SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — An extremely dangerous atmospheric river has moved into the San Francisco Bay Area and the first round of rain is already causing flooding on roadways and highways around the region.

However, ABC7 Meteorologist Drew Tuma says that the first wave won’t be the worst of it. The second round which arrives anywhere between 2 p.m. – 9 p.m. will slowly crawl over us with heavy rain which will make our flooding threat high.

TIMELINE: Wednesday’s very strong storm upgraded to Level 5; NWS says could cause ‘loss of life’

This storm is ranking a Level 5 on the exclusive ABC7 Storm Impact Scale. This is the first level 5 storm in the history of the scale.

Jan. 4, 2023

10:46 p.m.
Evacuation warnings in Santa Clara County

Santa Clara County has issued evacuation warnings to community members residing in the watershed areas of the Uvas Reservoir and Pacheco Pass River Basin due to weather conditions and risks to the general public and property. For more details, visit the county website here.

10:35 p.m.
Infant dies in Sonoma County home hit by falling tree

An infant has died after a tree fell onto a home in Occidental Wednesday night, fire officials said. The toddler aged 1 or 2 was home with their mom and dad when it happened.

Firefighters performed CPR while waiting for medics to arrive but the infant did not make it.

9:00 p.m.
Dam failure prompts Flash Flood Warning in San Benito Co.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning for a dam floodgate release in northwestern San Benito County.

Dam operators reported the spillway of the North Fork Dam being compromised just after 6 p.m. and predict that water will overtop the spillway by tomorrow morning. This will impact areas, including Lovers Lane, Pacheco Creek and Santa Ana Creek.

Flooding is already being reported along the Pacheco Pass Reservoir.

NWS says residents who are in low lying areas below the North Fork Dam are urged to move to higher ground immediately.

7:25 p.m.
Wind gusts knock over gas station canopy in Daly City

This video of wind gusts so strong they knocked over the canopy of a gas station came in just minutes ago. This happened a short time ago in Daly City. At this time, we’re not hearing of any reports of injuries, but you can see the gas pump was crushed by the fallen canopy.

7:10 p.m.
Shelter-in-place in order lifted in San Rafael

The earlier Shelter in Place from Canal to mid-block Novato St due to multiple blown transformers and downed live wires has been lifted, according to San Rafael officials. Roadways have re-opened, however the power line had to be cut by PG&E and power is now out in the area, possibly expected to be out until tomorrow.

6:04 p.m.
Shelter-in-place in order in San Rafael

Officials issued a shelter-in-place order from Canal to mid-block Novato Street in San Rafael due to multiple blown transformers and live high voltage wires down. No vehicle or pedestrian traffic is allowed. For more information, visit here.

5:56 p.m.
Lanes blocked on I-280 in San Bruno

The southbound lanes of I-280 just north of Skyline Blvd in San Bruno is blocked due to multiple downed trees, CHP said.

Only one of the far left lane is open. CHP are asking drivers to avoid the area.

5:40 p.m.
Evacuation warnings for Russian River area

Officials issued an evacuation warning for residents living near the Russian River and its surrounding areas from Healdsburg to Jenner amid flooding threat. For the full list of evacuation warning zones, visit here.

Oakland, Milpitas declare State of Emergencies

The cities of Oakland and Milpitas declared local state of emergencies amid the powerful Level 5 storm. The declaration of the emergencies will enable cities to utilize all resources necessary to prepare and respond to the storm.

5:15 p.m.
San Francisco officials urge residents to stay off roads, limit 911 calls

Mayor London Breed joined city leaders to urge residents to stay off the roads as the storm intensifies Wednesday night. Officials are asking residents to limit 911 calls except for in emergency situations, as all crews are on hands-on-deck responding to weather-related incidents. For all non-emergency calls, you can dial 311.

4:30 p.m.
Mandatory evacuations ordered for multiple areas in Santa Cruz County

Evacuation orders for multiple areas of Santa Cruz County were issued Wednesday afternoon as more rainfall hit the county, bringing higher flood risks.

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office issued evacuation orders for unincorporated areas including the Paradise Park area in zone CRZ-E081 and the Felton Grove neighborhood in zones FEL-E008 and FEL-E012.

The following evacuation zones are also under an immediate evacuation order: CTL-E010, CTL-E014, CTL-E015, CTL-E018, and CTL-E019 zones in the Soquel area north of state Highway 1, the CTL-E050, CTL-E051 zones in the La Selva Beach area, PAJ-E015, PAJ-E024, PAJ-E026, PAJ-E027, PAJ-E028, PAJ-E029 zones near Pajaro, and WTS-E017, WTS-E018, WTS-E019 zones in Watsonville.

Evacuation zone CRZ-E001-C near Whitehouse Canyon Road has also been ordered to evacuate.

Evacuation orders in those areas are mandatory and the areas are closed to public access.

In addition, areas around Capitola Village and Felton are under evacuation warnings, as are areas of Boulder Creek, the area around Last Chance Trail and the Lompico and Zayante areas. Those who require additional time to evacuate and people who have pets and livestock should evacuate now, per the Capitola Police Department and Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.

For a complete list of evacuation zones, visit https://aware.zonehaven.com/search.

3:30 p.m.
Evacuations urged for parts of Alameda County

Residents of Kilkare, Palomares and Niles Canyon roads in Alameda County are urged to evacuate because of the storm, saturated soils and runoff, county officials said on Twitter at 2:31 p.m. Wednesday.

Rain is expected to become heavy Wednesday afternoon and stretch into Thursday. A wind warning is in effect until 10 a.m. Thursday.

