With the third floor of the Polk Gulch garage at 819 Ellis Street having been illegally converted into the “American International Hostel,” an un-permitted tourist hotel, the City had ordered the hostel to immediately cease operations over two years ago, at which point the building was on the market for $7.95 million.
While the hostel’s signage was subsequently removed, according to a complaint filed with the City at the end of last year, it was still operating as of a few months ago.
And having recently withdrawn their formal application to legalize the hotel, the proposed plans for which had “fail[ed] to demonstrate how the third floor of an automobile parking garage [could] be converted into a tourist hotel that meets all applicable city codes and regulations,” the garage is now back on the market for $9.9 million, touting the potential to build up to 130 feet in height upon the 819 Ellis Street site and possible seller financing.
So many garages in this area and SoMa that make the street level really unattractive (and creepy at night). Hope more are converted to better uses.
What better way for a foreign tourist to experience SF. A lasting impression no doubt.
Fools, all they had to do was list their “un-permitted tourist hotel” on Airbnb and suddenly it becomes ok.
UPDATE: Price Cut for Another Former Armory in San Francisco