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Unique Plumbing Journal Finds Its Viewers

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 08:02:07 +0000

As freelance photographers (Mr. Mac) and artists (Mr. Kayiatos), the two, who are also old friends, were unable to raise the $2,000 to print this first edition. So they did what a lot of people in the surprisingly cozy queer scene here do—hosted fundraisers at places like the venerable gay bar The Stud.

A long time ago (two years ago, that is), when trans man Thomas Beatie shocked daytime television viewers by revealing his pregnancy on-air, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, the late gender theorist, pointed out that the true meaning of Mr. Beatie's revelation was what it said about the seemingly pluralistic nature of human sexuality.

“The truth is that many people experience gender very differently and can use it in very individual and imaginative ways,” Ms. Sedgwick told me at the time. “It’s not necessarily about genital identity.”

Like the prefix trans itself, Original Plumbing taps into the rich material between the lines of traditionally defined gender roles. “People assume so much” about trans men, Mr. Mac said. For example, they assume that all trans men “had a prior identity as lesbians,” when in fact some identify as heterosexual, some as homosexual, and some as bisexual, while many simply refuse to submit to the labels that define identity and desire put in drawers.

On Monday, Mr. Mac returned to San Francisco from a trip to New York, where he spent a week photographing a series of portraits of trans men for the next issue of Original Plumbing, the publication of which will be celebrated on August 27 with a party at the Bell House in Brooklyn with a transman rapper named Black Cracker.

“The most important thing I found from my experience is that there is no set way to be a trans man,” Mr Mac said. “Identity is pretty fluid.”

As a young girl growing up outside of Philadelphia, Mr. Mac played with both racing cars and My Pretty Pony. Just two decades ago, in the days before Wikipedia, Craigslist and Google and a little $8 magazine called Original Plumbing, there was “not much information” about a young girl destined to become a young man. “There is now,” said Mr. Mac.

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Video Home Tour: San Francisco’s authentic Painted Girl is on the market, asking $5.75 million

Thu, 19 May 2022 22:04:42 +0000

If you’re longing for a quintessential experience of classic San Francisco, this is it: a home inside one of Alamo Square’s picture-perfect Painted Ladies, picnics in the neighboring park, coffees from the too-cute Lady Falcon truck, and walks to dinner on Divis.

Steiner Street’s seven Painted Ladies are known the world over for their signature Queen Anne Victorian architectural style—steep roofs, ornamented gables, bay windows, an abundance of pattern, and decorative spindlework. But the home at the corner of Grove Street stands apart from the rest: Not only is she the eldest of the seven sisters, she was also home to the Ladies’ original builder, Matthew Kavanaugh.

Built in 1892, all four levels of the historic six-bedroom home underwent an extensive, fully permitted remodel in 2015. But before you get all verklempt, rest assured this beauty retains many of her exquisite 19th century features.

A colorful leaded glass exterior door marks entry to a vestibule designed for ducking out of the weather. To enter the home itself, you’ll pass through an additional pair of heavily carved wood doors into a small parlor that will carry you easily into the formal living room and dining room. Original details here include gas-lit glass chandeliers, a marble gas-burning fireplace, and elaborate crown moldings that have been beautifully restored.

Also lovingly refreshed is the intricate wainscoting in the hallway that leads from the foyer to the rear of the home, which has been reconfigured to accommodate an open kitchen—with an oversized island, dual sinks, and a glass wall that opens to the patio— plus an adjoining family room.

The private quarters are made up of large bedrooms each with sizable closets and remodeled bathrooms. The primary suite is ode to tranquility, with a spa-like bathroom that includes a soaking tub and steam shower, and a custom walk-in closet. The top floor has been updated to take the form of a media area and home office endowed with abundant storage and its own full bathroom.

The home also has a separate legal unit downstairs, accessible from the main level or from the garden in the back of the home. Ideal for guests, a home office or even an Airbnb rental, the one-bedroom space is equipped with an open living and dining area, full bathroom, and kitchenette. There’s even a view.

Additional amenities in the main residence include a full Sunrun solar system, Tesla battery, garage for one car, and an additional space for storage or workshop.

Bedrooms: 6

Bathrooms: 5

Size: 4,831 sq. feet

Asking price: $5,750,000

// 722 Steiner St. (Hayes Valley); For more information, visit 722steinerst.com.

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I’m not certain why this ABC10 ‘authentic’ makes use of creepy music to create an ominous tone relating to individuals merely shifting across the SF Bay Space

Fri, 13 May 2022 08:53:20 +0000

I do not know much about the San Francisco Bay Area, but I do not remember a time when 1) San Francisco wasn’t being ruined somehow 2) commutes in and around the SF Bay Area didn’t cause heads to spin or 3) everyone around San Francisco didn’t like those people moving into their suburb. Sacramento is a suburb of ‘The Greater Bay Area.’ big deal

From watching this report I learned that remote working lets more people work from locations they like, rather than being forced to live someplace they do not like in order to be close to their place of work. Happy people sound great to me. I also learned that Sacramento is suffering from the same problems of homelessness and affordability as every other major metropolis in the US.