3 p.m.
NOAA sending hurricane hunters into storm

ABC7 Meteorologist Drew Tuma says NOAA is sending their hurricane hunters into our atmospheric river right now to gather data on the storm’s strength.

2:30 p.m.
Departure, Arrival flights grounded at SFO

Departures and arrivals at San Francisco International Airport are grounded due to wind until at least 3 p.m., according to a representative.

2:15 p.m.
Several Bay Area counties under State of Emergency due to storm

Sonoma, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties have all declared an emergency. In Contra Costa County, the city of Danville is under a state of emergency. The city of Watsonville in Santa Cruz County has also declared a state of emergency.

11:15 a.m.
Newsom declares State of Emergency to support storm response, recovery efforts

Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued a State of Emergency for California to help with the response and recovery efforts to the large winter storm moving through the state. This will allow California to respond quickly to support local governments, authorities in their ongoing response.

11:10 a.m.
CHP issues high wind advisory for Golden Gate Bridge

The California Highway Patrol has issued a High Wind Advisory for the Golden Gate Bridge.

10:55 a.m.
CA officials give update on Level 5 storm

State officials will provide update on the state’s response to the impacts to California communities following a strong winter storm. Officials will also discuss the continued efforts the state is making to keep Californians safe.

10 a.m.
Several Bay Area schools announce closures for Wednesday, Thursday

Several schools across the Bay Area have announced they will be closed either Wednesday or Thursday due to the severe storm moving through the area. Here’s a look at the closures so far:

• Horicon School in Annapolis in Sonoma county – closed today Wednesday 1/4
• The South San Francisco Unified School District – closed Thursday 1/5 – (Classes will resume on Friday, Jan. 6)
• San Mateo Foster City School District – closed Thursday 1/5 – (Classes will resume on Friday, January 6)
• Pacifica School District closed Thursday 1/5 (Classes will resume on Friday, Jan. 6)
• Portola Valley School District – all schools will be closed Thursday 1/5 – (Classes will resume on Friday, Jan. 6)

9:45 a.m.
Crow Canyon Road in San Ramon closed, open to residents only, police say

San Ramon police say Crow Canyon Road is closed to traffic in both directions between San Ramon and Castro Valley. There is limited access for residents only.

9:30 a.m.
CHP issues High wind advisories for Bay Bridge, San Mateo Bridge and Dumbarton Bridge

The California Highway Patrol has issued high wind advisories issued for three Bay Area bridges: Bay Bridge, San Mateo Bridge and Dumbarton Bridge.

8:50 a.m.
BART warns up to 20-minute systemwide delay due to wet weather

BART is warning riders there may be up to 20-minute delays systemwide due to wet weather conditions.

8:30 a.m.
East Bay Regional Parks District closed through Thursday

The largest regional park system in the country is closing down because of the strong storm hitting the Bay Area. East Bay Regional Parks District has closed down all parks from today through tomorrow. Residents are advised by the park district to not enter the parks.

Parks are expected to reopen on Friday after officials asses the weather conditions. For reopenings and more information on east bay regional parks you can head to their website.

8 a.m.
SF out of sandbags, hope to have more later Wednesday

The San Francisco Department of Public Works said Wednesday morning that no more sandbags are currently available for residents and businesses seeking them to prevent flooding from an atmospheric river hitting the city this week.

Public Works officials said more sandbags are expected to be available at the operations yard later Wednesday, but the exact time was to be determined.

7 a.m.
Marin County activates emergency shelter for unhoused residents

Marin County activated its severe weather emergency shelter starting Wednesday for people experiencing homelessness in anticipation of more heavy rain hitting the Bay Area this week.

The overnight warming shelter is located at the Marin County Health and Wellness campus located at 3240 Kerner Blvd., in San Rafael. It will be open from 5 p.m. Wednesday to 6:30 a.m. Thursday. Individuals are encouraged to sign in by 8 p.m. Wednesday.

The nearest public transportation to the campus, according to Google Maps, is the bus stop at Bellam Boulevard and Lisbon Street, which is served by Marin Transit’s 580 and 23 routes. It is also near the stop at Kerner Boulevard and Larkspur Street served by Marin’s 23, 29, 35, 36 and 645 routes.

VIDEO: Marin Co. announces emergency shelter for unhoused community

6:30 a.m.
Danville declares local emergency through Jan. 10

The Town of Danville has proclaimed a local emergency in response to the ugly storms expected to start Wednesday, while the city is still cleaning up after last weekend’s wet weather that included flooding and mudslides.

Acting as the city’s director of emergency services, Town Manager Joe Calabrigo signed the proclamation just before noon Tuesday, according to a statement from city officials. The proclamation will remain in effect until noon on Tuesday, Jan. 10.

The declaration allows Danville greater flexibility to contract for and obtain supplies for more expedient disaster response.

Residents can contact the police department for safety concerns at (925) 820-2144. To request non-urgent assistance for clean-up or other concerns, call Danville Maintenance Services at (925) 314-3450 or go to www.danville.ca.gov/danvilleconnect.

For assistance with county-maintained or privately-maintained creeks, call county public works at (925) 313-7000 or email admin@pw.ccounty.us. For power outage information, go to www.pge.com/outagealerts. Weather can be monitored at www.weather.gov/mtr.

Jan. 3, 2023

7:18 p.m.
Evacuation orders for unhoused living near creeks

San Jose has issued a mandatory evacuation order for unhoused people living in creek areas, police tweeted. SJPD says officers are responding to creek areas and making announcements to evacuate. Shelters will be provided.

