737 Second Street #405 (OAK): Penthouse

First and foremost, the property is across the bay in Oakland. We repeat, this is across the bay in Oakland. That being said, we’re in love. (And then some.)

737 Second Street #405 (OAK): Kitchen

Wood burning pizza oven, industrial pantry doors, 1000+ bottle temperature controlled wine cellar, and limestone floors in the kitchen.

737 Second Street #405 (OAK): Living

And eleven and one-half foot ceilings on the main floor with a spiral staircase leading up to the Tom Eliot Fisch designed penthouse, roof deck and private garden. Yes, yes, yes.

∙ Listing: 737 2nd St. #405 (3/2) 5,361 sqft – $2,200,000 (OAK) [Phoenix405] [Caldecott]

40 thoughts on “Hardcore East Bay Property Porn (And Then Some): 737 2nd St. #405”
  1. Perfect location for Doctor Evil’s lair.
    “We will bid two million dollars !”
    Yes, this is a property for someone who wants a large stunning modern home but does not care that they are in the middle of the Oakland docklands.
    But hey, look what’s happening to Green Point and Williamsburg in Brooklyn ! Could this possibly be the next former industrial area to gentrify ?
    One final note : What’s up with the “blue light” effect that is used on so many high end photos these days, especially in modern homes ? You can see the blue light reflecting off of the wood floors in the last photo. It is an easy photoshop effect to add and I guess it lends a “cool” tone to the image. (and no, I don’t think that “blue lighting” a photo is deceptive. There are plenty of truly deceptive photo modification practices as we have seen !)

  2. Wow, that is an absolutely incredible piece of real estate. And for only $415/sq. ft. Utterly amazing!! (and a great find)

  3. Wow, that is amazing. Not sure I could stomach living in the middle of the Oakland docks, but it is amazing. So, the top of the Watermark for 2.5 or this place for 2.2? Might be worth dodging some occasional gunfire…

  4. Milkshake: Not too much industry left in Oakland’s waterfront anymore, is there? The bigger complaint is the streetscape is monolithic and boring. Too many developed loft projects that lack the subtle details old, true industrial buildings have. Stucco and concrete “panelized systems” buildings with cheap and ugly small windows don’t look as good as old brick-or even 1930s era, construction.

  5. Oakland docklands. Technically true, but it’s an easy (and flat) walk to jack london square, so it’s not isolated or anything. Just “industrial”. Right on the estuary, and beautiful weather to boot. Also an easy drive in your *big fat car* to SF if you want 🙂

    I like how SS is doing more east bay posts now, thanks!

  6. @dub dub,
    I admit, I’m not as familiar with Oakland and the Jack London Square area as I could be. So, I’m going to see this tomorrow. I still don’t think I want to live in Oakland, but who knows? Maybe one could go weather the downturn in Oakland then move back in to the city at a much nicer price point in a couple of years…

  7. Such nice details and they go and put Cat-5 in the walls. Why even bother going to all that trouble and cheapening out on the wiring. I’d have to re-wire the whole house for Cat-6.

  8. Lies – I think you’re on to something. The trend in the Oakland waterfront should be positive and it is quite likely that this area may appreciate at a greater rate than SF.
    Dub dub is right, this location is a short walk to JLS and then a little more of a walk to Chinatown and Downtown.
    My (wild, unsubstantiated) prediction is that if there is one interested buyer then it will sell for about or a little less than asking. If there are two or more buyers smitten with it, a bidding war will drive the price way up, maybe $2.7M

  9. This is a great find SocketSite. It’s amazing how much more value there is across the bay. $415 psf for beautiful high-end finishes compared to $1000 psf for a tear-down in Noe Valley. I agree with The MoD’s comments on the lighting effects. Lighting and colors may have been enhanced, but one hopes that they didn’t alter the physical structures. Altering the tones and mood of a photo don’t cross the line into outright fraud like with the Baker house, but they certainly can be overdone. Great photography – I may have to actually see this property.