Why the music?

Image: Screen grab

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California transferring to return seized Bruce’s Seashore in Manhattan Seashore to heirs of unique Black homeowners

Sat, 02 Oct 2021 17:18:20 +0000

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif .– California Governor Gavin Newsom signed law Thursday allowing the transfer of ownership of prime beachfront property to the heirs of a couple who built a resort for blacks in the early 20th century, but owned by locals of the country Officials were robbed.

The bill, which was passed unanimously by state lawmakers this month, was necessary to begin the complex legal process to transfer ownership of the former Bruce’s Beach in the city of Manhattan Beach, which is owned by Los Angeles County found.

“Getting here was far from easy,” said Kavon Ward, a black resident who learned the property’s history and founded Justice for Bruce’s Beach.

With half a dozen of the couple’s descendants, Newsom apologized for the way the land was taken before signing the bill during a ceremony on the estate. He suggested the move could be the start of broader reparations.

“That can be catalytic,” he said. “What we’re doing here today can be done and replicated differently everywhere.”

District chairwoman Janice Hahn, who led a government push to transfer the land, said the heirs would almost certainly be millionaires now if the property had not been taken.

“The law was used to steal this property 100 years ago, and today’s law will return it,” said Hahn.

The property on the south coast of Santa Monica Bay includes two lots purchased in 1912 by Willa and Charles Bruce, who built the first west coast resort for blacks when they were being held from many beaches due to racial segregation. It included a lodge, a café, a dance hall and changing tents.

White neighbors molested the Bruces and there was an attempt to burn the resort down. Manhattan Beach City Council used a significant domain to rob the Bruces of land that was supposed to be used as a park in the 1920s.

However, the land lay idle for years and was transferred to the state in 1948. In 1995 it was transferred to Los Angeles County for beach operations. It came with restrictions that limited the ability to sell or transfer property that could only be lifted by a new state law.

The district’s lifeguard training building is now there, along a scenic beach walk called The Strand, which is lined with luxury homes overlooking the beach. In Manhattan Beach, an upscale coastal suburb of Los Angeles, 84% of the 35,000 residents are white and 0.8% black, according to the city’s website.

That year, the city council formally condemned the efforts of their early 20th century predecessors to evict the Bruces and several other black families.

The county, meanwhile, has outlined steps needed to move the transfer forward, including assessing the value of the packages and trying to find ways to reduce the heirs’ tax burden.

The county also needs to review the Bruces’ legal heirs and possibly find a new location for the lifeguard headquarters. One possibility would be for the heirs to lease the land back to the district for further use.

___

Associate press writer John Antczak contributed to this report.

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Younger Residents Are Restoring These San Francisco Houses to Their Unique Glory

Sun, 30 May 2021 08:39:06 +0000

San Francisco’s storied Victorians are making a comeback.

For over a decade, young homeowners—fueled by tech money and the dominance of modern architecture—were heavily reworking the city’s cache of historic properties. Many century-old homes had their interiors gutted to create open-plan living spaces, their architectural details removed to make way for precise corners, their woodwork painted bright white and their exteriors washed in various shades of gray.

Amid the pandemic, the tide is finally starting to turn. A growing number of younger residents of San Francisco are choosing to purchase and restore historic properties—in particular the Victorians that are so synonymous with the city.

According to Realtor.com, views of Victorian and Edwardian properties in San Francisco have increased by 80% year-to-year, and the median price-per-square-foot for these homes reached $1,050 in January, up 8.7% from last year. Views per property of modern single-family homes, meanwhile, were down 5.7% over the same period, with a 1.8% increase in price-per-square-foot to $831.

News Corp.

, owner of The Wall Street Journal, also operates Realtor.com under license from the National Association of Realtors.

The front parlor of Tracy Labernik and Evan Sirc’s home features many original Victorian details, such as decorative moldings, cornices and a picture rail on the wall. Pocket doors separate rooms.

Real Estate

From aspirational residences to major commercial deals.

“For the last 10-12 years during the massive economic boom here, houses were in such demand that you had people buying Victorians, painting them a solid dark gray and stripping out the interiors in an effort to modernize the appearance of a house that they obviously didn’t like that much,” says Lynne Rutter, a decorative painter who serves as the president of Artistic License, a coalition of local artisans dedicated to period revival work. “Recently, I have seen far more thoughtful restoration happening, and younger homeowners who are doing more considerate work. They are eager to know more about their homes and will ask a lot of questions,” she says.

The Covid-19 outbreak has accelerated this trend, according to Bonnie Spindler, a real-estate agent who specializes in Victorians. Although San Francisco, like many urban centers, experienced a slowdown in general market activity during the pandemic, single-family homes saw a significant spike in interest, as many residents who chose to stay within the city looked to move out of apartments in exchange for something with more personal space. Amid this shift, the appeal of Victorian homes with original floor plans has increased, as people have found that open-concept housing isn’t as conducive to stay-at-home-life.