7 p.m.
An area of Santa Cruz Co. being evacuated ahead of storm

An area near Whitehouse Canyon Road in Santa Cruz County is being evacuated due to concerns with a culvert, the sheriff’s office announced on Tuesday evening.

A culvert under Whitehouse Canyon Road became undermined during the last storm and that caused a part of the roadway to fail. The sheriff’s office anticipates that the upcoming rains pose a “significant concern” that the entire culvert could completely fail, making the roadway impassable for medical and law enforcement resources.

The zone being evacuated is CRZ-E001-C. To pinpoint its location, go to https://aware.zonehaven.com/search.

Road closures can be monitored at https://sccroadclosure.org.

6:50 p.m.
San Jose announces State of Emergency before historic storm

On Tuesday, the City of San Jose proclaimed a State of Emergency ahead of the atmospheric river weather event. The proclamation provides emergency powers to the city needed to respond to the storm events, and simultaneously issues an evacuation order to people living within or along waterways for their safety.

“We want to make sure all residents are informed and prepared to stay safe, and that city staff has the ability to move quickly to relocate encampments that are in harm’s way,” San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said.

5:50 p.m.
Mandatory evacuation orders issued for parts of Watsonville in Santa Cruz Co. at high risk of flooding

The City of Watsonville issued mandatory evacuation orders Tuesday evening for neighborhoods with a high risk of flooding ahead of Wednesday’s storm.

The city tweeted a map highlighting the areas ordered to evacuate in Santa Cruz County.

“If your residence is located within this map’s blue-shaded area, you’re asked to evacuate NOW or as soon as possible to safely get ahead of the storm’s flooding,” the tweet wrote.

An overnight shelter opened at Cesar Chavez Middle School (440 Arthur Rd.). This site will serve as the central location to accommodate residents. Shelter space will be limited, so pets must be dropped off at the Animal Shelter (580 Airport Blvd.) before the storm or make arrangements with friends or family.

Ramsay Park (1301 Main St.) is also now open and serves as a place for residents to meet up with family members and get information on available services. There will be limited onsite services.

For those who need transportation services, Lift Line will be available to assist. Please call 831-688-9663.

5:10 p.m.
SF Bay Ferry suspending service for 2 routes affecting Alameda, Oakland on Wednesday, agency says

The San Francisco Bay Ferry will be suspending service to two routes affecting Alameda and Oakland on Wednesday due to the storm forecast, the agency said on Tuesday.

The Harbor Bay and South San Francisco routes will not be sailing in either direction.

“Big southerly winds have outsized impacts at Harbor Bay and SSF terminals,” said the agency on Twitter.

All other routes will operate as scheduled, the agency said.

RELATED: Here’s how Bay Area is preparing for dangerous Level 5 storm taking aim at region

5 p.m.
Flood Warning issued for the Russian River in the North Bay

A Flood Warning has been issued on the Russian River near Johnson’s Beach in Guerneville, according to Meteorologist Drew Tuma. River forecast to crest at 35.4 feet Thursday evening causing moderate flooding.

4 p.m.
Pleasant Hill announces several sandbag locations ahead of storm

Pleasant Hill officials said Tuesday that city sandbag locations have been refilled and asked residents to respect the city’s 10-bag limit per household ahead of Wednesday’s storm.

Sandbags are located at City Hall at 100 Gregory Lane, the community center at 320 Civic Drive, and on Hawthorne Drive near Pleasant Oaks Park.

Pleasant Hill experienced flooding during last weekend’s storm and is expected to have similar issues once the next storm hits Wednesday. City officials asked people to not drive through flooded areas and around roadway closure signs and barricades.

3 p.m.
Orinda residents can fill sandbags at 2 locations

The city of Orinda has sand and empty sandbags available Tuesday at Moraga-Orinda Fire District Fire Station No. 43 at 20 Via Las Cruces, and at Fire Station No. 44 at 295 Orchard Road ahead of Wednesday’s storm.

Residents should bring their own shovels.

2:30 p.m.
Sandbags available at 2 San Ramon locations for residents

San Ramon police said sandbags are available Tuesday at two locations in the city ahead of another large storm forecast in the area.

The sandbags are available at Central Park at 12501 Alcosta Blvd. and at Athan Downs Park at 2975 Montevideo Drive.

2 p.m.
Santa Clara Co. offering free sandbags are several locations

Santa Clara County residents can get free filled sandbags from sandbag sites operated by the Santa Clara Valley Water District ahead of more heavy rainfall expected this week.

At the five Valley Water sandbag sites scattered throughout the county, residents can pick up free filled sandbags or fill their own with bags and sand the district has provided.

There are also 20 city and county public works yards with bags and sand that residents can fill themselves. A shovel and someone to help lift the sandbags is recommended since they are heavy.

Some sites may require proof of residency. More information and site locations can be found at https://www.valleywater.org/flooding-safety/flood-ready/sandbags.

12:45 p.m.
SF leaders give update on how city is preparing for storm

San Francisco leaders provided an update on how the city is preparing for the incoming atmospheric river. This comes after the city saw more than 5 inches of rainfall on New Year’s Eve causing widespread flooding making it the second wettest day in recorded history in San Francisco. Mayor London Breed says Wednesday’s storm will be significant. She is urging people to limit travel if possible. She warns of localized flooding. The mayor also says to use 911 for life-threatening emergencies, and 311 for reports of flooding in one’s home or business.

SF Department of Emergency and Management Mary Ellen Carroll says the National Weather Service has upgraded the wind gusts for Wednesday to 60 to 70 mph. There will be a Flood Watch from Wednesday at 4 a.m. to Thursday at 4 p.m. This could mean power outages and falling trees.

Officials are also recommending people to stock up on batteries and flashlights.

