It’s a Toby Levy designed two townhouse building on “one of the best blocks in San Francisco” and boasting “indoor and outdoor spaces…blurred with large terraces and soaring living spaces,” walls of windows which “usher in a profusion of light and sensational vistas,” and “custom kitchens with professional-grade appliances and spa-like bathrooms….” Oh, and radiant floor heating and solar-ready electrical systems.
And once again, a few more Bertazzonis in the kitchens. Were they having a warehouse sale that we missed? Seriously, can anyone help us understand the sudden surge in popularity of the stoves? (Not that we’re opposed.)
∙ Listing: 40 Ord Street (3/3.5) – $1,359,000 [extraordinaryord.com]
∙ Listing: 42 Ord Street (3/3.5) – $1,799,000 [extraordinaryord.com]
∙ Citrino (566 South Van Ness): Website Update And A Few Prices [SocketSite]
bertazzoni’s are cheaper than viking’s and look pretty sweet. I can only figure thats the reason, maybe better marketing by the wholesaler.
We did look at them when we were doing our kitchen
I think Bertazzonis look better than Vikings. More refined.
I didn’t know they’re cheaper. Even more incentive to get the Bertazzoni.
And the coup de grace: 90% of the people who buy these high end ranges don’t cook anyway. I’m constantly amazed at the ranges bought by people who don’t even cook.
Bertazzonis supposedly just started selling in the states a year or so ago and for a professional looking stove that’s made in Italy they’re cheaper than the Vikings (at least when we bought ours earlier this year). But I heard recently that the prices had gone up just like other stoves that were priced lower when first introduced (like Jade) and went up after more folks bought them. They have really cool color ones too if you’re buying the 36″ version, especially the red.
Toby Levy is a bad architect and dabbles in politics in a most unsavory fashion. Check out the “short” building in Showplace/Potrero adjacent to the traffic circle that should have been at least a story taller and was actually allowed to have been so (believe it or not) by City Planning.
was “blurred” actually used in the real estate description? gawwwd.
Does anyone know the history of this building? I know that there was a two unit (+ cottage) for sale on Ord last year. Can’t remember the street number but within a few buildings of this one definitely. Was on the market for about $850-900k. Is this the flipped building?
Does this price seem alittle on the high side?
Micheal – Oh! That building is awful! Didn’t know it was Toby Long. Definitely too low for that area and just plain weird proportions. That site is one of my “top 10 missed opportunities” for both Planning and an architecture firm to have actually improved the city.
Anony:
This isn’t the place you remember from last year. There was an old building on this site with a crumbling retaining wall. The entire thing was demolished. This is 100% brand new construction. You can’t call it a “flip” by any stretch of the imagination.
The two unit building + cottage that was for sale next year is next door to this building. Whoever buys this place is going to have a shabby next door neighbor. The cottage in back is like something out of Tobacco Road (you can’t see it from the street). It’s amazing that someone lives there and that it is legal.
Speaking of legal, I was at the open house today and the bedrooms on the lower unit do not have fire exits. Heaven help them if a fire starts in the kitchen and they can’t get out by the interior stairs. From the front bedroom you might be OK, but you would be trapped in the back bedroom. I really can’t believe this is legal in a brand new building.
Both bedrooms on the lower unit have very limited air circulation – I would replace the picture window in the front bedroom with windows that could be opened.
The lower unit has a ridiculous number of bathrooms, including a full bath on a stairway landing. It isn’t attached to a bedroom. I can’t imagine how or why it would be used. It’s next to a small landing just large enough for a couch – a very awkward location for a bathroom. Seems like an excuse to hawk the place as having one more bathroom. It would have made more sense to make it a closet as folks can always use more storage.
Also in the lower unit, you have to choose between using the space in front of the kitchen as either a dining area or a living room. For the price they are asking, I would think you could buy a place in a nice neighborhood that has both a living room and a dining room.
The upper unit is by far the nicer of the two. No surprise there, I guess, but again, does anyone need that many bathrooms?
The tub in one of the bathrooms is outfitted with numerous jets, but it is so short that even a small person would not be able to stretch his/her legs out. Who wants to take a whirlpool bath in the fetal position?
The front door to this place does not offer any security. Anyone could walk a few steps up the neighbors ungated stairway and jump over the railing to the stairs for this building, which would give the intruder access to the back yard and back entrances of the building, where the intruder could go to work with a crowbar without being visible from the street or even by the next door neighbors.
I asked the real estate agent (diplomatically) if there was any plan to address this and he said, “I dont’ know.”
I also heard the agent tell another agent that ten disclosure packages had been picked up for the upper unit, but none for the lower unit.
We looked at these units also, I did not understand the location of the formal entry for the upper unit vs. the elevator. It appeared to me to be a waste of space.
Lower unit-sun room appeared to be odd. In addition, dinning room area did not work with the flow of the unit. Looked like a bad after thought.
Also can someone please explain to me how the mezzanine bedroom in the lower unit. Unless you sleep standing up there is no room for a bed of any kind.
I still think these prices are high-market appears to be between $600 to $700 psf….did I miss something? These units are between $820 to $872 psf.
HOMELESS CAMPSITES NEAR 40-42 ORD
Did anyone see the article in today’s (July 31st) S.F. Chronicle entitled “Unlikely view from decks of tony homes: homeless campsites” concerning Corona Heights Park, which is a block away from this location (40-42 Ord)? Apparently the Homeless have taken over this location. Pursuant to the article Homeless encampments riddled with hypodermic syringes and broken liquor bottles are not uncommon.
The Bertazzonis are most likely in there for the same reason I bought mine: great looks, great functionality, decent price. I know they’ve only just come on the US market, which may be why the price is reduced.
I have to say, I think the lines are cleaner than the faux-pro ranges like Viking and Thermador. Those brands look like they’re trying to retain a restaurant feel, whereas the Bertazzoni looks like it was made by a designer.
The thing I love most, though, is the single-piece burner pan. The entire top surface of the range is one piece of stainless.
“Corona Heights Park, which is a block away from this location (40-42 Ord)”
While 40 Ord is not far from Corona Heights Park as the crow flies, driving or walking, 40 Ord is not too near the park. Ord St is a dead end street. One can take the Vulcan Staircase, but that still leaves one a hilly walk from the park.
40 Ord is 5 blocks up 17th St from Castro and Market.