“If you are on Zoom calls, you can’t have two office meetings going at the same time,” Ms. Spindler says. “Everyone was gutting the walls between the kitchen and dining room, but if you burned shallots and had to start over, the entire house would smell like burned shallots.”

San Francisco’s Four Seasons houses—a row of four Queen Anne-style residences in the Upper Haight district built in the 1890s. Aimée Leifer and Tjarko Leifer bought the Winter house (third from left) in October 2016.

The Leifers wanted to preserve the history of their home while also updating it for modern life. They restored the original newel-post light in the entry, for example, but kept the main staircase painted a nontraditional white.

Traditional Victorian homes (built during the reign of Queen Victoria, from 1837 to 1901) were designed with a specific area for every function of domestic life—dining room, drawing room, kitchen, parlor—often separated by pocket doors. “Living at home with no chance of entertaining has led some people to appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of San Francisco homes,” says Fiona Woods, a contractor with a focus on historic properties.

Victorian homes were devised with private chambers meant to allow for at-home doctor visits and births, and to protect against the deadly diseases that were so prevalent during the period, something that has become all the more timely in light of Covid-19. Toilets were kept separate from the rest of the bathroom, surfaces were finished in easy-to-clean porcelain and marble, and transom windows assured that sunlight and fresh air could circulate even when the doors were closed.

“Victorian architecture built in the era of disease and health paranoia has often been criticized for its overly sequestered and fragmented interior layouts that seemed outdated and fussy in previous decades,” Ms. Woods says. “Now it’s become surprisingly practical.”

The interiors of Jennifer Tobits and Sarah Piepmeier’s Victorian feature an eclectic mix of new and antique furnishings. Shown here is the dining room, which is located in what would have originally been a parlor.

In San Francisco, the result of this Victorian renaissance is a fusion of historic and modern design, modified for contemporary living—a notable departure from traditional movements of the past. “In the 1970s, when a lot of Victorians were being restored in earnest, many of the owners created time capsules inside of them, with all of the layers of window treatments and elaborate wallpaper and theme rooms full of 19th-century antiques,” Ms. Rutter says. “What is so different now are things like the use of space, or the eclectic mix of design from multiple eras.”

Simon Wistow and his partner, Stephanie Vacher, had been casually searching for a home to buy in San Francisco for about a year when the pandemic hit. The couple was living in a modest duplex, where sliding pocket doors enclosing the dining room created the only private area outside of the single bedroom. “With both of us working, we had to essentially negotiate who was going to get the dining room to go and take calls. That accelerates the process,” says Mr. Wistow, 43, co-founder and vice president of strategic initiatives for Fastly, a cloud-computing services provider.

As they looked, they realized they wanted something with a bit more history and charm. “We started developing a shorthand for what we call the ‘developer’s special,’ which was a house that had just been gutted and had all of the character sucked out of it,” says Mr. Wistow, who was born in England and raised in Germany.

The exterior of Simon Wistow and Stephanie Vacher’s Victorian (center), which they bought in July 2020 for $3.8 million.

With the aid of their agent, Tania Toubba of Sotheby’s International Realty, the couple found a 1900 Victorian in Haight Ashbury that had been renovated but still retained many original features and most recently served as an artist residency and gallery space. They bought the six-bedroom, 4,049-square-foot home in July 2020 for $3.8 million, and immediately moved in and began planning restorations and updates, starting with preserving an elaborate but disintegrating stained-glass window at the front of the house. The four-month process, overseen by local specialist Nzilani Glass Conservation, cost approximately $25,000 and involved removing the panels and taking them apart, salvaging all of the original broken pieces and rebuilding the missing glass.

“We love this city in all of its iterations and all of its eras, and being able to take care of wherever we live so that it can survive for another couple hundred years means a lot to us,” says Ms. Vacher, 36, who works as an artist and a website designer. Although the previous renovation added many contemporary elements, the couple plans to rehabilitate, highlight and add when suitable as many Victorian details as possible, including repurposing wood from elsewhere in the house into traditional-style cabinetry, installing period-specific wallpaper and restoring the main staircase, which is original to the house and “covered with more layers than an Everlasting Gobstopper,” Ms. Vacher says.

Aimée Leifer, a 41-year-old venture capitalist and interior designer, and her husband, Tjarko Leifer, 43, the co-founder of Wellio, a food-tech startup that was acquired by Kraft Heinz in 2018, have found a greater appreciation of their Victorian home over the past year.

“Friends with open-concept layouts have lamented their inability to separate out the different areas and activities,” says Ms. Leifer, who has two young boys, ages 3 and 5. “In a Victorian house, we can all be living, working, schooling, doing everything at the same time and not really know what anyone is up to.”