12:30 p.m.
SF warns sandbags are running low

SF Public Works says it is running low on sandbags. Residents asked to only get them if you really need them, limit of five per address.

“We have a limited supply of sandbags available for San Francisco residents whose properties are prone to flooding. Limit 5 per address. Pick up at our Operations Yard, Marin and Kansas streets gate. We’ll stay open until 8 p.m. Please only get sandbags if you really need them.”

Sandbags are available for residents and business owners. More details are available through “SF72” here.

8:30 a.m.

Most of Bay Area under moderate risk of flooding

The National Weather Service has placed most of the Bay Area under a moderate risk of flooding tomorrow for excessive rainfall. ABC7 Meteorologist Drew Tuma says given our wet soil conditions produced by recent heavy rains, flooding is likely.

Jan. 2, 2023

3 p.m.
NWS says powerful storm could cause ‘loss of life’

The National Weather Service said Monday that this upcoming storm will likely be “the most impactful system on a widespread scale that this meteorologist has seen in a long time.”

NWS officials say not only will this storm bring flooding, power outages and “disruption to commerce,” it will also most likely cause loss of human life. They say this system will be brutal and needs to be taken seriously.

Watch the latest AccuWeather forecast and take a look at recent weather stories and videos.

If you’re on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live

Copyright © 2023 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.

The post San Francisco Bay Space Degree 5 storm dwell updates: Toddler dies after falling tree hits Sonoma County residence appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

San Francisco has 27.1 million square feet of office space available across the city, a record high, according to new data recently released by commercial real estate firm CBRE. If you need a visualization of that staggering number, that’s just over 20 Salesforce Tower’s worth of office space available — and SF’s tallest building has 1.35 million square feet of office space across its 59 floors.

If leasing activity keeps pace with its current trajectory, upcoming quarters could continue to get worse, given that 50% of current sublease space is set to expire in 2025. “The vacancy rate is going to continue to creep up over the next couple of quarters because demand remains subdued right now and that all relates to the uncertainty around the economy and the amount of space companies need,” said Colin Yasukochi, CBRE’s Executive Director of Tech Insights.

Mayor London Breed spoke about her concerns with the city’s high office vacancy rate last week in an interview with Bloomberg News. The remote work policies of tech companies are part of the problem, Breed said. She pointed to Salesforce as an example. “[Marc is] very supportive of the city, continues to contribute that support to schools and to other great causes, but the building is empty, and that’s a real problem,” Breed said.

Empty buildings depress property values, which affects the amount the city makes in property tax revenue. Workers are also using public transportation at lower rates, and are spending less on goods at local businesses since they spend more time inside their homes.

Breed plans to coax businesses in growing industries, such as biotechnology and green technology, to fill empty office space.

Meanwhile, asking rents on directly leased space haven’t budgeted much. Rental prices are down just 2.6% compared to the first quarter of the year, though it’s down 13% from an all-time high in 2019. Yasukochi said he thinks that’s the most interesting takeaway from the new data. “It’s somewhat of an anomaly because normally high supply and low demand usually means prices are coming down, and we haven’t really seen that much of that,” he said.

When broken down by neighborhood, the highest vacancy rate according to CBRE is the Yerba Buena district at 46.1%. (CBRE defines Yerba Buena as bounded by Market to the north, Bryant to the south, Third Street to the east and Sixth Street to the west). The neighborhood with the lowest vacancy rate was Mission Bay/China Basin at 18.1%.

Interestingly, Yerba Buena has the highest average asking rent of all the commercial districts, but at $82.45 per square foot, it’s only cents above Mission Bay/China Basin’s average asking rent of $82.28.

The rental market is often bolstered by big office deals from tech companies, but San Francisco saw no new deals over 100,000 square feet in the third quarter of the year. Furthermore, the big tenants that do occupy space that large have decreased to five, down from nine in the second quarter of the year. Planet Labs, an Earth imaging company, completed the largest lease renewal of last quarter, while software company Asana signed the biggest sublease.

“From what our economists are seeing, the [market] turnaround will probably be during the middle of next year, but keeping in mind that real estate tends to lag the overall economy a bit,” Yasukochi said. “So it’s probably not until the latter half of 2023 and into 2024 that we’ll really start to see sustained improvement in the market.”

SFGATE reporter Alec Regimbal contributed to this report.

The post Whole obtainable workplace house in San Francisco hits an all-time excessive appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Built in 1908, this Pacific Heights mansion has survived — and thrived. Today, 2624 Green St. offers modern luxury while still honoring its original historic design. It’s now on the market for $14,250,000.

In 1908, wealthy San Franciscans would not have conceived of Jacuzzi tubs, built-in speakers serving a Sonos sound system, an internet-connected security system, a bidet in the primary suite or a Sub-Zero refrigerator in the kitchen. This 6,400-square-foot home has all that and more. There are also gorgeous details that would have mattered just as much in the early 20th century as they do now: the grand staircase, leaded glass, coffered ceilings, hardwood window frames and gleaming ebony oak floors.

The kitchen is full of high-end appliances.

Lunghi Media Group

The home’s formal dining room.

Lunghi Media Group

The home is multi-level, encompassing six bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, a formal dining room, an enviable kitchen, a bonus suite, plus a den and wet bar on the bottom level that opens to the back patio.

The aforementioned kitchen has high-end appliances and top-grade surfaces in abundance (double oven! Two dishwashers! Marble, glass and custom cabinetry!). A dumbwaiter services the garage, kitchen and bedroom levels.

One of the many spaces in the 6,400-square-foot home.

