With famous views, a famous facade, and a famously defiant architect, San Francisco’s 2164 Hyde St., No. 202, is for sale for $2.4 million.
The co-op tower at 2164 Hyde dates back to 1915 and was designed by architect T. Paterson Ross, who helped rebuild San Francisco after the earthquake and fire of 1906. Ross was a prolific producer of buildings during his career — other notable buildings credited to Ross include the United Sheet Metal Works, Sing Chong and Sing Fat buildings, the Union League Club, and the Islam Temple of the San Francisco Shriners (presently the Alcazar Theater at 650 Geary).
The same year Ross completed the Shriner temple, where he infamously chiseled in Arabic script, “Great is Allah and Great is Ross the Architect,” after a dispute with the owners, he completed 2164 Hyde in Russian Hill. Working with engineer William Chipman, Ross envisioned the building as a unique residence, among the first “community homes” on the West Coast. Today, those homes are known as co-ops and, according to official marketing materials, 2164 Hyde originally featured a ballroom (now an apartment) and staff quarters.
With famous views, a famous facade, and a famously defiant architect, 2164 Hyde St., No. 202, is for sale for $2.4 million.
Open Homes PhotographyThe facade of the historic co-op, with elaborate eaves and cascading columns of bay windows, is immediately recognizable to longtime San Francisco residents. But its celebrity is more than local: The building guest stars in the 1947 film noir classic “Dark Passage,” standing proudly in the background as Humphrey Bogart exits a cable car.
Unit 202 captures that cinematic vibe. Its 1,950 square feet comprise two bedroomss, two bathrooms, a “bonus room, ideal for working out, home office, or art studio,” per the listing, and a glass-enclosed sunroom. The unit’s multiple windows face, and perfectly frame, iconic views of Coit Tower, the city skyline, and the bay beyond.
With famous views, a famous facade, and a famously defiant architect, 2164 Hyde St., No. 202, is for sale for $2.4 million.
Open Homes PhotographyPeriod detail abounds, showcased in the carved hearth, built-ins, and mouldings, but No. 202 also offers modern amenities. The kitchen and bathrooms have been updated and the building includes an elevator and parking with EV charging stations.
With famous views, a famous facade, and a famously defiant architect, 2164 Hyde St., No. 202, is for sale for $2.4 million.
Open Homes PhotographyFrom an ownership standpoint, a co-op is different from a condo. The price tag doesn’t buy the property, but instead buys stock in said property, akin to buying a share of a corporate stock, only in this case that stock grants you exclusive use to a portion of the building.
“Exclusive” is an important adjective with these properties, as stockholders can make rules, regulations and restrictions as they wish. It’s not uncommon for a prospective co-op buyer to face multiple interviews with a co-op’s directorial board before winning approval to buy into a building — if they ever do.
“One of the big differences between a co-op and other forms of ownership is the requirement to be approved by a board of directors,” said co-listing agent Carol Solfanelli of Compass. “While the approval is normally given, there is no guarantee. One of the more famous cases where a buyer was not approved was in 1985 when a 26-year-old Madonna was refused by the co-op board of the San Remo on Central Park West where she was seeking to buy a $1.2 million apartment.”
With famous views, a famous facade, and a famously defiant architect, 2164 Hyde St., No. 202, is for sale for $2.4 million.
Open Homes Photography2164 Hyde’s board of directors appears less extreme. “There are some restrictions like with condos limiting the number of pets (one pet per apartment is allowed in this building) and some restrictions on leasing units,” co-listing agent Joan Maze Miles, also of Compass, told SFGATE.
With famous views, a famous facade, and a famously defiant architect, 2164 Hyde St., No. 202, is for sale for $2.4 million.
Open Homes PhotographyThe homeowners association fee, which is $2,398 per month, covers an on-site live-in manager, insurance, water, heat, and interior and exterior maintenance of the common areas, including the electric vehicle chargers for every parking space.