Lover of luxe brings lofty plan to S.F.

San Francisco Business Times – March 17, 2006

by J.K. Dineen

Don Peebles is finally getting a piece of SoMa.

The Miami-based luxury hotel and condo developer, who has been aggressively bidding on properties in San Francisco for a year, will pay $20 million for 250 Brannan St., the brick-and-timber former Gallo Salame meat plant most recently used for dot-com offices.

Peebles said he will invest another $30 million to convert the 104,000-square-foot office building into 54 ultra luxe Soho-style lofts and multilevel townhouses that he promises will "introduce a new standard for loft living in San Francisco and the Bay Area."

…

The 250 Brannan project will feature high ceilings — up to 32 feet in some units — floating staircases, private terraces, built-in cappuccino machines, wine cellars, gyms, screening rooms and darkrooms, he said. The two-level custom penthouse will have a "spectacular solarium" and will not be priced. The smallest units will start above $800,000 and the townhouses will be priced in the $3 million range, he said.

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310 Townsend St

Pricing to be released June sometime.

Completion scheduled for Mid October.

All units with primary reservation at this point and 2/3rds to 80% have backup reservations.

428 Alice on Sale Today!

93 Units – scheduled completion date is summer 2006.

Marketed as condos, but really “condlofts” with unfinished exposed concrete higher ceilings (8-9 feet) and bedrooms on the same floor as opposed to a loft bedroom, 1Br’s start in the mid 400’s. 2BR’s are in the $600k’s, 3BR’s in the mid 700’s.

Each unit has a parking space and 3BR’s have 2 spots.

Kitchens have GE Profile Stainless Appliances + Granite countertops

Fitness center on 3rd floor is approx 800 sf. No Doorman, 2 elevators, TV Video Access to front door. $15k deposit and then go to contract…

200 Second Street – Jack London Square

A new mid-rise luxury residential condominium is located in Oakland’s dynamic Jack London Square district and preselling in early 2006. The building will feature 74 condos and live/work lofts in 4 different and unique floor plans. There will be about 30 studios or Jr 1BR’s with sleeping alcoves, 1 BR’s with dens, 2 BR’s with dens and five large 3 BR’s. There will be a corner retail space, four work+live units, and a landscaped entry courtyard as well.

Designed by the award winning David Baker and Partners (Clocktower Lofts, 18th and Arkansas, and Emeryville Warehouse Lofts), this building is sure to add to the already growing portfolio of amazing and modern developments in Jack London Square including Pulte’s 426 Alice Street, The Sierra Building, Brick House Lofts, Portico Lofts, and Signature Properties’ 300 Harrison St.

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Oakland 10K

10K Housing Initiative

A major initiative launched by Mayor Jerry Brown when he took office in 1999, the 10K Downtown Housing Initiative is realizing its goal of attracting 10,000 new residents to downtown Oakland by encouraging the development of 6,000 market-rate housing units. A near perfect climate, California’s best mass transit system, a central Bay Area location and a growing downtown workforce all contribute to make downtown Oakland a great place to live.

As of November 2005, the 10K Downtown Housing Initiative has resulted in the start and completion of 61 residential projects with 7,053 units. Seventeen projects (1,663 units) have been completed, fourteen projects (1,479 units) are in construction, twenty projects (2,570 units) have received planning approvals, and ten projects (1,341 units) are in the planning process. The Initiative has literally altered Oakland’s skyline with the construction of The Essex on Lake Merritt, the first high-rise residential construction in downtown Oakland in 20 years. To date, the number of units necessary to house 10,000 new residents has been surpassed.

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Watermark Lofts Available

To be honest, I didn’t know The Watermark offers loft living condos in their swank new building on the Embarcadero in South Beach.

But here we are directly from the sales office…

4P – An approximately 655 square foot one bedroom, one bath home.
4Q – An approximately 843 square foot one bedroom, one-and-a-half bath home.
1R – An approximately 831 square foot one bedroom, one bath home.

Loft homes at Watermark offer floor-to-ceiling glass windows, premium fixtures by Cifial, Duravit and Kohler and a range of amenities that include a state-of-the-art fitness center complete with Pilates equipment, a heated pool and spa with spectacular bay and bridge views and concierge service.

Loft homes are priced from $575,000.