Lunghi Media Group

All of this opulence is crowned by a top-level pent room and study, overlooking sparkling city and bay views. According to listing agent Nina Hatvany of Compass, the pent room is one of the best spots in the city to enjoy signature San Francisco events. “During SF’s annual Fleet Week in the fall, the family would watch the Blue Angels fly over their house and perform thrilling stunts,” Hatvany said.

A spacious closet adjacent to one of the home’s six bedrooms.

Lunghi Media Group

Veteran tech CEO Quentin Gallivan and his wife Sarah are the home’s sellers. “We had a front-row seat from our family room watching world-class boats and crew compete for the fastest sailboat in the world during the America’s Cup,” Gallivan told SFGATE.

Each level of the home opens to a view deck or patio.

Lunghi Media Group

The property unsurprisingly has luxurious outdoor amenities as well. Each level opens to a view deck or patio, which lets the postcard views almost become part of the interior. The backyard has gas barbecue hookups, heat lamps, gardens and a modular tiled sports court.

The backyard features a modular tiled sports court.

Lunghi Media Group

An aerial view of the home in Pacific Heights.

Lunghi Media Group

The home is a short walk to the Presidio, Union and Chestnut streets, the Marina Green and the bay.

The post Historic San Francisco mansion hits marketplace for $14 million appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

An ornate 15-room mansion — currently on the market for a hair under $12 million — may be the only home to spend half its life in San Francisco before floating across the water to a new address in another Bay Area city.

The 5,728-square-foot Moffitt Mansion, now sitting on the edge of the tiny, wealthy city of Belvedere in Marin County, has a very unique history.

Built in 1904, for more than half a century the house sat happily at 1818 Broadway atop Pacific Heights. Designed for renowned UCSF doctor Herbert C. Moffitt, the home was later expanded by one of San Francisco’s most celebrated architects, Willis Polk.

8 West Shore Road, Belvedere, Calif.

Open Homes Photography

But after Dr. Moffitt and his wife Margaret passed away in the 1950s, the home fell into disrepair.

As the city’s need for housing increased in the early 1960s, the building was put on the chopping block to make way for a condominium building at the site — a new and exciting type of housing at the time.

“A renaissance of gracious living is on the horizon,” an ad for the planned apartment building in the San Francisco Examiner proclaimed. “1818 Broadway is the carefully selected site for a wondrous new-mode of in-town luxury residence living.”

But one man was making an extravagant plan to save the “luxurious trophy home” on Pacific Heights from demolition. Marin architect Norman Gilroy bought the property in 1962 and set about slicing it in half, trucking it onto a 285-foot barge and moving it to a plot across the water at 8 West Shore Road, Belvedere.

8 West Shore Road, Belvedere, Calif.

Open Homes Photography

The Chronicle covered the house’s journey down from Pacific Heights and across the water. “A stately old Pacific Height mansion joined the flight to the suburbs yesterday,” a story on the front page on June 25, 1962, read.

Outside of some thieves stealing some of the home’s fixtures, the slow move went surprisingly smoothly, though some proto-NIMBYs of the time protested the move. “Because I’m a native San Franciscan, I hate to see progress,” a neighbor told the paper. “I hate to see it go.”

“So many of our old landmarks are going,” said another, “and these horrible modern apartments are going up.”

The mansion that formerly sat at 1818 Broadway heads north on Franklin Street, June 25, 1962.

San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst N/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Imag

Hundreds of residents watched the trucks take the two halves of the home, which had been split down the middle with a chainsaw, down Franklin Street. After spending a night at Marina Green, the home was hoisted onto a barge the following day to complete its journey north. In 2020, the Chronicle published more photos from the archives showing the Moffitt Mansion moving across the water.

While it must have been an extraordinary sight, San Francisco did have a history of moving Victorians around the city, a task sometimes performed with horses. Only last year a Victorian was relocated seven blocks from Franklin Street to Filbert Street.

The home that now looks across Richardson Bay to Sausalito is being listed for $11,950,000 by Compass and Janet and Sally Williamson.

“It is an exciting opportunity for us to represent this example of historic San Francisco architecture that has traveled across the bay on a barge to find a new home,” Sally Williamson told SFGATE over email. “This Belvedere residence truly is a showplace and one of the most admired in Marin. We are honored to work with our seller to find the next generation to enjoy it.”

8 West Shore Road, Belvedere, Calif.

Open Homes Photography

The home features hardwood floors, custom moldings, four fireplaces, a secluded spa and a private covered balcony.

Records show the property last sold for a significantly smaller sum, $3.7 million, in 2019. (Find the full listing at Janet and Sally Williamson’s website.)

As for 1818 Broadway: The condo building that replaced the mansion is still standing. It has 21 units, each valued at about $1 million or more today.

The listing blurb for one unit on the top floor boasts that the view stretches all the way across the bay to Belvedere.

The post Mansion that floated throughout San Francisco Bay hits market appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

An ornate 15-room mansion — currently on the market for a hair under $12 million — may be the only home to spend half its life in San Francisco before floating across the water to a new address in another Bay Area city.

The 5,728-square-foot Moffitt Mansion, now sitting on the edge of the tiny, wealthy city of Belvedere in Marin County, has a very unique history.

Built in 1904, for more than half a century the house sat happily at 1818 Broadway atop Pacific Heights. Designed for renowned UCSF doctor Herbert C. Moffitt, the home was later expanded by one of San Francisco’s most celebrated architects, Willis Polk.

8 West Shore Road, Belvedere, Calif.

Open Homes Photography

But after Dr. Moffitt and his wife Margaret passed away in the 1950s, the home fell into disrepair.