  10. @lies — please tell us what you think! For my part, I feel the whole Jack London Square area is a missed opportunity. I always feel it could be more than it is — great weather, water, even underrated dinghy sailing in the estuary. And yet…

    But this place looks fantastic on the inside — check how some of the interior spaces “work with” the docks in the background (not sure the technical term for this). It’s fantastic. As someone suggested above, I bet it looks like *ss on the outside tho — probably why there are no exterior shots 🙂

    Okay, I’ve worked myself up, and maybe will drop by to see it too 🙂

    [Editor’s Note: This is the developer’s unit at Phoenix Lofts, which actually isn’t a bad looking industrial building (exterior photo).]

  11. I”m not into modern or industrial at all…
    but this place is uber cool.
    you know it’s good when you make converts!
    wow.
    one thing:
    I see two “bedrooms” are only separated by curtains. is that the same with the master as well?
    I know it’s very chic and in, and totally not industrial or whatever, but I like a wall and a door to close so that I can sleep if others are awake in the house.

  12. Nice and interesting space.
    As far as the wall and door and sleeping thing goes… in a true loft space, at least some of the sleeping areas are going to be impossible to separate from the common areas. It is a real drawback, but the tradeoff is often spectacular.
    And who wants to catch a disco nap in the middle of their own party, anyway?

  13. Regarding the possible future of this area, interested parties should be aware of this development which could add the momentum needed to fully turn the waterfront into a lively, healthy mixed-use district:
    http://www.oakto9th.com
    Stop for a bite here if you want to see what sort of potential the area has:
    http://www.yelp.com/biz/soizic-bistro-oakland
    I personally love grabbing something to eat in nearby Oakland’s Chinatown too. I don’t see much mention of it on this site but Oakland/Berkeley have some fantastic “foodie” options–college ave, the gourmet ghetto, 4th street. Market Hall (along with the Ferry Building Marketplace) is among the finest food emporiums on the west coast.

  14. This is fantastic. I love the idea of being next to real working docks instead of faux waterfront areas we now have in the city. Mission Bay planners and Radiance developers should take lessons from this style. This would be worth driving over the bridge home to every night.

  15. What the pictures don’t tell is noise.
    Lots of noise.
    Think railroad tracks, complete with trains, right outside the window. They toot their horns at all hours, and their rumble is felt in the bones at such a close location. Been there.
    Also, the lack of walls – yes, you hear your five year old farting across the room, complete with echoes.

  16. I can’t prove it right now after a quick search, but they are not showing the sales date/price for when it changed hands 2-3 years ago. I remember when it was listed then and I saw the sales price recorded between $1.3 and 1.5M. I think asking price was around $1.4M. And from the looks of these pics, nothing has been done to it in the last 2-3 years. I am a little surprised redfin, ziprealty, and zillow don’t show sales history. But just know this is likely not the developer’s unit currently – and that the seller is making a huge gain if it sells near asing.

  17. I almost bought this place a few years ago. The property was listing for $1.7m. Absolutely nothing has been done to it. HOA was around $750/month. It is a really wonderful place. I didn’t move ahead only because of the location. I’d be surpised if someone was willing to pay an additional $500K from what was already a peak in the market.

  18. Some additions/improvements made to the property since it was last sold in 2005:
    – 1000+ bottle conditioned wine cellar designed by Apex Cellars with Lalique crystal chandelier
    – 7-zone low-voltage Tech lighting system
    – Improved wiring with 10 Cat-5 drops, 10 coax drops, 3-zone pre-wired speaker system, 15 RJ-11 jacks
    – Media room completed with built in cabinetry and Tannoy surround sound speaker system
    – Forced hot air and A/C (in addition to the radiant heat)
    – Custom interior painting
    – Redwood roof deck with irrigated landscaping (olive & citrus trees)
    You can compare the current photos with the previous images from 2005: http://www.lonestartours.com/loftsunlimited/737-2nd-street/
    HOA dues are $772/month.
    If you don’t like the price, you can always make an offer!

  19. Definitely awesome. I agree that 2.2 is high, but since I’m not in this $$$ segment it would be out of range even in the 1.4-1.6 range.
    I’ll bookmark this place to come back to in 10 years :).

