Utterly stunning! This Historic Building has a lobby that rivals all! The early SF photos and…read moreartifacts are simply breathtaking. A spiral stair case twists vertically passing each floor. All surfaces are marble. Stop in to be blown away!

This is a cool building to visit nestled in the middle of Market and all the touristy window…read moreshopping. This building is full of history (check out the photos) and some really gorgeous architecture (it seems pretty old). The place is used for any and everything. From lawyers to therapists to English teachers, this building is full of offices that will surprise you. Great one stop shop for many needs, check out the directory!

A little known historical gem sits on 1111 Oak Street and I knew nothing of its existence until…read moretoday. It's the Abner Phelps House, the oldest house in San Francisco, dating back to 1851. That's old for us folks here in S.F. though it would get a chuckle from those in New York, London or Paris. It was owned by Abner Phelps and his wife, Augusta Roussell, who was originally from New Orleans. The story has it that the house was shipped in pieces around the Horn and reassembled on a part of the 160 acres Col. Phelps owned (329 Divisadero). Others say it was locally constructed. It is an Early Gothic Revival style and, to me, looks very Southern with its raised veranda. Many houses are raised on blocks in the South to protect them from flooding. All of this was farmland and sand dunes then and Col. Phelps rode his horse down to his law office on Montgomery St.!! I had heard it was a B&B but there is no signage stating so although the gate is open and you can walk right up to the door. I am taking the S.F. Historical Tour tomorrow in that neighborhood so I hope to have an update.

Hi, I'm Craig, and I'm a licensed California General Building Contractor. Way back in the early…read more1970s I was hired by a now-defunct enterprise known as The Preservation Group, founded by architect Hal Major and a millionaire lawyer, as I recall, and I think his first name was Keith. Oh, and Keith had a very attractive, slender, red-haired associate who later on became involved with Austrian Fritjof Capra. Mind you, this was a LONG time ago, and I don't have much in the way of written records. I was the foreman of a 5-man group of carpenters hired to work on the Abner Phelps house. We were told that it was the oldest house in The City, and that it had been built of lumber from New Orleans, shipped around Cape Horn (because there was no Panama Canal) in 1851. One of our group, incidentally, was a then-55-year old African American named Roosevelt Turner. He wound up working with us only for a short while because he was a member of the People's Temple, and received orders to relocate to Jonestown, S.A. On the payday before he departed, Roosevelt came to work with a velvet-covered jeweler's display tray of rings that he offered to us for sale. Rings that had come off the fingers of new members joining the Temple (and that they wouldn't need in Jonestown...). After getting completing the necessary paperwork for the Landmarks Board and the Planning Commission we did the following. Because the Phelps house had been the first house on the block it had been COMPLETELY surrounded by other houses -- it was utterly landlocked, without even a driveway to access it. Essentially, it was in the backyard of the surrounding homes. Thus, to give it the access and exposure it deserved, we moved one of the surrounding homes to an empty lot two blocks away. Then we detached a small addition that had been added on to the original Phelps home, and rotated the Phelps building and moved it to a new foundation at its present location, 1111 Oak St. Incidentally, before we renovated it, the house had been subject to major abuse. I believe it had been occupied by hippie squatters for some time, who did not provide the care and loving that the house deserved. I've heard that at least one other house claims to be the oldest in SF, and of course Mission Dolores and one wall of the Presidio Officers Club are both reputedly a good 75 years older than the Abner Phelps.

When crossing the eastern span of the San Francisco Bridge, few people realize the history of the…read moremilitary in the area. One specifically, the Nimitz House, hidden just under the freeway on the east side of Yerba Buena island, has an incredible story and history! This house was the final residence of General Chester Nimitz, the leader and architect of WWII Pacific Theater. Simply said, the man whose leadership and strategy was used to win the war and allowed the Allies to proclaim victory. This house is a three story mansion and shows its unique architectural splendor as you approach it. It contains large windows which enabled views of the east bay and if you search the internet, you will see the elegant interior - a fitting home for its resident and his family. Gen Nimitz past away in this home at the age of 81 from a stroke. Unfortunately, California is not maintaining the residence and it has been falling in disrepair. Paint, windows, and the structure are all showing signs of neglect. Don't let its condition stop you from visiting though. Although you can't enter, you can appreciate its history and marvel of the fantastic area and views it provided.

