This 1909 Firehouse in San Francisco Was Converted Into an $8 Million Home
A number of San Francisco’s first firehouses burned down in fires of their own, ironically enough, but roughly two dozen remain today as repurposed spaces ranging from trendy bars to luxury residences. Oscar winner Anne Hathaway filmed scenes for Disney’s The Princess Diaries in one over two decades ago, and now’s your chance to stake your claim on the city’s last remaining converted firehouses, newly listed for $7.95 million.
Located at 3816 22nd Street, the four-bedroom residence sits on a quiet block in Noe Valley. Dating back to 1909 and initially a horse-drawn operation, the building carried out service as Engine Company No. 44. Traces of the site’s 115-year-old history can be seen in the “SFFD” lettering that appears on both sides of its Spanish-style roof to the original alarm bell that’s featured on its lower level. Built by the McSheehy Brothers in a Mission Revival style popular in San Francisco at the time, the one-of-a-kind residence now offers five bedrooms across a bit more than 6,000 square feet.
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The firehouse remained in operation until 1958, when it was relocated to new quarters. A year later, the building was sold at auction for under $15,000 to botanical artist Beth Van Hoesen and designer Mark Adams who tranformed it into a private home where they lived for decades. The home was reportedly renovated in 2007, introducing an elevator, an eat-in kitchen with a butler’s pantry, marble-clad bathrooms, and a home gym. A courtyard garden and a private roof terrace provide a variety of spaces to connect with the outdoors.
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Stone flooring with recessed lighting leads through the skylit foyer to a pair of staircases. One zigzags up through a central atrium topped by a glass roof that showers natural light deep into the home’s lower floors, while the spiral steel option spans all four levels of the home, including the lookout tower, which offers 360-degree views. The light-filled great room on the second floor is connected to an eat-in chef’s kitchen by a galley-style butler’s pantry. One floor above, three bedrooms surround the central atrium, and a small balcony leads to a backlit wooden deck nested into the hillside behind the house. The primary bedroom, replete with two walk-in closets and a spacious bath, sits on the top level with the roof deck, from where there are breathtaking views.
Back down on the entry level, several other key spaces include a family room with a wet bar, a home office, and a small garage. A gym in the basement includes a beverage bar, and a separate guest suite with a skylight that hovers above the bed sits across a courtyard garden from the main house. And, adding to the historic authenticity, there’s even a two-story fire pole featured at the property that last sold for $5.3 million in 2017. Claudia Siegel of Compass holds the listing.
Click here for more photos of the San Francisco home.
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