survived the Great Quake and Fire in 1906 and was most recently remodeled and upgraded “for modern comfort” circa 2000 (including the addition of an elevator from the new two-car garage below).

1032 Broadway Kitchen

The 3,890 square foot home sits on a 8,700 square foot lot with big city views.

1032 Broadway View

And yes, permits for a partial interior renovation have been requested, including the removal of the Game of Thrones worthy fireplace in the living room and a set of stairs, along with a “resurfacing” of the kitchen, a renovation of the dining room, and a “reconfiguration” of at least two bathrooms.

1032 Broadway: Living Room Fireplace

11 thoughts on “Landmark Home Quietly Trades for $2,828 per Foot”
  1. “And yes, permits for a partial interior renovation have been requested” It got lucky 113 year ago, let’s hope that continues.

    And tho not much was made of its age – beyond mentioning it, of course – I’m assuming this must be one of the oldest buildings in SF

      1. Thanks! Russian Hill seemed to have been a popular spot early on: the Humphrey House nearby was purportedly the oldest when it was torn down, tho there are many competitors and much confusion over actual dates of construction. Certain this is – as your article shows – one of the oldest residential structures…might be a few commercial structures on Montgomery of similar age too.

  2. Why would someone want to get rid of a fireplace like that? You could make a bedroom out of it in a pinch.

  3. I spent many a day in that house in the 50s and 60s. The first awful thing that happened to it was when an owner sold the lot uphill, along Florence Place, where a monstrous thing that looks like a circus wagon was built. Then another owner painted over most of the woodwork. Now It looks like some tasteless arriviste will try to mangle it into a Daily City box, just as the Mad Men fad is about to go the way of the Tuscan Sponging fad of the ’80s. Getting rid of the fireplace is a crime only a cretin could even contemplate.

    It is a house of great charm and character, all the same. At least for now.

    One buys a warehouse on the basis of dollars per square foot. It is no more appropriate to measure the value a house that way than it is to judge wine on the cost per ounce, or a book by the number of pages. Where did that weird idea come from?

    1. metrics. I agree it can seem arbitrary at times, but how else would you make a market?

      now why it is that everything is for sale is another question.

    2. Hi Philip, My partner Steven and I visited that house once a few years ago. Would love to chat more about the history of the house.

  4. 1032 Broadway, San Francisco Landmark #97, was sadly gutted by the 11 million dollar owners March 2020. Since then, after an investigation by the City and awareness by neighbors…the project was stopped and there has been no work done since (9/2020).

    Why someone would buy this San Francisco beauty and then ruin the beautiful interior is just wrong!

    1. There, there: I’ve heard that Hell was recently expanded – apparently they’ve no restrictions on building (it’s Hell, after all) – and a Tenth Ring added just for people like these.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *