560 Haight Loft

Touting “Transparent Mezzanines to inspire thinking and Tranquility” (and a transparent staircase that’s sure to draw a few code related comments), this unidentified Theater Lofts condo at 560 Haight has just been listed as a short sale at $499,000 ($470 per square).

Also noted, “Must Sell this week!” You might want to wear pants (or at least nice underwear) if you plan on taking a tour.

∙ Listing: 560 Haight (2/2) 1,062 sqft – $499,000 [Redfin]

37 thoughts on “Transparency (On Multiple Levels) At The Theater Lofts (560 Haight)”
  1. Hmmm… first we had a spiral staircase without an inner handrail. Now one with no handrails.
    This place looks like a sculpture to live within. That suspended fireplace is interesting but too bad about that conduit touching the floor : it diminishes the floating effect.

  2. …and a transparent staircase that’s sure to draw a few code related comments…

    I looked at the photo before reading the body copy below it, and the first thing I thought was: how in the hell did they get that staircase past inspection? There’s no handrail, and there’s no way that’s building code-compliant. Of course, lots of people in The City think that if you’re an owner you can do anything you want to, so perhaps no permits were pulled.
    And telling potential buyers that you must sell this week?

  3. Is that a mezzanine with an all-glass floor? And is it above the kitchen (which looks like it has a glass ceiling)? Pretty awesome.
    Parking included too. Not bad.

  4. The glass floor on the second level above the kitchen is cool. Just be careful if you have guests over and someone is wearing a skirt!!

  5. Redfin “Due to MLS restrictions, the listing can only be shown to registered users.” Is there another link to the property somewhere?
    [Editor’s Note: Unfortunately the listing currently isn’t available via the public facing MLS.]

  6. now that’s an illegal non-conforming stairway just screaming for a lawsuit.
    It is baffling to me how this passed final inspection by a DBI building inspector. Something like that would not go unnoticed. I also place fault with the architect or designer who designed that kind of seriously dangerous stair in the first place.
    And of course, then we have some realtors who actually call this cool. go figure.

  7. @noearch: I’m not a realtor, I just think its cool looking. I’m not speaking to the code/legality. I agree with MOD that its like living within a sculpture.

  8. flaneur – are you worried that the glass floor might fall in with too many guests on it?
    I personally wouldn’t be worried about that. Geo. is a good industrial style builder. A standard property inspection would either verify the condition or recommend further inspection if any concerns or issues were noted. If they really want to sell this in a week I hope they already did basic inspections. I’m sure that they will sell it “as is” and you can’t do that without inspections to give the buyers something to gauge the condition on.

  9. I think that the staircase was installed sometime after the final inspection and most likely after escrow closed.

  10. Yes, I am concerned about the glass floor failing. I look at that stairs, and it shouts no design professional was involved in this remodel, so I guess there wasn’t a structural engineer either. And the problem with glass is when it breaks, it breaks suddenly unlike steel, reinforced concrete or wood which sag before they break.

  11. Those stairs tell me that someone put them in sometime after the first close of escrow and I highly doubt it was the developer.
    Glass used for floors are tempered and sometimes have invisible re-inforced meshing too.

  12. I wouldn’t worry about the glass floor breaking open. It is probably some sort of laminated safety glass. Dropping something hard on it could cause the glass to fracture, but the inner laminate layer (resin ? acrylic ?) holds it together. Think of it as a really thick piece of automobile windshield glass.
    Glass floors are nothing new. Exotic perhaps but not novel.

  13. If you look carefully … there are handrails on both sides of the staircase … they’re just transparent!

  14. Really people? I think its MTV’s real-world-style ugly. Put a cute “bi” hunk in there, though, and I might watch.

  15. As an architect who likes modernism, I say, this is fugly. Anyone worth their salt would’ve solved the conduit-from-the-fireplace problem differently, and I guess I’m just scared of lawsuits, but I wouldn’t have gone anywhere near that stair. And, no normal female would live on a clear glass floor for any length of time – this is a bachelor pad gone wrong…

  16. It is unit 101. The work was done by the owner who defaulted. I sold him the property and sold most of the units in the building numerous times. There have been three owners of this unit.
    The added floor is not glass and it is “hung” on the ceiling/steel beams. Unlike the staircase, it is really cool.
    The price is ridiculous for the building and neighborhood. It is unfortunate for the other unit owners.
    I used to own a unit in this building (across the hall from 101 and it is definitely one of Hauser’s best pieces of work.
    And by the way – 1/2 the units come with two car parking.

  17. Probably set short sell price low so as to create a bidding war. I am guessing it will sell well over initial asking price.

  18. Katy,
    Didn’t #201 — the best unit in the building — sell for $899k, or $546/sqft, last may? This unit, with a lower floor, less space, odd design choices, and no roofdeck, is on the market for 470/sqft. Not too out of line, especially since it’s a short sale. I wouldn’t call it ridiculous, unless there are other factors I don’t know about. On that, I defer to you.

  19. Sorry, I now see from redfin that 201 actually sold for 845k (was listed at 899k, I guess): $512/sqft. Which makes this pricing appear even more reasonable to me.

  20. Katy, thanks for the response. But my question remains.
    Your earlier post seemed to say that this is a “ridiculous” price and unfortunate for the building. To me, 101’s price seems in line with 201’s last sale and therefore expected rather than ridiculous or unfortunate. Instead of responding to that, you focused on a few specific nits in my post.
    I’m curious: how do you reconcile your earlier statement re: the “ridiculous”ness of Unit 101 with 201’s $512/sqft sale price last year? Their pricing looks consistent to me. If 201’s not a comp, why not, and what are better comps?
    On to the nits:
    101 doesn’t have a roofdeck (what I said). 201 has a roofdeck in addition to a large outdoor patio. So it beats 101, which only has the patio.
    As to the “best unit” in the building, you used lots of superlatives when you showed me 201 last year. I recall you describing it as the best, or at least one of the very few best, units in the whole building. I checked with my partner before posting, who confirmed your description. Shouldn’t it therefore fetch higher $/sqft than 101?

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