The couple purchased one of the well-known Four Seasons houses—a row of four lavish Queen Anne-style residences in the Upper Haight district built in the 1890s by shipwright John Whelan—for $2.625 million in October 2016. Known as the Winter house, the structure features an intricately painted blue facade that was still in relatively good condition, with a carved snowflake centerpiece on its second floor. The interiors, however, had not been updated in almost 50 years and were in need of a major renovation. “We wanted to strike a balance between preserving the beauty and history of the home while also making it comfortable and updating it for a modern family lifestyle,” Ms. Leifer says.

The Leifers with their sons, ages 3 and 5. During the pandemic, the dining room was often used as an art studio for the boys.

An Iconic San Francisco Victorian Fit for a Family

In their remodel, Tjarko and Aimée Leifer balanced the history of their home with modern life with their two children.

The back of the house has been painted white and features ample outdoor space.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

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The back of the house has been painted white and features ample outdoor space.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

With a budget of over $1 million, the 13-month project kept most of the original footprint intact while adding a new foundation, plumbing, heating and electrical, as well as an extensive remodel of the kitchen. Surgical renovations were needed to restore original details such as the fireplace surround in the living room and to rehabilitate pocket doors that had been sealed into the walls. They also built out the attic to contain a playroom, office and bathroom, automated the old carriage doors on the garage to house their Tesla and added contemporary touches throughout such as bold wallpaper and furnishings, as well as a backyard honey bear mural by their friend, the local street artist Fnnch.

Fnnch’s then-girlfriend and now wife, Leah Culver, a 38-year-old tech entrepreneur who currently works as a software engineer for

Twitter,

became one of the most prominent young Victorian homeowners when she purchased an iconic Painted Lady—one of the city’s most photographed Victorians built in the 1890s that sit in what is known as Postcard Row—in January of 2020.

In January 2020, 38-year-old tech entrepreneur Leah Culver purchased one of SanFrancisco’s iconic Painted Lady Victorians (middle) for $3.55 million. She is documenting the restoration process on an Instagram account.

“I wanted something move-in ready, but the things I was seeing just weren’t the right fit. A lot of them were modern or redone to be modern, and some of them weren’t done particularly well,” Ms. Culver says of her year-and-a-half search. The yellow-and-pink-hued three-level Painted Lady was on the market for less than a month before Culver purchased it for $3.55 million, or $800,000 over asking price.

The 2,588-square-foot property had been remodeled haphazardly in the 1960s or ‘70s and had fallen into disrepair. Ms. Culver is in the midst of planning an extensive restoration that will cost nearly as much as the purchase price. Although the layout of the bedrooms and some of the public areas will be reconfigured, she plans to restore as many historical details as possible based on old photographs and on touring her neighbors’ homes. As she awaits approvals from the city planning department, Ms. Culver has launched an Instagram account, @pinkpaintedlady, detailing the process, which currently has 16,600 followers.

In February 2021, the landmark Englander House was moved from its original location to a new spot seven blocks away. It was the first time in 40 years that a Victorian home had been relocated in San Francisco.

Photo:

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images

An aerial view of the Englander House relocation. The carefully orchestratedproduction cost around $500,000 and took over three years to plan.

Photo:

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images

Ms. Culver’s house isn’t the only Victorian that has gained attention on social media. In February, a crowd of mask-clad, iPhone-wielding onlookers filled the streets by Civic Center to watch the Englander House, a landmark Victorian residence built in 1880, move from its original location at 807 Franklin Street to a new spot seven blocks away, to make way for the construction of a 48-unit luxury rental facility. Videos of the house uploaded to Twitter and Instagram soon went viral.

It was the first time in 40 years that a Victorian home had been relocated in San Francisco, and the carefully orchestrated production, which involved lifting the 80-ton two-story Italianate-style structure and transporting it slowly by truck on large eight-wheel dollies, cost around $500,000 and took over three years to plan and get approved, according to Toby Morris, co-founder of Kerman Morris Architects, the firm in charge of the project.

In the new location, the house will be adjoined to a Victorian-era former mortuary and rehabilitated into 17 new apartments.

For Jennifer Tobits, a 46-year-old art conservator, preservation was top of mind when she purchased a 1900 Victorian in the Lower Haight district with her wife, attorney Sarah Piepmeier, 47, for $2.995 million in May 2016. The home was previously owned by Mark Stoermer, the bassist for the rock band The Killers, who listed it for the exact price he paid after only a few months, according to the couple. “This house was a total fixer-upper. It was a mess,” Ms. Tobits says. “But it was charming and the bones were great.”

Over the past few years, the couple has embarked on a slow and deliberate restoration that has involved replacing the roof and reconfiguring the second floor while retaining and reusing original doors and hardware and restoring Lincrusta wall coverings via a company from the U.K. that has been in business since 1877. They even reclaimed their neighbor’s 1890s Minton tiles and used them for the floor of their front porch.

The interior décor is an eclectic mix of new and antique furnishings, while nearly all of the architectural elements are either original, repurposed or reproduced to be authentically Victorian.