As the city’s need for housing increased in the early 1960s, the building was put on the chopping block to make way for a condominium building at the site — a new and exciting type of housing at the time.

“A renaissance of gracious living is on the horizon,” an ad for the planned apartment building in the San Francisco Examiner proclaimed. “1818 Broadway is the carefully selected site for a wondrous new-mode of in-town luxury residence living.”

But one man was making an extravagant plan to save the “luxurious trophy home” on Pacific Heights from demolition. Marin architect Norman Gilroy bought the property in 1962 and set about slicing it in half, trucking it onto a 285-foot barge and moving it to a plot across the water at 8 West Shore Road, Belvedere.

8 West Shore Road, Belvedere, Calif.

Open Homes Photography

The Chronicle covered the house’s journey down from Pacific Heights and across the water. “A stately old Pacific Height mansion joined the flight to the suburbs yesterday,” a story on the front page on June 25, 1962, read.

Outside of some thieves stealing some of the home’s fixtures, the slow move went surprisingly smoothly, though some proto-NIMBYs of the time protested the move. “Because I’m a native San Franciscan, I hate to see progress,” a neighbor told the paper. “I hate to see it go.”

“So many of our old landmarks are going,” said another, “and these horrible modern apartments are going up.”

The mansion that formerly sat at 1818 Broadway heads north on Franklin Street, June 25, 1962.

San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst N/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Imag

Hundreds of residents watched the trucks take the two halves of the home, which had been split down the middle with a chainsaw, down Franklin Street. After spending a night at Marina Green, the home was hoisted onto a barge the following day to complete its journey north. In 2020, the Chronicle published more photos from the archives showing the Moffitt Mansion moving across the water.

While it must have been an extraordinary sight, San Francisco did have a history of moving Victorians around the city, a task sometimes performed with horses. Only last year a Victorian was relocated seven blocks from Franklin Street to Filbert Street.

The home that now looks across Richardson Bay to Sausalito is being listed for $11,950,000 by Compass and Janet and Sally Williamson.

“It is an exciting opportunity for us to represent this example of historic San Francisco architecture that has traveled across the bay on a barge to find a new home,” Sally Williamson told SFGATE over email. “This Belvedere residence truly is a showplace and one of the most admired in Marin. We are honored to work with our seller to find the next generation to enjoy it.”

8 West Shore Road, Belvedere, Calif.

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The home features hardwood floors, custom moldings, four fireplaces, a secluded spa and a private covered balcony.

Records show the property last sold for a significantly smaller sum, $3.7 million, in 2019. (Find the full listing at Janet and Sally Williamson’s website.)

As for 1818 Broadway: The condo building that replaced the mansion is still standing. It has 21 units, each valued at about $1 million or more today.

The listing blurb for one unit on the top floor boasts that the view stretches all the way across the bay to Belvedere.

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Built in 1908, this Pacific Heights mansion has survived — and thrived. Today, 2624 Green St. offers modern luxury while still honoring its original historic design. It’s now on the market for $14,250,000.

In 1908, wealthy San Franciscans would not have conceived of Jacuzzi tubs, built-in speakers serving a Sonos sound system, an internet-connected security system, a bidet in the primary suite or a Sub-Zero refrigerator in the kitchen. This 6,400-square-foot home has all that and more. There are also gorgeous details that would have mattered just as much in the early 20th century as they do now: the grand staircase, leaded glass, coffered ceilings, hardwood window frames and gleaming ebony oak floors.

The kitchen is full of high-end appliances.

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The home’s formal dining room.

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The home is multi-level, encompassing six bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, a formal dining room, an enviable kitchen, a bonus suite, plus a den and wet bar on the bottom level that opens to the back patio.

The aforementioned kitchen has high-end appliances and top-grade surfaces in abundance (double oven! Two dishwashers! Marble, glass and custom cabinetry!). A dumbwaiter services the garage, kitchen and bedroom levels.

One of the many spaces in the 6,400-square-foot home.

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All of this opulence is crowned by a top-level pent room and study, overlooking sparkling city and bay views. According to listing agent Nina Hatvany of Compass, the pent room is one of the best spots in the city to enjoy signature San Francisco events. “During SF’s annual Fleet Week in the fall, the family would watch the Blue Angels fly over their house and perform thrilling stunts,” Hatvany said.

A spacious closet adjacent to one of the home’s six bedrooms.

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Veteran tech CEO Quentin Gallivan and his wife Sarah are the home’s sellers. “We had a front-row seat from our family room watching world-class boats and crew compete for the fastest sailboat in the world during the America’s Cup,” Gallivan told SFGATE.

Each level of the home opens to a view deck or patio.

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The property unsurprisingly has luxurious outdoor amenities as well. Each level opens to a view deck or patio, which lets the postcard views almost become part of the interior. The backyard has gas barbecue hookups, heat lamps, gardens and a modular tiled sports court.

The backyard features a modular tiled sports court.

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An aerial view of the home in Pacific Heights.

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The home is a short walk to the Presidio, Union and Chestnut streets, the Marina Green and the bay.

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Having inched down to just under 20 percent at the end of last year, the effective office vacancy rate in San Francisco ticked back up to a pandemic high of 21.7 percent in the first quarter of 2022, representing 18.7 million square feet of vacant office space in the city, including 5.3 million square feet of space which is technically leased but sitting vacant and 13.4 million square feet of un-leased space, according to data from Cushman & Wakefield.

