Project: Marina Green, San Francisco
Size: Approx. 3,500 square feet (three levels, including outdoor terraces)
Bedrooms/bathrooms: 6/4, plus two half-baths
Remodeler: RBR Development, San Francisco
Architect: Mark English Architects, San Francisco
Designer: Joseph Ruggiero & Associates, Los Angeles
Co-sponsors: REMODELING magazine, Washington, D.C., and HOME magazine, New York
If you frequent North Point Street in San Francisco's exclusive Marina District, you might notice that the little house at the end of the row has brightened up a bit during the past year or so. You might even remark how an arched picture window on the front has been replaced with a rectangular unit, or that the garage door was transformed from a bland and battered steel sectional to a rich carriage style. At the very least, the facelift added a measure of depth to the little house, upgrading it to match the care and detail of the larger homes along the street.
But if you had the chance to step inside or to make your way through the tradesman's entrance and side path to the backyard, you'd be blown away by the changes. Thanks to a generous lot, the footprint was pushed back about 25 feet, adding significant living space on the two original levels and affording a new, full-depth third floor that's almost undetectable from the street … all of which now takes full advantage of natural light on three sides, a relative anomaly among the city's famous row houses.
The added depth to the back, now in line with its neighbors, brings the 1932 house up to modern lifestyle standards. New and remodeled spaces include a generous master suite (among four bedrooms on the new upper floor); functional and accessible outdoor terraces; a bright and open floor plan on the main living level; and a home theater, a conditioned, 500-bottle wine closet, a secluded home office, and a multifunctional utility/laundry room, among other areas, on the street level. And yet, the house maintains its historic character, particularly on the front elevation and in the retained details of the original living and dining rooms just inside the front door.
As significant as the tangible benefits of the remodeling and restoration work is the project's commitment to sustainability and shrinking the environmental footprint of the home. Green remodeling may be in its infancy, but this house sets an admirable — yet achievable — baseline in its energy and resource efficiency, including a rooftop solar array, recycled-content products, and salvaged materials from the demo. As such, the design/build team coined the project “Marina Green” out of respect for its neighborhood and commitment to sustainability.
Purchased, restored, and updated by San Francisco native Regina Callan in partnership with local architect Mark English and Los Angeles-based designer Joe Ruggiero to coincide with the 2007 Pacific Coast Builders' Conference, the project is among a periodic series of idea homes produced by Home magazine and, for this year, REMODELING. As such, the design/build team tapped into a pool of sponsoring manufacturers to meet the home's aesthetic and environmental objectives (see page 115 for a profile of the project team and page 126 for a list of sponsors).
But even without those resources, the team had a wish list in mind before Callan closed escrow and started gutting the bulk of the interior back in mid-2006. “Over the years, I've kept track of recurring requests from owners about what they are looking for in a home,” she says, recalling her source for a list that included providing a level entirely dedicated to bedroom spaces — ideally four or more — and the ability to create both formal and casual living areas. “The opportunity to build up and back does not present itself very often in this market, and being able to do both meant that we could provide everything on the wish list.”
Other details, such as a residential elevator, an outdoor staircase from the master suite to the backyard (with a stop at the main level balcony), a restored five-car garage, skylit interior staircases and powder room, and an accordion-fold patio door that creates a clear, 12-foot-wide opening between the new family room and its deep balcony, are wow factors with an undercurrent of practical convenience. “Buyers want a ‘forever' home,” says Callan, referring to concepts such as aging-in-place and accessibility afforded by the elevator, the flexible uses of the street-level spaces, and the security and convenience of the garage. “You can grow old here.”
PAST TO PRESENTThe main level was a hybrid of restoration, remodeling, and new construction. The design/build team worked to preserve the character and formality of the foyer, living room, and adjacent dining room toward the front of the house, but also to weave those areas into the casual and open feel of the remade kitchen, the new eating area, and the family room beyond — transitions made easier by the wide-plank, hand-scraped oak flooring installed throughout. “The melding of the old and new worked very well,” English says. “The transitions are seamless, and better than I expected.”
By opening the rooms to one another along the west side of the floor plan, English was able to create a second, full-length sightline, supplementing the 50-foot view through the house from the front door through the main hall. “No matter the style of the house, I always strive for an opportunity to look from one end to the other,” he says. “Long sightlines enhance a feeling of spaciousness and bring natural light to as many rooms as possible,” a benefit boosted in this house by new and larger cottage-style windows installed along the home's west elevation.
For Callan, the ability to provide both formal and casual living spaces on the same level (much less in the same house) was a primary goal. “In most homes, you have to make a choice between formal entertainment spaces and casual family living areas,” she says. “But here, the new owners will get both.”