A Carefully Restored San Francisco Victorian

Owners Jennifer Tobits and Sarah Piepmeier have conducted a slow renovation that has retained and reused many original details.

Jennifer Tobits (left) and wife Sarah Piepmeier, with their dogs Eleanor and Hunter, in front of their Victorian home.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

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Jennifer Tobits (left) and wife Sarah Piepmeier, with their dogs Eleanor and Hunter, in front of their Victorian home.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

During the pandemic, Ms. Tobits and Ms. Piepmeier turned their attention to the facade. Referencing a black-and-white photograph found at the California Historical Society, they replaced windows, cleaned stained glass and re-created and salvaged parts of the damaged redwood exterior. The house was also given a new paint job: deep navy trimmed with shades of ivory and gray and highlighted with copper and 23.75-karat gold leaf detailing that illuminates its ornamental elements.

The exterior color palette of Victorian houses is perhaps one of the most divisive subjects when it comes to their historic preservation. Although San Francisco Victorians were originally painted neutral tones, they are better known for a rainbow of exuberant hues, a trend that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s.

A Bubble Gum-Pink Victorian in San Francisco

Evan Sirc and Tracy Labernik painted their home a bright hue, but also kept many original Victorian-era details.

The formal dining room of Tracy Labernik and Evan Sirc’s Victorian home features wood-wall paneling, a stained-glass window and leaded glass built into a buffet that are all original to the house. A massive antique safe was added after the 1970s.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

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Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

Earlier this year, attorney Tracy Labernik and her husband, Evan Sirc, a radiologist, both 40 years old, spent over $35,000 transforming their recently purchased Italianate-style Victorian’s exterior from blue to bubble gum pink.

“I remember we were both standing on the sidewalk looking up at the house and grinning ear-to-ear,” says Ms. Labernik. “Whether it’s a way to find a small spark of joy in this pandemic, or something else, we aren’t sure. But it’s what we picture when we think of San Francisco Victorians.”

Young Residents Are Restoring These San Francisco Homes to Their Original Glory Source link Young Residents Are Restoring These San Francisco Homes to Their Original Glory

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San Francisco’s Victorian Homes Are Being Restored to Their Unique Glory

Thu, 27 May 2021 20:10:13 +0000

San Francisco’s storied Victorians are making a comeback.

The front parlor of Tracy Labernik and Evan Sirc’s home features many original Victorian details, such as decorative moldings, cornices and a picture rail on the wall. Pocket doors separate rooms.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

More:These Luxury Markets Are Set to Get a Post-Vaccine Boost

San Francisco’s Four Seasons houses—a row of four Queen Anne-style residences in the Upper Haight district built in the 1890s. Aimée Leifer and Tjarko Leifer bought the Winter house (third from left) in October 2016.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

The Leifers wanted to preserve the history of their home while also updating it for modern life. They restored the original newel-post light in the entry, for example, but kept the main staircase painted a nontraditional white.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

More:A Mansion, Once San Francisco’s Most Expensive Listing, Sells for a $10 Million-Plus Discount

The interiors of Jennifer Tobits and Sarah Piepmeier’s Victorian feature an eclectic mix of new and antique furnishings. Shown here is the dining room, which is located in what would have originally been a parlor.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

More:A 1933 Babe Ruth Baseball Card Could Fetch a Record US$5.2 Million at Auction

The exterior of Simon Wistow and Stephanie Vacher’s Victorian (center), which they bought in July 2020 for $3.8 million.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

More:A Bit of Paris in San Francisco Lists for $16.95 Million

The Leifers with their sons, ages 3 and 5. During the pandemic, the dining room was often used as an art studio for the boys.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

Fnnch’s then-girlfriend and now wife, Leah Culver, a 38-year-old tech entrepreneur who currently works as a software engineer for Twitter, became one of the most prominent young Victorian homeowners when she purchased an iconic Painted Lady—one of the city’s most photographed Victorians built in the 1890s that sit in what is known as Postcard Row—in January of 2020.

In January 2020, 38-year-old tech entrepreneur Leah Culver purchased one of SanFrancisco’s iconic Painted Lady Victorians (middle) for $3.55 million. She is documenting the restoration process on an Instagram account.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

More:From Santa Cruz to California Wine Country, Luxury Home Sales Doubled During the Pandemic

In February 2021, the landmark Englander House was moved from its original location to a new spot seven blocks away. It was the first time in 40 years that a Victorian home had been relocated in San Francisco.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images

An aerial view of the Englander House relocation. The carefully orchestratedproduction cost around $500,000 and took over three years to plan.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images

In the new location, the house will be adjoined to a Victorian-era former mortuary and rehabilitated into 17 new apartments.

More:Bing Crosby’s Onetime Bay Area Home Hits the Market for $13.75 Million

The interior décor is an eclectic mix of new and antique furnishings, while nearly all of the architectural elements are either original, repurposed or reproduced to be authentically Victorian.

