Russian Hill
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Homes on Russian Hill range from multimillion-dollar condominiums on the top of the hill and more normally priced apartments on the side streets of this famous knoll. Many famous people have been attracted to this hill with magnificent views and more sunny days than many other parts of San Francisco. Among its famous inhabitants if only temporary were writers like Ambrose Bierce, Jack London, Mark |
Twain and Jack Kerouac, artists like Frank Noris, and architects like Willis Polk. If you want to walk in their steps use the landscaped stairways of this steep hill and climb with the history and experience the breathtaking views. The Russian Hill neighborhood is more residential with no significant commercial development. The history of architectural design here is deep with examples of Willis Polk’s earliest work still standing on the hill. In the late 1890s Polk designed a two homes for his family. These multi story buildings have lately been list for sale at $4,000,000. These buildings sit at 1013-19 Vallejo Street. The shingled veneer does give the impression of a street row in a medieval village. This original adaptation of old design fits in its place on the hill where the backside of the home falls down the hillside, taking advantage of the incline adding levels of room. This famous architect’s studio was located on the lower back tier. He created an interior design that is a series of perpendicularly structured spaces.
After the great quake there were many outstanding architects who contributed to the art of design including Charles Whittelsey and Charles McCall who designed a significant number of Pueblo and Spanish Colonial Mission Revival homes some of which stand on the hill.
Today Russian Hill is populated with high-rise apartments, three-story flats and condominiums. Spectacular historical and contemporary design exists on Russian Hill offering unbelievable views of San Francisco and the bay. This neighborhood offers homes in the extreme high end of prices on the hill with less expensive homes as you move in the direction of North Beach or Polk Gulch.
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On this beautiful steep hill you will find delightful
eateries including an oyster bar, a couple of French bistros, Italian
and Spanish restaurants, burger joints and places offering Indian
cuisine, Tower Records, a number of cute corner stores and fresh produce
markets. If you are a coffee junkie then you will love places like
Starbuck's, Peet's and Tully's and Royal Grounds all nestled in the
greenery of Hyde Street between Jackson Street and Union Street. Polk
Street is a very commercial area of Russian Hill and you will find
curious boutiques, elite antique shops, fashionable eateries and nightclubs.
There is now a small French district that has developed in the area
of Polk Street and Green Street. Here there is a great French restaurant,
a customary café-boulangerie, a French antique boutique, and several
gift shops and interior design shops with a French influence. Polk
Street has many eateries, taverns, fruit stands and flower markets.
Polk offers more as you will also find art galleries, java joints,
ice cream shops and small grocery stores.
Russian Hill is bounded by San Francisco Bay on the north, Columbus Avenue on the east, Vallejo Street on the south and Van Ness Avenue on the west.
Homes on this unique and famous hill neighborhood run from $775,000 to $5,000,000.
Polk Gulch
If you want to live on or near Russian Hill and just can swing millions for a home then perhaps this northern end of the valley build on an underground river will fit the bill with its lower home prices. Upper Polk Street cuts through the edge of Russian Hill you will find many condos and smaller multi unit buildings with two to four units each.
North of Vallejo Street there are a variety of shops, coffeehouses and restaurants for every budget and taste. There are many small markets, a pharmacy and a health food store here also.
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