Renaissance on Russian Hill 1269 Vallejo St San Francisco

1269 Vallejo Street San Francisco Sean Poreda

San Francisco is a city in transition, and the three-story, fully reinvented stunner at 1269 Vallejo Street stands testament to this fact, having its feet in two worlds—old San Francisco and its modern technology-fueled counterpart.

“It’s a Renaissance of San Francisco not seen since the ‘60s,” remarks Butch Haze of the real estate duo TeedHaze, rated by Wall Street Journal and Real Trends among the top U.S. teams, by sales volume. “Everything is under construction, the city is changing so much. I think that’s what is so exciting.”

As Haze sees it, the push is toward San Francisco, both commercial and residential, with tech bringing in the most talented people from around the world, coalescing in a hotbed of innovation, cultural heterogeneity, and unbridled ambition that characterizes this movement.

“Before, it was the Peninsula. Now everyone has to have a space in San Francisco. Sandhill Road is dead,” says Haze matter-of-factly, a towering figure both in personality and stature, not out of place at the center of the home’s state-of-the-art kitchen, with its Wolf range, Thermador double ovens, and Caesarstone throughout.

And Haze would know. He and his team have counted over a billion dollars in sales since its inception, with 157 million in the first half of 2015 alone.

This 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath, 3-car-garage home is situated in the heart of Russian Hill, one of the most desirable neighborhoods in San Francisco, with some of the city’s best little bistros just blocks away on Hyde. Dining and entertainment are literally at your doorstep. Vallejo Street has its own colorful past, with notable residents such as Willis Polk, architect-designer of the Palace of Fine Arts; Fanny Stevenson, wife of novelist Robert Louis Stevenson; and author Gelett Burgess.

Designed by local darlings—the ever popular and sought-after NOVA Designs + Building—and recently remodeled to add brand new hardwood floors, refreshed bathrooms and an upgraded kitchen, putting the crowning touches on an already ideal living space, this nearly 4,000-square-foot home’s most distinctive feature remains its fully finished rooftop terrace.

Yes—Roof. Top. Terrace.

Boasting 1,200 square feet of luxurious outdoor space (larger than many entire single family homes in the city), this is the ideal setting for dining al fresco, romantic evenings together, or rooftop parties that would put Vegas to shame.

Standing on the roof deck, one is overcome with a Titanic urge to shout from the top of the lungs, “I’m King of the World!!” a la Leonardo DiCaprio. Blame it on the view; overlooking hundreds of rooftops, the majestic sight of the Golden Gate Bridge is just to the West, Nob Hill to the south, with panoramic views of the city and bay in every other direction, one can imagine the joy of watching the sun, with its fleeting rays casting a red, orange, and yellow glow across the sky, descend below the horizon night after night.

But taking in the fresh air is certainly not limited to the roof, as there are balconies at each level that overlook an extra-deep, landscaped backyard. The presence of sweeping windows facing north and south allow the home to be bathed in sunlight throughout the day, lending an airiness to the rooms’s open layout.

Several enormous cranes in the distance symbolize the frenetic pace of development in this ever-evolving landscape. As the cable car bell tolls in the background, one is reminded of where one is. If Haze is right, this may be your chance at a “spot in Florence,” circa 1350. Truly thrilling.