An urban compound in the South of Market with a 120-year history that includes serving as a pipe organ company and a gay bathhouse, has hit the market for $4.8 million.
Owners Jamie Emerick, an artist, and Isaac Roth, a partner at Shasta Ventures, listed the property, which consists of a 685-square-foot cottage and a 2800-square-foot main structure, which dates back to 1906, Bloomberg reported.
Wendy Storch of Sotheby’s International Realty – San Francisco Brokerage has the listing at 965-967 Natoma Street.
The property’s story begins with its former owner, antiques dealer Richard Gervais, who tended to a lush garden featuring bamboo forests, palm trees, and a Koi pond for over 25 years.
When Emerick and Roth acquired the cottage from him, they began restoring the home, with an aim to preserve its historic charm.
The compound’s history is as diverse as San Francisco itself. Built in 1906, it likely served as live/work spaces for post-earthquake construction workers. Over the years, it housed a pipe organ company and even served as a gay bathhouse in the 1980s, complete with showers and a 20-person hot tub, some of which have been retained.
Today, the main house has a modern interior, featuring an open kitchen, dining room, living room, yoga studio, and guest room on the ground floor. Upstairs, a loft with a custom-made electronic organ, a primary bedroom suite, two additional bedrooms, and a versatile office/bedroom complete the living spaces.
The adjacent cottage has a bedroom, living room, kitchen, full bath, and a dining room with access to a second-story deck.
Emerick and Roth describe the property as an urban oasis. During pandemic lockdowns, the expansive outdoor space became a sanctuary for the couple and their friends.
The city plans to enhance the property’s surroundings by building a park across the street, featuring a playground, sport courts, trees, and planting beds.
— Ted Glanzer