Have you ever fallen into a rabbit hole of discovery on the Internet, only to find yourself, at…read more3am, looking at pictures of seemingly abandoned buildings on islands off the coasts of California or Mexico, which you found by zooming into said islands on Google maps and looking through the posted photos, then wondering who the hell this random guy named Christian is who posted the photos not even five months ago? What is Christian's story, you wonder, as you continue to look through the other attractions of the island, which does not include residential or commercial buildings, only to discover a few hiking trails that lead seemingly to nowhere...but what's this? A campsite with no electricity, running water, or bathrooms? Just a field on an island designated as a campsite, reached by some trail made by a dude with a machete, or something? But despite the lack of these amenities...there are picnic tables! Who decided first that it should be a campsite? Who brought the tables? What are the backstories? I've found some neat places online using this exact technique, and I've been fortunate enough to visit such places. It's cool to stand in the location of such a place after seeing all the pictures online and building it up in your head, and honestly, what makes these places better is when there aren't a ton of people crowding around when you get there, trying to take a picture for their Instagram. Sometimes, like in the case of this house, I do the reverse and come upon a neat building, art piece, or other landmark as I'm out doing other things, then furiously search the Internet for more info on the history. For me, the places that are a bit mysterious are the coolest finds. We came across this spot accidentally; we had gone to see the mission in downtown and stopped to check out Treasure Island on the way back. We drove around a bit looking for a good place to see the skyline, and came upon this very unique bit of Yerba Buena, which is somewhat hidden on the side and requires you take some twists and turns down a side road. Although there is an informational board in front of this house that suggests many people visit this place, the houses are surprisingly well-kept, with all windows intact and walls free of graffiti tags, and things are generally not trashed by garbage human beings. Looking into and around each of the houses, I got the sense that this is an area that is largely unvisited, especially compared to the neighboring areas of San Francisco, and now even Treasure Island. I wanted to do my own digging to see how well-known this weird circle of Victorian-style houses, juxtaposed beneath the modern industrial backdrop of the various overpass-bridges, are to people my age online. The results were interesting. One Reddit post with someone claiming you can rent these out for events. Quite a few articles discussing some cool historical facts, like how the Navy wouldn't let the developers of the overpass build over the house if it would block the sunshine (this house was where Admiral Chester W. Nimitz lived the last years of his life). You can easily see the curve of the overpass, as if someone nudged it out of the way. Not a whole lot more on it, other than apparently Willie Brown (past SF mayor) trying to make it the mayor's ceremonial mansion (god, please don't). Overall, despite not being able to go inside any of these houses, they're kept in beautiful condition by someone I'm assuming to be a groundskeeper, and a stop here is worth it for the view alone. Just don't mind the whizzing and whirring of the cars commuting from above.

I love working in this building. It's close to everything: Food, Transportation, Embarcadero,…read moreShopping, Tourist Spots, and major companies.

This building is beautiful and makes me feel as if I'm in a movie every time I walk through the…read moreroundabout doors. The lobby is all elevators and a concierge to help direct you if you don't know where exactly your going. Just gorgeous! I always look forward to this building when I go for meetings here. Close to Starbucks and Market St, where you can find anything.

Behind the bush…read more.. Well, like what the other reviewers said... what's up with that humongous hedge of a fort surrounding the estate LoL! From what I could see the mansion is huge and stately with an ornate facade. The property has been the residence of bestseller romance novelist, Danielle Steel. The mansion is located across from Lafayette Park in the exclusive Pacific Heights neighborhood. We circled the perimeter and like a stalker I was hoping to get a glimpse inside the French classical mansion. Before it became the super successful novelists' home the story goes back to a successful immigrant entrepreneur, Claus Spreckels, who built his fortune in the sugar industry among many other investments including one with the Santa Cruz Railroad. Adolph, one of the sons, and his wife took over the family sugar business in SF and later purchased the property and had the home built... err, excuse me, he had the "mansion" built as a Christmas present for his wife buying off the other Victorian homes nearby to make room for his mansion. This would become the Spreckels Mansion. Fast forward to present, Danielle Steel owns the home but lives in Paris most of the time. I'm not sure how much time she still spends in the City but the mansion has become a landmark in San Francisco.. After circling around the property once I concluded that I won't be able to see anything aside from the exterior upper part of the mansion... she has those massive shrubbery installed all around the property. Danielle Steel's oversized bush has been a thing LoL! and the subject of some controversy in newspaper articles (and was even called a "botanical freak of nature"). I understand that it's to protect their privacy but dang. Well, just check out the pics... Review #2079

I drove by to see how much more massive the privacy hedgerow has become (it is a bit ridiculous)…read moreand was saddened to see the exterior looks shabby and peeling. Apparently the building is made from limestone and it's crumbling in the salty Pacific air overlooking the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. Karl The Fog is not being kind to this stately manse built in 1913 by wealthy sugar magnate Claus Spreckels and his ambitious (and later, very philanthropic) wife, Alma. Designed in the French Baroque style by École des Beaux Arts' educated Applegarth, this stately home has been long owned by romance novelist Danielle Steel. The wealthy and worldly Steel is rumored to spend most of the year in Paris. While she's living her heavenly life in another beautiful city, her hedge stands guard, growing in almost terrifying proportion on a storied block in Pacific Heights.