As a point of comparison, there was under 5 million square feet of vacant office space in San Francisco prior to the pandemic with a vacancy rate of 5.7 percent, versus a long-term average of around 12 percent. And as we outlined last quarter, foreshadowing the first quarter rise:

“Despite the drop in the overall vacancy rate at the end of 2021, the amount of un-leased office space in San Francisco actually ticked up, both in the absolute and relatively, with 1.3 million square feet of space that was being offered for sublet in the third quarter having been leased, reoccupied or returned to the market as directly vacant space. And total leasing activity actually dropped from the third to fourth quarter of last year, with “a scarcity of large transactions,” a push back of return to office dates (yes, the surge in COVID cases is meaningful, beyond increasing hospitalizations and deaths) , and under 1 million square feet of space having been leased, including sublets, for a negative net absorption.”

And in terms of active demand for the 18.7 million square feet of vacant space, Cushman & Wakefield is currently tracking active requirements for 4.9 million square feet, which was down from the fourth quarter of last year and 33.8 percent below the pre-pandemic demand.

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San Francisco Mayor London Breed pledged Wednesday to confront the city’s most pressing issues — including homelessness, public safety, police reform and a COVID-battered economy — during her annual state of the city address, the first she has delivered in-person to a crowd since the pandemic began.

She vowed to add more police officers while continuing to pursue reform in use-of-force issues, to continue her efforts to address drug dealing, mental illness and homelessness on the streets of the tenderloin and to clear the way for more housing construction.

Breed, who is halfway through her first full term, touted her administration’s progress on housing and job creation but acknowledged the city still faces significant challenges. In a year in which discontented voters brought an unprecedented two recalls to the ballot, residents remain deeply divided over how to best solve the city’s biggest problems.

“We cannot sugarcoat it,” Breed told city leaders and employees at the Mission Rock residential and commercial development under construction near Oracle Park. “We have work to do. Our recovery will not be quick, or easy. But it is coming. San Francisco is coming back.”

Breed has become one of the most watched big city mayors in America. Over the last two years, she went from being praised nationally for her handling of the pandemic to being questioned by some over her response to the city’s struggling tenderloin neighborhood and its street conditions.

The mayor gave her speech as San Francisco emerges from yet another COVID-19 surge and on the day the city announced it would lift its vaccination mandate for businesses. She emphasized the city’s response to the pandemic, not just in health outcomes, but changes to the city’s landscape such as allowing outdoor dining and closing roads including JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park to car traffic.

But she acknowledged San Francisco is still struggling in its recovery, with emptier-than-usual office buildings, vacant storefronts and recovering small businesses. Breed has been trying to lure back tourists, conventions and remote workers downtown while battling perceptions that the city isn’t safe, with stories about viral shoplifting and the drug overdose crisis grabbing headlines.

Breed didn’t shy from confronting some of the city’s most divisive issues in Wednesday’s speech.

The mayor started her talk with a recent political win — the landslide recall of three school board members. Breed, who endorsed the recall, is now poised to appoint three new members, potentially tipping the board in a more moderate direction. She argued the recall underscored that public officials should deliver on the essentials, instead of getting distracted by big ideas. She and others who supported the recall criticized the school board members for renaming 44 schools during the pandemic and being slow to reopen classrooms while vulnerable children struggled with online learning.

Breed stressed that the school district’s focus should be on helping families and children who’ve suffered.

Breed also dove into her own perspectives on policing and crime, which have become huge issues for city residents.

Outrage over crime fueled the upcoming June recall vote on progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin, whose policies critics view as too lenient. Data shows that crime in San Francisco is complicated. During the pandemic, some reported crimes including robberies and larceny thefts went down from previous years, while homicides, burglaries and motor vehicle thefts increased since 2019.

Breed hasn’t yet stated her position on Boudin’s recall, but has previously said “I am not necessarily on the same page with a number of things that he’s doing.”

In her speech, Breed mentioned Asian seniors fearful of leaving their homes, Tenderloin families terrorized by drug dealers and Bayview families dealing with gun violence.

“These are complicated problems, with twisted roots that reach well below surface-level solutions,” she said. “But, again, we have the tools to deliver both the basics and the big ideas.” First, she said, “we need law enforcement.”

Breed directly addressed to her critics who oppose an increase in policing.

“And to those who say we don’t need the police — again, I say, listen to the residents. They are speaking louder than ever,” she said. “No, not for a return to the past, like when I was growing up, and there was often a deep mistrust between the community and the police. Even then, we needed the police. We needed them to cease the gunfire. We needed them to protect victims of violence. We just needed them to help us live our lives—not undermine us in our community.”

Breed gained national attention in December when she pledged to step up policing against drug dealers — and users who refused services — as part of her state of emergency to clean up and reduce overdose deaths in the Tenderloin neighborhood. She’s reiterated that she’s open to police getting involved in clearing the Tenderloin’s streets, but data earlier this month showed arrests for drug crimes hadn’t increased since the emergency began.

One issue that’s hamstrung that effort is police staffing shortages, which Breed highlighted Wednesday. San Francisco was 540 officers short of a recommended staffing level as of early March, with 1,636 officers.

Breed also emphasized alternatives in some situations are needed. She mentioned the city’s street crisis response teams, started last year to send mental health professionals to calls of people in mental crisis, and community ambassadors.

Breed also said police were working on reform, which was also critical. Data shows police use of force has decreased in recent years, but Black residents are still between 9.5 to 17 times far more likely to have used force upon them than white residents. Police are completing reform recommendations from the state and federal governments.

Breed also touted her investment in the Black community to address historical inequities, highlighting the Dream Keeper Initiative she created with Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton to 2020 to pour $60 million annually into Black-led community organizations.

“These are programs that recognize the root causes of crime are driven by poverty. By decades of disinvestment and systemic racism. These are programs that will heal our communities with housing, mental health, education, job training and economic empowerment,” she said. “Let’s be the national model: For reform, for alternatives and for safety.”