More:5 Rooms, 5 Redesigns

The post San Francisco’s Victorian Homes Are Being Restored to Their Unique Glory appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Younger Residents Are Restoring These San Francisco Properties to Their Authentic Glory

Mon, 24 May 2021 18:42:37 +0000

San Francisco’s storied Victorians are making a comeback.

Tracy Labernik and Evan Sirc purchased the Noe Valley Victorian at top for $3.2 million in December 2018. During the pandemic, they painted it bubble gum pink. The front parlor, seen here, features many original Victorian details, such as decorative moldings, cornices and a picture rail on the wall.

(Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal)

San Francisco’s Four Seasons houses—a row of four Queen Anne-style residences in the Upper Haight district built in the 1890s. Aimée Leifer and Tjarko Leifer bought the Winter house (third from left) in October 2016.

(Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal)

The Leifers wanted to preserve the history of their home while also updating it for modern life. They restored the original newel-post light in the entry, for example, but kept the main staircase painted a nontraditional white.

(Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal)

The interiors of Jennifer Tobits and Sarah Piepmeier’s Victorian feature an eclectic mix of new and antique furnishings. Shown here is the dining room, which is located in what would have originally been a parlor.

(Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal)

The exterior of Simon Wistow and Stephanie Vacher’s Victorian (center), which they bought in July 2020 for $3.8 million.

( Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal)

The Leifers with their sons, ages 3 and 5. During the pandemic, the dining room was often used as an art studio for the boys.

(Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal)

In January 2020, 38-year-old tech entrepreneur Leah Culver purchased one of San Francisco’s iconic Painted Lady Victorians (middle) for $3.55 million. She is documenting the restoration process on an Instagram account.

(Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal)

In February 2021, the landmark Englander House was moved from its original location to a new spot seven blocks away. It was the first time in 40 years that a Victorian home had been relocated in San Francisco.

(Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

In the new location, the house will be adjoined to a Victorian-era former mortuary and rehabilitated into 17 new apartments.

Jennifer Tobits (left) and wife Sarah Piepmeier, with their dogs Eleanor and Hunter, in front of their Victorian home.

(Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal)

The interior décor is an eclectic mix of new and antique furnishings, while nearly all of the architectural elements are either original, repurposed or reproduced to be authentically Victorian.

The post Younger Residents Are Restoring These San Francisco Properties to Their Authentic Glory appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

San Francisco’s Victorian Homes Are Being Restored to Their Unique Glory

Fri, 21 May 2021 00:59:22 +0000

San Francisco’s storied Victorians are making a comeback.

The front parlor of Tracy Labernik and Evan Sirc’s home features many original Victorian details, such as decorative moldings, cornices and a picture rail on the wall. Pocket doors separate rooms.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

More:These Luxury Markets Are Set to Get a Post-Vaccine Boost

San Francisco’s Four Seasons houses—a row of four Queen Anne-style residences in the Upper Haight district built in the 1890s. Aimée Leifer and Tjarko Leifer bought the Winter house (third from left) in October 2016.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

The Leifers wanted to preserve the history of their home while also updating it for modern life. They restored the original newel-post light in the entry, for example, but kept the main staircase painted a nontraditional white.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

More:A Mansion, Once San Francisco’s Most Expensive Listing, Sells for a $10 Million-Plus Discount

The interiors of Jennifer Tobits and Sarah Piepmeier’s Victorian feature an eclectic mix of new and antique furnishings. Shown here is the dining room, which is located in what would have originally been a parlor.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

More:A 1933 Babe Ruth Baseball Card Could Fetch a Record US$5.2 Million at Auction

The exterior of Simon Wistow and Stephanie Vacher’s Victorian (center), which they bought in July 2020 for $3.8 million.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

More:A Bit of Paris in San Francisco Lists for $16.95 Million

The Leifers with their sons, ages 3 and 5. During the pandemic, the dining room was often used as an art studio for the boys.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

In January 2020, 38-year-old tech entrepreneur Leah Culver purchased one of SanFrancisco’s iconic Painted Lady Victorians (middle) for $3.55 million. She is documenting the restoration process on an Instagram account.

Jason Henry for The Wall Street Journal

More:From Santa Cruz to California Wine Country, Luxury Home Sales Doubled During the Pandemic

In February 2021, the landmark Englander House was moved from its original location to a new spot seven blocks away. It was the first time in 40 years that a Victorian home had been relocated in San Francisco.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images

An aerial view of the Englander House relocation. The carefully orchestratedproduction cost around $500,000 and took over three years to plan.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images

In the new location, the house will be adjoined to a Victorian-era former mortuary and rehabilitated into 17 new apartments.

More:Bing Crosby’s Onetime Bay Area Home Hits the Market for $13.75 Million

The interior décor is an eclectic mix of new and antique furnishings, while nearly all of the architectural elements are either original, repurposed or reproduced to be authentically Victorian.

