Excerpts from the website for 31 Alta which has just hit the market asking $3,800,000:
In 1852 Captain Andrews built his home on the Eastern slope of Telegraph Hill, on this perch for a direct view of ships sailing into the shipyards below. The home remains virtually unchanged as later photographs show, neighboring homes disappearing, steep streets being graded over the hills, Coit Tower rising, and a forest of skyscrapers growing in the distance.
31 Alta survived the 1906 earthquake and fire under wine-soaked burlap sacks and traded hands several times prior to the 1920’s, when it was purchased by Charles F. Sawvelle and his wife Myrtokleia, or “Myrtle.” Myrtle brought notoriety and excitement to Alta Street by converting the bottom of the home into a speakeasy. Raided by the authorities in February of 1927, Myrtle was arrested for her activities and reported to have said, “No one was disturbing anybody. We are going to start all over again with a tea room and this time there will be no nights in jail.” Her timing couldn’t have been worse for “tea” as the Prohibition landed her in jail again, 90 days later.
The meticulously re-pointed, first floor, brick walls are all on display with an updated wainscot to conceal the new electrical systems. It’s believed they were originally designed by brick masons-who may have been gold miners and the walls were built with raised brick lip at the entire perimeter of the first floor wall, creating a pocket sill plate as an early seismic solution that has stood the test of time.
A 2005 restoration restored a breathtaking original staircase from the first level to the main living level. The custom railing and replacement of balusters was done by a retired Haas woodworker who commented “this is the San Francisco baluster” so called because Haas Woodworking in the East Bay specialized in hand turning that style and providing them to builders in San Francisco in the 1850s.
The exterior redwood siding is original to the home. During the restoration when the siding was recently repainted the only thing that had deteriorated were the hand-cut iron nails. The siding was re-attached with new stainless steel nails, stripped of paint, primed, and repainted. The original plan was to look at the benefits of siding replacement and weigh up whether it would be worth trying to salvage the original siding instead, no choice was the right one, however, choosing to keep the original siding keeps some of the vintage aesthetic of the house.
Sold for $960,000 in 2002 (prior to said renovation). Additional details and images online.
UPDATE: Speaking of the house’s (permit) history and that renovation…
? Listing: 31 Alta Street (3/2) -$3,800,000 [31alta.com] [MLS]
“…Haas Woodworking in the East Bay specialized in hand turning that style and providing them to builders in San Francisco in the 1850s”
I didn’t realize that Haas was that old or that their shops were originally in the East Bay. It seemed as if their shop in SOMA had been there forever as it was (before their recent move to bland quarters in SSF)
The owners have done a swell job at restoring this historic house. They will have to find a buyer who has similar appreciation to get their asking price.
I think this gets the record for the oldest house listed on SocketSite. Either that or the record for the most MLS photos (98!)
“the [brick] walls were built with raised brick lip at the entire perimeter of the first floor wall, creating a pocket sill plate as an early seismic solution that has stood the test of time.”
Are they trying to say they didn’t do any other retrofit work? It looks like they added some bracing, but it looks like the brick walls are load-bearing. Is that a problem?
Before someone points out that the kitchen is tiny, I would like to add that the kitchen was for the help in this case.
Btw, the permit history for this house is not particularly rich given the work that is claimed. In fact, all the relevant permits are for exterior work from 2004 to 2006: the balconies (where there was seismic work done), decks, and for drainage.
However, what DOES have a rich history is the complaint file, and this is from 2007 to 2010 when more work was being done, presumably without permit. These guys pissed off the neighbors several times, and the complaints allege a number of things including electrical work without a permit and improper drainage. There was more than one notice of violation for the electrical work and one for the drainage.
It looks like the current owners literally got this place in a fire sale though. In 2001, there was a permit pulled for $70K for fire damage with replacement “in kind.” I assume that’s why it got re-roofed in 2000 ($7800) and also in 2001 after the fire damage permit ($8000).
Caveat emptor.
These people should take a clue from the nearby, larger 41 Castle. In a rabid market, sometimes a good story sells. In today’s market, not really. It’s a very cool place but on the small side and the “renovations” won’t be to everyone’s taste. Haven’t seen it in person but I’m guessing it would go for around $2.5M, should the owner care to part with it at that price.