While the mayor dove into policing, she didn’t dwell too much in her speech on her push in the tenderloin and the drug crisis that prompted it. Overdoses killed nearly twice as many people in San Francisco as COVID-19 over the past two years. Close to two people a day die of overdoses in the city.

She acknowledged her emergency has stoked debate, but said “the main takeaway is that we can’t continue to accept things as they were.”

“I’m done arguing if it’s okay for people to remain on the streets when we have a place for them to go. Because it’s not. It just isn’t,” she continued. “And to be honest, there are some folks who cannot — or will not — do what’s safe for themselves and for others, so we have to be honest about the need to deal with those struggling with mental illness and we need to make serious changes to our state laws.”

She said she’s been meeting with state leaders to talk about mental health laws — potentially a reference to the ongoing debate about conservatorship, mandated treatment for someone who is a danger to themselves or others.

In 2019, a report found 4,000 people who were homeless and struggling with mental illness and substance use disorder. The city has made slow progress to increase the number of treatment beds — with only 89 of the 400 planned added so far — and to make the care system more cohesive and easier to navigate.

Breed focused more on another challenge prevalent in the Tenderloin: homelessness.

The mayor has highlighted the city is pouring $1 billion into tackling homelessness over the next two years. Most of that money comes from a voter-approved tax that breed didn’t support in 2018.

Her administration will spend some of the funds to reach her goal of creating 1,500 new permanent supportive housing units by June. Breed said the city is on track to exceed by 70% that goal of creating subsidized housing with services for formerly homeless people.

But the city struggles with quickly filling available units, with 10% — or around 850 units — vacant this week, the spokeswoman said. That number covers units getting repaired and those ready for referral, including some where a tenant is already scheduled to move in.

The city is also working to add new shelter beds and reopen beds still shuttered during the pandemic to get to 2,100 short-term shelter beds by July.

Despite the progress, between permanent and temporary housing, there simply isn’t enough for the city’s homeless population. In 2019, a count found around 8,000 unhoused people, but the health department recently estimated 18,000 people citywide are experiencing homelessness.

The post ‘San Francisco is coming again.’ Mayor Breed hits optimistic observe in annual tackle, however says work nonetheless wanted in housing, public security appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

It’s time to pull out the wool mittens and hat. Chilly temperatures are expected to grip the San Francisco Bay Area over the next several nights and mornings, through Sunday morning. Some inland valleys could see the mercury dipping into the bone-chilling 20s, while San Francisco is forecast to drop to 40 on Friday and Saturday mornings.

“Frost and freezing temperatures possible for inland valleys and cold sheltered spots,” the National Weather Service warned. “These temperatures will impact those without adequate heating, and may damage or kill sensitive vegetation.”

The weather service forecast lows near 40 along the bay and coast, mid- to upper 30s for coastal valleys, and upper 20s to lower 30s for inland valleys.

“It’s going to be a good cold snap for a few days, especially in regards to the lows,” said Sean Miller, a forecaster with the weather service. “Saturday morning is expected to be the coldest morning during this event. We should be warming up after Sunday morning.”

Forecast lows around the Bay Area:

-San Francisco: near 40;
-San Jose/South Bay: mid- to upper 30s;
-East Bay: lower to mid-30s;
-North Bay valleys: upper 20s to lower 30s;
-Monterey Bay: mid- to upper 30s to about 40;
-Eastern Monterey and San Benito counties: mid-20s to low 30s.

Afternoon highs will be in the mid-40s to mid-50s through the weekend.

Conditions will be dry through the weekend, with rain returning next week, possibly as early as Monday.

“We expect rain early next week within the Monday to Wednesday timeframe,” said Miller. “We’re still a few days out, so things could change with that. In general, it looks like it could be a good rainmaker. We’ve gotten into an active pattern here and it looks like we’re going to continue with that into the near future.”

The post ‘Chilly snap’ hits San Francisco Bay Space, some spots forecast to drop into 20s appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

It’s time to pull out the woolen mittens and hat. Cool temperatures are expected to grip the San Francisco Bay Area for the next few nights and mornings through Sunday morning. Some inland valleys could see the mercury dip into the bone-cold 20s, while San Francisco is expected to drop to the 40s on Friday and Saturday morning.

“Freezing and freezing temperatures are possible for inland valleys and cold sheltered spots,” the National Weather Service warned. “These temperatures affect those without adequate heating and can damage or kill sensitive vegetation.”

The Weather Service forecasts lows near the 40s along the bay and shoreline, mid to high 30s for coastal valleys and high 20s to low 30s for inland valleys.

“It’s going to be a good cold snap for a couple of days, especially on the lows,” said Sean Miller, a weather service forecaster. “Saturday morning is expected to be the coldest morning during this event. We should warm up after Sunday morning.”

Forecast lows around the Bay Area:

-San Francisco: almost 40;
-San Jose/South Bay: mid to upper 30s;
-East Bay: under to mid 30’s;
– North Bay valleys: upper 20’s to low 30’s;
-Monterey Bay: Mid to late 30s to about 40s;
– Eastern Monterey and San Benito counties: mid-20s to under 30s.

Afternoon highs will be in the mid-40s to mid-50s throughout the weekend.

Conditions will be dry all weekend with rain set to return next week, possibly as early as Monday.

“We expect rain early next week within the Monday through Wednesday time frame,” Miller said. “We have a few more days to go so things could change. In general, it looks like it could be a good rainmaker. We’ve gotten into an active pattern here and it looks like we’ll continue to do so in the near future.”

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