More:5 Rooms, 5 Redesigns

The post San Francisco’s Victorian Homes Are Being Restored to Their Unique Glory appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

San Francisco’s Victorian Homes Are Being Restored to Their Unique Glory

Thu, 20 May 2021 19:38:48 +0000

San Francisco’s famous Victorians are making a comeback.

For over a decade, young homeowners – driven by tech money and the dominance of modern architecture – heavily revamped the city’s cache of historic real estate. Many centuries-old houses have had their interiors gutted to create open living spaces. The architectural details have been removed to make room for precise corners. The woodwork was painted bright white and the outside was kept in different shades of gray.

In the midst of the pandemic, the tide is finally starting to turn. A growing number of younger San Francisco residents are choosing to buy and restore historic properties – especially the Victorians who are so synonymous with the city.

According to Realtor.com, the number of Victorian and Edwardian homes in San Francisco has increased 80% year over year, and the average price per square foot for these homes reached $ 1,050 in January, up 8.7% year over year. Views per property of modern single family homes decreased 5.7% over the same period, with the price per square foot increasing 1.8% to $ 831. News Corp. , Owner of the Wall Street Journal, also operates Realtor.com under license from the National Association of Realtors.

“Over the past 10 to 12 years during the massive economic boom, homes were so in demand that people bought Victorians, painted them dark gray, and removed the interiors to update the look of a house that they obviously didn’t have that good fallen, ”says Lynne Rutter, a decorative painter who serves as president of Artistic License, a coalition of local artisans dedicated to revitalization. “Lately I’ve seen much more thoughtful restoration work and younger homeowners doing more considerate work. They really want to know more about their homes and will ask lots of questions, ”she says.

The post San Francisco’s Victorian Homes Are Being Restored to Their Unique Glory appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

The unique handyman Bob Vila on discovering success accidentally

Sun, 04 Apr 2021 20:59:46 +0000

It was 1978 and a then 30-year-old Bob Vila had just started his own company renovating and restoring antique New England homes.

“I was really focused on building my business back then,” Bob Vila, former TV host of “This Old House,” told CNBC Make It.

When he was approached by a television producer who had seen one of his renovations in a local newspaper and was asked to film a pilot for a possible home improvement show, the idea initially aroused no interest.

“At that time I wasn’t interested in a TV show,” says the 73-year-old Vila.

But at some point, Vila changed his mind. “It seemed like a wonderful opportunity to get the word out about my work,” says Vila.

After filming a few pilot episodes, Vila didn’t hear from the show for months.

“Then a year later the producer called again and said we got money and were going to buy an old house and fix it and are you going to do it with us?” Says Vila.

Vila agreed and spent the next four months recording live every step of his home improvement projects.

“It was pretty complicated to record a home renovation that would normally take a year and try in a few months,” says Vila, who spoke to CNBC Make It while promoting its partnership with Quinstreet, which manages Vila’s Find a Pro- Network.

On February 20, 1979, the first episode of “This Old House” debuted on the Public Broadcasting Service Network in Boston, and after 13 weeks on the air, the show was nominated for a regional Emmy award.

“I won it too,” says Vila, “it was a minor thing because it was the regional Emmys, but that eventually turned into a media career I could never have foreseen.”

Photo credit: Time & Life Pictures / contributor

Vila hosted the show for 10 years before leaving in 1989 to become a spokesperson for Sears and start his spin-off show, “Bob Vila’s Home Again”. In the 1990s, Vila was asked to star in ABC’s Home Improvement comedy, starring Tim Allen, known to a TV handyman as Tim “The Toolman” Taylor.

While Vila admits that studying journalism and architecture has helped throughout his career, he largely attributes his fortuitous success to his dedication to his craft.

The post The unique handyman Bob Vila on discovering success accidentally appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

original Archives - Los Gatos News And Events

Unique Plumbing Journal Finds Its Viewers

Video Home Tour: San Francisco’s authentic Painted Girl is on the market, asking $5.75 million

If you’re longing for a quintessential experience of classic San Francisco, this is it: a home inside one of Alamo Square’s picture-perfect Painted Ladies, picnics in the neighboring park, coffees from the too-cute Lady Falcon truck, and walks to dinner on Divis.

// 722 Steiner St. (Hayes Valley); For more information, visit 722steinerst.com. The post Video Home Tour: San Francisco’s authentic Painted Girl is on the market, asking $5.75 million appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

I’m not certain why this ABC10 ‘authentic’ makes use of creepy music to create an ominous tone relating to individuals merely shifting across the SF Bay Space

California transferring to return seized Bruce’s Seashore in Manhattan Seashore to heirs of unique Black homeowners

Younger Residents Are Restoring These San Francisco Houses to Their Unique Glory

The front parlor of Tracy Labernik and Evan Sirc’s home features many original Victorian details, such as decorative moldings, cornices and a picture rail on the wall. Pocket doors separate rooms.

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Real Estate

San Francisco’s Four Seasons houses—a row of four Queen Anne-style residences in the Upper Haight district built in the 1890s. Aimée Leifer and Tjarko Leifer bought the Winter house (third from left) in October 2016.