Kinda puts your silly stainless steel granite fixtures to shame, doesn’t it?
Its such an annoying website … all those pics, which you can’t just click on one after another. And please spare me the usual neighborhood pictures. I love Stella Pastry (even though it is now owned by Victoria Pastry, but that’s a whole other story) but what the **** has this to do with anything.
Very SF. Very Telegraph Hill.
A house with many stories to tell, some of which have been discretely omitted.
A least for this listing let us be spared annoying comments about work triangles, appliances, and counter tops.
OMG, I always wanted a home with new siding nails! My number one feature, and after all these years, I finally found it!
They should stage it with mannequins of gold miners or get Hoss from the TV show “Ponderosa” (click name link) to sign autographs at the open house: it looks like a museum inside. Hop Sing would *love* the kitchen, even if no one else ever will!
But really, they had me at new siding nails!
I lived two doors down in 2000-2001 (the little slice of building you can see to the right in picture 9 – that was me).
Anyhow there was a terrible fire spring or summer 2001, the place was basically gutted. At the time it looked like it could have/ should have been condemned.
This place is sweet, I would really enjoy living here. What are the other contenders for the oldest house in San Francisco?
I saw this place when it was for rent last year. I had to relocate from the Mission to Telegraph Hill because my daughter’s public school was nearby. The house is indeed gorgeous. But the kitchen is very spare–totally not worthy of a house this price. It would need a new kitchen to deserve that price, one with a historic touch. Basically, it’s a nice big cottage on a shady street in TelHi. Doesn’t get that much great light. This price is just la-la land. It’s not worth that, not at all. I like the historic stuff, but who knows how accurate that story is. It’s probably worth more than two million, but you have to ask yourself who wants to live in the shade on an out of the way alley. The places on the Filbert steps are far more magical. I just don’t get this pricing.
They just don’t make nice big places on Telegraph Hill. This whole part of town is an acquired taste. There are so many other bargains to be had. The block isn’t the best either.
Meh.
NVJ: Oldest house is supposed to be the Abner Phelps house at Oak/Divisadero.
“And please spare me the usual neighborhood pictures. I love Stella Pastry (even though it is now owned by Victoria Pastry, but that’s a whole other story) but what the **** has this to do with anything.”
Uh. Neighborhood? It has everything to do with it. Any good San Franciscan knows that we live in our neighborhood, not just our home. Stop being a complainer. Are you even in a position to buy the house? My guess is no.
Its = it’s.
The listing for 31 Alta has been withdrawn from the market after 150 days on the market without a reported sale.
It’s back. 26% off ($1M). Now $2.8M
31 Alta is de-listed as of July 1.
Speaking of overpriced Telegraph Hill properties, what do people think of this place in the alley off the Filbert Steps?
http://www.redfin.com/CA/San-Francisco/15-Napier-Ln-94133/home/1633435
The current owner paid $1.095M in 2004, and hasn’t been cutting prices very aggressively:
Nov 18, 2010 $1,295,000
Mar 16, 2011 $1,230,000
Jun 15, 2011 $1,199,000
I’m assuming the place has been expanded from the tax records indicated 550 sqft, because otherwise that would be a beyond absurd PPSF.
I have been in 15 Napier after the last cut, and it sits on 2 levels. I didn’t measure it, but it is definitely north of 1000sf.
No views. No parking. And those steps are a blessing and a curse at the same time. The layout is a bit odd but workable. A nice little outdoors area decent enough to entertain. I loved the place overall, unique in so many ways.
I saw this place when it was for rent last year. I had to relocate from the Mission to Telegraph Hill because my daughter’s public school was nearby. The house is indeed gorgeous. But the kitchen is very spare–totally not worthy of a house this price. It would need a new kitchen to deserve that price, one with a historic touch. Basically, it’s a nice big cottage on a shady street in TelHi. Doesn’t get that much great light. This price is just la-la land. It’s not worth that, not at all. I like the historic stuff, but who knows how accurate that story is. It’s probably worth more than two million, but you have to ask yourself who wants to live in the shade on an out of the way alley. The places on the Filbert steps are far more magical. I just don’t get this pricing. They just don’t make nice big places on Telegraph Hill. This whole part of town is an acquired taste. There are so many other bargains to be had. The block isn’t the best either. Meh.