Peculiar estate that ‘epitomizes the grandeur of a time gone’ lists in CA. Take a look
An odd Bay Area home shrouded in history has graced the real estate market in San Francisco for $13.85 million.
It’s called the Tobin House, and while its half-house strangeness draws eyes, it is the background of its existence and the man who designed it that has drawn breaths.
“The Tobin House, located at 1969 California Street, stands as the last remnant of the estate of Michael H. de Young, founder of the San Francisco Chronicle and leading voice in the city’s politics, culture, and urban development,” the listing on Sotheby’s International Realty says.
“Designed by genius architect Willis Polk in 1915, this magnificent five-bedroom Pacific Heights residence epitomizes the grandeur of a time gone by, when the refinement and patronage of the city’s elite created the legacy of San Francisco’s architectural heritage.”
According to SF Gate, the elegant residence was designed for de Young in his latter years, after he bought two adjacent lots so he could have twin homes built for his daughters, Constance and Helen.
De Young hired Polk, a famous architect who “produced unusually diverse architectonic forms, space, scale and imagery” which included designing the Chronicle Building in 1889 and the Mills Building in 1890, to design what would have been the sisters’ estate.
“Polk’s ambitious plan for the Tobin House and its neighbor was that they mirror each other and share an archway, which would act as a very early carport and lead to the giant mansion owned by Michael,” SF Gate reported. “This would not go to plan.”
Constance went on to live in the first completed house, but Helen declined to move into the second one, so its twin was never built, Atlas Obscura said.
Spanning over 8,990 square feet, the Gothic Tudor-style home has an array of timeless features that complement Polk’s vision, even though his ideal arch passageway was only half completed.
Features include:
11’ ceilings
Grand living room
“Five diamond patterned, lead glass windows”
Terraces
Garden
Gourmet kitchen
Fireplace
“Barrel-vaulted staircase”
Library
“Three-car tandem carport”
The listing is held by Joseph Lucier and Stacey Caen of Sotheby’s International Realty.
This story was originally published September 21, 2022 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Peculiar estate that ‘epitomizes the grandeur of a time gone’ lists in CA. Take a look."