The Leifers wanted to preserve the history of their home while also updating it for modern life. They restored the original newel-post light in the entry, for example, but kept the main staircase painted a nontraditional white.

The interiors of Jennifer Tobits and Sarah Piepmeier’s Victorian feature an eclectic mix of new and antique furnishings. Shown here is the dining room, which is located in what would have originally been a parlor.

The exterior of Simon Wistow and Stephanie Vacher’s Victorian (center), which they bought in July 2020 for $3.8 million.

The Leifers with their sons, ages 3 and 5. During the pandemic, the dining room was often used as an art studio for the boys.

An Iconic San Francisco Victorian Fit for a Family

In their remodel, Tjarko and Aimée Leifer balanced the history of their home with modern life with their two children.

In January 2020, 38-year-old tech entrepreneur Leah Culver purchased one of SanFrancisco’s iconic Painted Lady Victorians (middle) for $3.55 million. She is documenting the restoration process on an Instagram account.

In February 2021, the landmark Englander House was moved from its original location to a new spot seven blocks away. It was the first time in 40 years that a Victorian home had been relocated in San Francisco.

An aerial view of the Englander House relocation. The carefully orchestratedproduction cost around $500,000 and took over three years to plan.

A Carefully Restored San Francisco Victorian

Owners Jennifer Tobits and Sarah Piepmeier have conducted a slow renovation that has retained and reused many original details.

A Bubble Gum-Pink Victorian in San Francisco

Evan Sirc and Tracy Labernik painted their home a bright hue, but also kept many original Victorian-era details.

San Francisco’s Victorian Homes Are Being Restored to Their Unique Glory

The front parlor of Tracy Labernik and Evan Sirc’s home features many original Victorian details, such as decorative moldings, cornices and a picture rail on the wall. Pocket doors separate rooms.

San Francisco’s Four Seasons houses—a row of four Queen Anne-style residences in the Upper Haight district built in the 1890s. Aimée Leifer and Tjarko Leifer bought the Winter house (third from left) in October 2016.

The Leifers wanted to preserve the history of their home while also updating it for modern life. They restored the original newel-post light in the entry, for example, but kept the main staircase painted a nontraditional white.

The interiors of Jennifer Tobits and Sarah Piepmeier’s Victorian feature an eclectic mix of new and antique furnishings. Shown here is the dining room, which is located in what would have originally been a parlor.

The exterior of Simon Wistow and Stephanie Vacher’s Victorian (center), which they bought in July 2020 for $3.8 million.

The Leifers with their sons, ages 3 and 5. During the pandemic, the dining room was often used as an art studio for the boys.

In January 2020, 38-year-old tech entrepreneur Leah Culver purchased one of SanFrancisco’s iconic Painted Lady Victorians (middle) for $3.55 million. She is documenting the restoration process on an Instagram account.

In February 2021, the landmark Englander House was moved from its original location to a new spot seven blocks away. It was the first time in 40 years that a Victorian home had been relocated in San Francisco.

An aerial view of the Englander House relocation. The carefully orchestratedproduction cost around $500,000 and took over three years to plan.

Younger Residents Are Restoring These San Francisco Properties to Their Authentic Glory

San Francisco’s Victorian Homes Are Being Restored to Their Unique Glory

The front parlor of Tracy Labernik and Evan Sirc’s home features many original Victorian details, such as decorative moldings, cornices and a picture rail on the wall. Pocket doors separate rooms.

San Francisco’s Four Seasons houses—a row of four Queen Anne-style residences in the Upper Haight district built in the 1890s. Aimée Leifer and Tjarko Leifer bought the Winter house (third from left) in October 2016.

The Leifers wanted to preserve the history of their home while also updating it for modern life. They restored the original newel-post light in the entry, for example, but kept the main staircase painted a nontraditional white.

The interiors of Jennifer Tobits and Sarah Piepmeier’s Victorian feature an eclectic mix of new and antique furnishings. Shown here is the dining room, which is located in what would have originally been a parlor.

The exterior of Simon Wistow and Stephanie Vacher’s Victorian (center), which they bought in July 2020 for $3.8 million.

The Leifers with their sons, ages 3 and 5. During the pandemic, the dining room was often used as an art studio for the boys.

In January 2020, 38-year-old tech entrepreneur Leah Culver purchased one of SanFrancisco’s iconic Painted Lady Victorians (middle) for $3.55 million. She is documenting the restoration process on an Instagram account.

In February 2021, the landmark Englander House was moved from its original location to a new spot seven blocks away. It was the first time in 40 years that a Victorian home had been relocated in San Francisco.

An aerial view of the Englander House relocation. The carefully orchestratedproduction cost around $500,000 and took over three years to plan.

San Francisco’s Victorian Homes Are Being Restored to Their Unique Glory

The unique handyman Bob Vila on discovering success accidentally

// 722 Steiner St. (Hayes Valley); For more information, visit 722steinerst.com.

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