2698 Pacific Avenue - Pacific Heights

A timeless residence of uncompromising elegance from the Beaux-Arts era. This grand house is gracefully situated on the corner of one of the City’s premier residential blocks in the heart of Pacific Heights. With extraordinarily unique architectural features, grand-scale rooms, lovely views of the Bay and City lights, and a wonderful quality of light and openness, this Renaissance Revival-style mansion affords an elegant contemporary lifestyle while enjoying the unforgettable glamour and timeless elegance of another era. This residence’s many amenities include eight bedrooms, seven baths, two powder rooms, seven fireplaces, two libraries, four offices, sitting room, two terraces, formal dining room, kitchen with separate butler’s pantry, ballroom converted into a giant family/entertainment room, and motor court for six to seven cars parking. Square footage: ~12,667 square feet (per appraiser) Lot Size: 8,219 (per City of San Francisco Tax records).

THE FACADE: The stately facade of this iconic San Francisco mansion features beautiful Acanthus leaf and egg and dart cornice moldings adorned with intricate rosette decoration and exquisitely framed windows. The spectacular circular portico entrance with white Marble steps and landing, graceful Roman columns, and a coffered domed ceiling is crowned with a balustraded decorative balcony. 

THE MAIN LEVEL: The majestic entrance hall features magnificent wood paneling, grand-scale architectural detailing and a sensational double staircase with exquisite wrought-iron balustrade- truly an unforgettable entrance into this glamorous residence. An intimate library with beamed ceilings, double moldings and a beautiful classical fireplace opens up off the entrance hall. The elegantly proportioned living room enjoys magnificent ceiling height, beautiful trellis-patterned plaster ceiling decoration, elegant picture and crown moldings, hand-painted wood floors, and an irreplaceable sculpted marble antique fireplace A stunning banquet-sized formal dining room showcases molded wood paneling with Corinthian pilasters and built-in hutch, whimsical hand-painted frescoe murals, extraordinarily detailed coffered ceilings, another priceless antique fireplace, and a charming rounded Bay dining alcove. A chic powder room with hand-painted floors and wallpaper, as well as trompe-l’oeuil moldings and mirrored door The spacious kitchen with black and white checkered floors has a caterer-sized butler’s pantry with glass cabinetry Off the kitchen is a spacious, bright and airy laundry room. Also off the main entrance hall are foyers with the back stairs leading to the upper and lower levels With it’s beautifully-scaled rooms, priceless architectural detailing and great sense of openness, this main level is wonderfully suited for both the grandest of entertaining, as well as a sophisticated, yet comfortable contemporary City lifestyle.

SECOND LEVEL: A stunningly regal double staircase leads to a gracious landing with a double height atrium, and leading to the beautiful colonnade-style second floor landing graced with classical Corinthian columns and graceful arches, fabulous gilded grass cloth wall finishes and crowned by an artistic Tiffany-style stained glass skylight with intricately carved molding. The second floor of the residence features four bedrooms, four baths, three fireplaces, office, huge linen closet and charming views of the Bay. All the bedrooms are very generously proportioned and enjoy great ceiling height and architectural detail; two have en-suite baths. The doors have some exquisite hardware and the tiled baths feature hand-painted frescoes. The back staircase has a side entrance from Pacific and a landing with a charming Juliette balcony with an intricately carved wrought-iron railing.

GARDEN LEVEL:: A graceful stained wood staircase leads down to the garden level landing with parquet-de Versailles flooring and antique frosted The original ballroom of the residence, converted to a garage in the 1920’s, is now a huge, absolutely fabulous entertainment/family/ media room with great ceiling height, yet another grand fireplace, trompe-l’oeuil marble painted cement floors, banquet seating, and glass French doors leading to the patio and garden. A powder room, three offices, maid’s room, sauna room, wine cellar, and back staircase landing complete this level of the residence A seven car motorcourt with gated entrance is also off of this level.

UPPER LEVEL: The upper level of the home features two bedrooms (one with an enormous walk-in closet with built-ins), two baths, and stained wood paneling in the halls. A lovely knotty pine-paneled library, charming wood-lined third bedroom, and a cozy sitting room on the North side of the residence all have French doors leading to the parapet balcony (this balcony has the potential to wrap around the entire house), with sweeping views of the Bay, Alcatraz, Fort Mason and City lights. With one of the most sought-after residential addresses in the City close to the shopping, dining and entertainment attractions of Fillmore, Union and Outer Sacramento Streets, as well as some of the City’s finest schools such as Stuart Hall, Sacred Heart, Town and University High, this iconic San Francisco mansion is a fabulous combination of the timeless glamour of another era, combined with wonderful open spaces well-suited to today’s contemporary lifestyle- truly a rare opportunity.