  20. Dig it also. Except…what up with the hot tub? This gorgeous space and architecture — then you Sawz-all a hole in the deck and drop in a cheap, self-contained hot tub?

  21. What’s with all the swooning over this? So it has an 80s curved metal roof, ooh! and aluminum storefront windows, woa! and exposed ducts, aah! Big friggin deal! It must be that the Bay Area is so chock full of mediocrity that this seems so amazing to you guys; when in reality its actually just plain decent design. You SocketSite readers need to get out more…

  22. Heh Andy, I heard that on NPR this morning and was just about to post that… 3x the Cancer risk due to all of the diesel fumes from the ships and trucks nearby. I wonder if HOA includes crates of air masks for going outside!

  23. This property is arguably not in West Oakland.
    It’s like saying dolores@24th is in the mission.
    You are going to get some arguments 🙂

    The study compares West Oakland (where poorer people live) to the oakland hills (evidently) without controlling for poverty:

    http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/28/health/main620164.shtml

    and that affects cancer, childhood asthma rates (lack of health care brings poor asthmatic children into emergency rooms).

    mpgelite: where do you get the “3 times cancer rate”? I read 3 times asthma rate for children, but again, unless they controlled for smoking, poverty — wealthy people’s asthmatic children generally don’t go to emergency rooms.

    I’m not arguing inhaling diesel isn’t bad (do I have to say this?), just claiming it’s not relevant here. So my guess is the HOA DO NOT include gas masks. Bitter haters 😉

  24. And let’s debate about the location anyway…the property itself makes me drool, but I would never leave in east bay.
    Big enough to play some serious sports in it.

  25. This place sucks!
    Oakland sucks!
    Look away, nothing to see here.
    You DEFINITELY do not want to move to Oakland. Its scary in Oakland, with lots and lots of scary people that will do bad things to you.
    Nope.
    Not Oakland, not for you savy folks.
    MUCH better to stick to safe and lovely San Francisco where the people are hip and young and pretty and smart. Unlike Oakland, for example, where everybody is fugly and there is nothing to do and no place cool to hang out.
    Just for clarity, DO NOT MOVE TO OAKLAND.
    Oakland has nothing to offer the fine folks of San Francisco.
    Please, for your own good, stay away.
    Thank you.

  26. why cant they create something this hot in san francisco. Is there a no hot clausse for SF? Or only in the 4mil + range?

  27. I almost bought this place several years ago. If it were not for the power station on one side and the cell site on the other side of the building I would be the current owner. There was another listing shortly after (probate) in the building where accordingly the owner had blown his head off. I guess my intuition that this was not a happy place was correct. Horrible Feng Shui aside this is a magnificent property. Jack London is a great place to live just not here as the buildings location is a bit off the beaten path. For all you think your cool $350 denim wearing Oakland haters while it is true Oakland has some violent areas Jack London is quite safe. We have lived here for 5 years and never had any issues. If you are looking you can find violence in any city even your beloved S.F.. This is the next China Basin. Go to http://www.oakto9th.com.

  28. Slow down folks and take heed. I moved here 5 yrs ago for a large Victorian on a huge lot and boy am I sorry now. The Oaktown Crips moved in next door 2 yrs ago and my life has been insane ever since. You should have been here the night I came home from work to find a SWAT Team on my front lawn. Ever try to eat dinner while you lie on the floor (stay down order) listening to copters circle overheard Not recommended.
    Until Oakland learns to police itself stay put in
    SF,wish I had. There may be some good news on the horizon, dude named Charlie Pine running for City Council, if he wins, he may actually get Oakland a bit of law and order….we’ll see.
    In the meantime, anyone intested in a large old house with a large old lot? Have I got a deal for you.

  29. This property is now an apple, I think: changed hands in just under a year. Original buyer paid $1.975M in Jul ’08, sold it for $1.675M in Jun ’09, per Redfin (and verified with original listing agent).
    Depreciation of -15.8% annualized.

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