Friday, April 29, 2011
It Begins With a Sketch
Now that we have been thinking about the house for the past few months - I think we have finally settled on a concept that we both agree on. This is far from complete and the details of which may entirely change over the next year - but below is a "sneak peak" of what one day we will call our home.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Our Neighborhood Rocks!
Did you know that in the early 1900's the city of San Francisco had a quarry? Well, it actually had three! There was one at 30th and Castro, one on Telegraph Hill, and one at Corona Heights - right where our neighborhood sits.
All three quarries were owned by George and Harry Gray. The Corona Heights quarry included a brick kiln that made all the bricks that lined the cable car tracks. Apparently, the bricks coming out of the quarry were not the highest of quality and they eventually had to be replaced.
The brick kiln was located on States Street on the opposite side of the park form where our house sits. Remnants of the brickyard buildings can still be seen there today. The kiln burned down during the 1906 earthquake, causing some people to apparently think a volcano had erupted on Corona Heights. After repairs, quarrying continued.
The Gray brothers were seen as “constant law breakers,” and were accused of injuring neighbors and damaging property with debris from illegal rock-blasting at the Corona Heights quarry as well as their other quarries in San Francisco. In 1914, George Gray was eventually murdered at the 30th and Castro quarry by a former employee who was owed back wages (apparently $17.50 back then). An unsympathetic jury ended up acquitting the defendant. The quarries were closed down shortly thereafter.
Below are a few pictures of the neighborhood back in the early 1900's. The first picture shows a view of Corona Heights park form twin peaks. The large building at the top is the brick factory. The second picture shows the blasting being performed in the quarry. You can see the terracing that had to be formed during the quarrying that slowly formed the streets that define the neighborhood.
All three quarries were owned by George and Harry Gray. The Corona Heights quarry included a brick kiln that made all the bricks that lined the cable car tracks. Apparently, the bricks coming out of the quarry were not the highest of quality and they eventually had to be replaced.
The brick kiln was located on States Street on the opposite side of the park form where our house sits. Remnants of the brickyard buildings can still be seen there today. The kiln burned down during the 1906 earthquake, causing some people to apparently think a volcano had erupted on Corona Heights. After repairs, quarrying continued.
The Gray brothers were seen as “constant law breakers,” and were accused of injuring neighbors and damaging property with debris from illegal rock-blasting at the Corona Heights quarry as well as their other quarries in San Francisco. In 1914, George Gray was eventually murdered at the 30th and Castro quarry by a former employee who was owed back wages (apparently $17.50 back then). An unsympathetic jury ended up acquitting the defendant. The quarries were closed down shortly thereafter.
Below are a few pictures of the neighborhood back in the early 1900's. The first picture shows a view of Corona Heights park form twin peaks. The large building at the top is the brick factory. The second picture shows the blasting being performed in the quarry. You can see the terracing that had to be formed during the quarrying that slowly formed the streets that define the neighborhood.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Details, Details, Details...
A few days after closing on the house we received the keys from our agents and then took a walk-through of the house on our own. This was the first time we walked in the house by ourselves - without our agents and without the previous owner's furniture.
The building was built in 1942. When it was built - it was one of only eight homes in the immediate neighborhood. The original design of the building is presumed to be Art Deco - but as you can see, over the years, the previous owners modified and expanded on the building in several different ways - leaving it with no real design element. The building was originally a single family home, but at some point in the 70's the owners split the building into a main house and a downstairs apartment.
The entire building spans five floors. The first level, accessible form Roosevelt Way is a garage (more about this particular garage in a future post), two levels above the garage are the apartment, and the two levels above the apartment are the main house. The third level is accessible form Park Hill Drive and also includes two garages.
The primary floor of the main house includes a kitchen + breakfast nook, dining room, living room, two bedrooms, and a full bathroom. The second floor is the master bedroom, a full bathroom, and a deck off of the master bedroom. Below are a few pictures of the main house - dining room, living room, kitchen, and entry area.
The building was built in 1942. When it was built - it was one of only eight homes in the immediate neighborhood. The original design of the building is presumed to be Art Deco - but as you can see, over the years, the previous owners modified and expanded on the building in several different ways - leaving it with no real design element. The building was originally a single family home, but at some point in the 70's the owners split the building into a main house and a downstairs apartment.
The entire building spans five floors. The first level, accessible form Roosevelt Way is a garage (more about this particular garage in a future post), two levels above the garage are the apartment, and the two levels above the apartment are the main house. The third level is accessible form Park Hill Drive and also includes two garages.
The primary floor of the main house includes a kitchen + breakfast nook, dining room, living room, two bedrooms, and a full bathroom. The second floor is the master bedroom, a full bathroom, and a deck off of the master bedroom. Below are a few pictures of the main house - dining room, living room, kitchen, and entry area.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Landed Gentry
Well, it is official. As of 10:32AM, we are the proud owners of our own piece of rock nestled between Buena Vista Park and Corona Heights Park at the intersection of Roosevelt Way and Park Hill Ave.
The building includes two units. A main 3 bedroom/2bath unit and a second 1 bedroom/1 bath unit downstairs (not to mention 3 garages...yes, 3 garages). Over the next year we will be working on plans to completely remodel the house and the surrounding landscape to make it exactly what we want. Yes, it will be a tough job - with countless days of frustration, stress, and anxiety. However, we hope in the end we will have a home that is as much a piece of us as we will be a piece of it.
Below are a few pictures of the house as it exists today (and the view...). Over the next year we will be updating this blog with more detailed information about the house as well as our new neighborhood - Corona Heights. In a sense, this blog will be our virtual diary as we work our way through this process.
The building includes two units. A main 3 bedroom/2bath unit and a second 1 bedroom/1 bath unit downstairs (not to mention 3 garages...yes, 3 garages). Over the next year we will be working on plans to completely remodel the house and the surrounding landscape to make it exactly what we want. Yes, it will be a tough job - with countless days of frustration, stress, and anxiety. However, we hope in the end we will have a home that is as much a piece of us as we will be a piece of it.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
T-Minus 1 Day!
We officially close on the Roosevelt property tomorrow - April 13, 2011. Stay tuned here to see our progress over the next few years. E&G
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