A quiet, cozy, off the beaten path, mini park with lovely flowers and trees in between busy areas…read more Recommend, especially if you can find parking.

Big things comes in small packages…read more There are several mini parks in almost every neighborhood in San Francisco, and Cottage Row is a historic district (#82000983) located in Japantown that stretches along the block of Bush and Sutter streets and flanked between Webster and Fillmore streets. I would often walk to my wife's work as part of my exercise after work. I'd start from New Montgomery & Market Street all the way to Pacific Heights, which is roughly about 3 1/2 miles or so depending on the route I take. I vary my route some days and have taken different streets that are more hilly depending how I feel that particular day. On one of my many routes, I discovered this gem of a place just a block from Japantown Center. From Sutter St., there are signs posted regarding the park in front of a brick steps and pathway that stretches one block ending on Bush St. Along the path are Victorian-era houses, which adds a unique charm to the park. The park itself is well manicured with beautiful flowers, plants and even lone Redwood tree standing tall and proudly in the center. It may be small, but this mini park actually feels very spacious due to the layout and brilliant design of the park. It definitely maximizes the space without feeling cluttered and it feels very relaxing just being here. The smell of flowers and different plants provides an illusion that you are in a forest garden. I can feel my stress levels diminish as I soak in the energy of the park. Doing some research, the brick pathway along the backside of the park used to be called Japan Street due to the families living there were primarily Japanese-Americans. Sadly, they were interned during WWII after the attack on Pearl Harbor. An unfortunate time in American history that must never be forgotten and repeated. Now the park is maintained by the city, and they do a wonderful job of doing so. I can imagine the people in the neighborhood utilize this space by sitting on the benches while reading a good book; playing with their kids or grandkids; walking and playing with their dogs or enjoying a casual stroll to get some sun. Either way, it's a charming little park that is worth a visit should you be in the area.

Beautiful structure located in Japantown. It is a symbol of peace and friendship, made in the…read more1960s, by a Japanese artist. Very cool to see.

"The secret to living well and longer is: eat half, walk double, laugh triple & love without…read moremeasure." The Peace Pagoda is located in Peace Plaza in Japantown. The outdoor plaza connects Kintetsu & Miyaku malls and is the main venue for many Japanese community celebrations, such as the Obon Festival, Children's Day activities, Aki Matsuri, and the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. The Peace Pagoda was inspired by pagodas that existed in Nara, the ancient capital of Japan. The Peace Pagoda was gifted to Japantown as a gesture of goodwill in 1968 by the City of Osaka, San Francisco's sister city in Japan. The five-tiered, 100-feet tall pagoda was designed by Japanese architect Yoshiro Taniguchi. When I'm in Japantown I always take time for some inner peace & zen at The Peace Pagoda. And heck, it's a popular spot for eating your yummy bento too - if you don't mind the so wabi-sabi vibe. Today it is one of Japantown's most iconic landmark.

An authentic Victorian house, Queen Anne style (belonging to the late 19th century merchant class)…read morethat survived both the1906 earthquake and subsequent fire. This is a great museum for tourists - it offers a great glimpse of a life of early merchant families and how they projected wealth in a rapidly growing city. This is truly a time capsule of upward mobility that tells a story about immigrant merchants trying to transform commercial success into social legitimacy. Victorian aspiration in architectural form: like many merchant families of the era, the owners attempted to replicate the visual language of European wealth by painting and treating the façade to resemble stone, even though the structure is wood (a small prestige performance). The bathroom setup - marble top grooming table, exposed plumbing, clawfoot tub, early shower, bidet - indicating a more layered approach instead of a minimalist bathroom. Advice to all visitors: It may be worth calling ahead to confirm there is no yard or gardening maintenance scheduled during the 1- hour tour (only 2 tours per day). The leaf blower running during our visit was loud enough that made it difficult to hear the soft-spoken docent throughout the tour. Removing 1 star only for this reason.

Tour was super cheap! Only 10 dollars per person to see the house on the inside! While inside you…read moredo have to stay with your guide which makes it difficult to take pictures inside the house. But the guide is incredibly informative and it's like being taken back to the 1800's. It's also very large and beautiful on the inside specially the dining room area