When the building went up in 1870, it housed the brewery; then in the late thirties the company began bottling the spring water that gathered in caverns under the building. The caverns are still there, though we can't really imagine what a new owner would do with them. And really, who cares? Isn't owning your own caverns enough?? Evidently the property includes numerous patios and terraced gardens as well; a fairy tale, right smack in the middle of industrial San Francisco.
Seriously, the realtors are marketing this $2.95 million property as a potential restaurant, event space, or bed and breakfast. The location might make it difficult to sell it as such, but it does look like an amazing place. Has anyone been past it before? Do share: What's it like on the outside?
To read more about the Albion Castle, check out the full story on SFGate. There's also a website about the castle's history here.
(Images: Reflex Imaging, via SFGate)
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Comments (13)
Being from the Bay Area, 3 million for that place is a steal. A house down the block from where I grew up sold for $4 million several years ago, and it wasn't even a castle. A standard, nice home is a million anywhere in the East Bay or SF. 600-800,000 is a nothing house. So 3 mill for a castle? Well, that's cheap. Yes, I know the rest of the country isn't the Bay Area. But for the Bay, that is not that much.
Nice pile of rubble! (I doubt poor Mr Cage has the dough to splash out right now.....)
Sigh. It's really gorgeous - just my speed.
But I wonder if they'd entertain swapping my dark, slightly pokey 'castle' (read:apartment) in a worn-out part of Melbourne for that?
I can dream, can't I?
We spent $775,000.000 on our house in the city and it's not a nothing house! It's adorable and we love it. I know what you're saying of course, but be careful. :)
What a nice historical piece of land and house.
However, not a desirable area and probably lots of toxic waste in the area. Its really a rock in a hard place, so much potential and beautiful but making this into a B&B or restaurant would be fatal because of the location.
Now super rich crazy lovely person could make this a cool pad and not care about location.
This would be ideal for a few friends to invest in and make it a lovely home. I hope the best for this place and it finds the love it needs. Sigh too.
Allid, no insult intended! I just meant that prices in the Bay Area are absolutely crazy. I've seen some really tiny, unfortunate places going for 600,000 or so, which is so odd when you think about the rest of the country and what a huge sum of money that actually is. So, if this is really a castle, well, that actually sounds like a good price once you've heard what other stuff goes for. It's just funny how desensitized you get to the craziness of real estate when you've seen housing prices there. I'm sure your house is lovley, and congratulations on it!
Given that I have recently played and won the lottery, could I kindly have the real estate's phone number so that I may call them to purchase the property?
I wonder if the weather on the Bay Area would easily accomodate my flock of 3,452 flamingo birds, I recently splurged on, after I collected my winnings. As of now, we are slightly uncomfortable in my 40sqm apartment.
Nic cage is doing fine. He's selling his properties and getting out debt. Leave him alone already. He's still making lots of dough in the moving pictures, even if they are all bombs. Sure he's an idiot, He bought several homes in different countries that he has never lived in but he's suing someone else for poor business decisions but I don't feel sorry for him, he's just a punchbag punchline.
Looks nice on the outside. The inside is so dark and looming, low ceilings, all that wood... 3 Million is for the bones, it would need at least a couple million to restore and update it.
Whoever buys that needs to be a superhero, preferably one with a dark side, so they can make dramatically appropriate use of the watery grotto.
wow. seems like a bargain, especially for SF.
What fun one could have with a place like that. old stone/timber buildings are on my short list of dream structures.
TheoJ I was speaking about someone buying it right now for a restaurant or B&B. It would be a tough location for both.
As an investment for the right person yes, its would be a great deal.
My best friend knows the old owner and has been to a number of parties at this locale... she says it's phenomenal.
As far as the location and B&B idea goes... if gentrification goes as planned it would be a perfect place for a B&B. I suspect whoever gets in now will be in for a pretty sweet living in the next few years. And yes, the HP is full of toxic garbage, but so is DogPatch and I don't see that stopping the flock or artists, queers, and hispters moving there. Plus what's a little poison on your vacay?
that castle looks fit for a domestic goddess... dreamy!
Vesta Monroe
Domestic Goddess Guide