April 18, 2008

We Provide The Photo, Address And Floor Plan, You Provide The 'Teur

153 Avila:Kitchen

From the listing: “Literally a restaurateur's kitchen.” And so now we have to ask, who knows which one? And as such we have to wonder, isn't that stove a tad far from the sink? You know, the nine-foot triangle and all.

153 Avila: Floor Plan

UPDATE: Damn you're good. The restaurant(s) would be Isa (of which we're fans) and Domo (at which we've never eaten). And the ‘teur, Luke Sung.

UPDATE: Unfortunately the floor plans attached to the listing are a bit distorted (note the half-bath). And as a plugged-in reader notes, "the lower floor extends out to the edge of the terrace above."

UPDATE (4/21): And fortunately, a plugged-in tipster forwards more precise floor plans for the readers to peruse.

UPDATE (5/16): 153 Avila closed escrow on 5/15 with a reported contract price of $2,975,000 (10.4% over asking).

∙ Listing: 153 Avila (3/2.5) - $2,695,000 [153avila.com] [MLS]
The Kitchen Work Triangle [merillat.com]

First Published: April 18, 2008 1:44 PM

Comments from "Plugged In" Readers

Never mind the working triangle, how about trying to use that half bath!

Posted by: Olive Oil at April 18, 2008 2:41 PM

Iron Chef Morimoto?

Posted by: bird_man at April 18, 2008 2:41 PM

Famous restaurateur, huh? Hmmm...let me guess: is it Lee, from Lee's Deli?

Posted by: Dude at April 18, 2008 3:00 PM

If you look carefully you can see that the plan is distorted at the two baths (stretched out). I walked around this place and it's a normal bath and powder room.

Posted by: david at April 18, 2008 3:05 PM

Luke Sung (Isa)

Posted by: JB at April 18, 2008 3:56 PM

It's Luke Sung's house (Isa restaurant)

Posted by: pete at April 18, 2008 3:57 PM

Another thing incorrect about the plans: the lower floor extends out to the edge of the terrace above.

Posted by: soapbox derby at April 18, 2008 4:03 PM

Don't forget about Domo!

Posted by: gmlight at April 18, 2008 4:14 PM

And the stairs don't line up. Funny, I'd have thought you'd expect more from Sotheby's.

Posted by: david at April 18, 2008 4:33 PM

Now we have the photoshopped floor plans to go with the photoshopped photographs.

Drawing to scale is so 1990's.

Posted by: redseca2 at April 18, 2008 4:36 PM

I love the double doors and terrace off the back. Wish more houses around here had them.

Posted by: Michael at April 18, 2008 4:43 PM

I love it! I would buy it, if I had the money. I just don't have 2 million lying around, :-(

Posted by: Kevin at April 18, 2008 5:20 PM

The kitchen is on the big side, but that kind of layout works well if you cook with other people or a oversize ego.

Posted by: Mole Man at April 18, 2008 5:28 PM

Wow you guys are harsh today. It's a great looking house on a street well-known for gravity-defying prices. But all the comments about the floor plans seem justified.

I'm very familiar with this type of layout - the way they've remodeled has a couple of disadvantages:
1) It's probably debatable whether that's really a two car garage. probably just 2 minis.
2) the reduction in size of the 2 bedrooms on the main level leaves the owner forced to use the downstairs bedroom as the master. won't that alienate some buyers who don't want to sleep on a concrete floor?
3) no windows in the bathrooms but looks like skylights. either there was a light well that was taken away or there never were windows.

Regardless, the price for Avila street is typical and it probably sells for 2.5.

Posted by: resp at April 18, 2008 5:52 PM

" Another thing incorrect about the plans: the lower floor extends out to the edge of the terrace above."

Which would probably explain the Escher-esque alignment of the rear stair. The front stair also looks slightly misaligned but less so.

Posted by: kaya at April 19, 2008 3:33 PM

"The kitchen is on the big side, but that kind of layout works well if you cook with other people or a oversize ego."

Big kitchen = Big ego?

Dumb comment = Dumb poster

The guys an accomplished chef. I guess it's easy to flame people when one hasn't accomplished much themself.

Posted by: kk at April 20, 2008 12:19 AM

I usually find Sotheby's marketing to be less than the name brand conjures as well.

Posted by: fluj at April 20, 2008 7:56 AM

Congrats to Chef Sung! There are many examples of early 30 year olds who live in million+ SFH in SF, and this is just another one of them. He started his own restaurant at 26, and is living the American dream. Hard work, and dedication, not complaining as to why the world is so unfair.

Posted by: [prime] at April 21, 2008 6:26 PM

Resp - I believe this house will go for at least $2.6million. just look at 451 Avila, asking $2.281 million, and just sold for $2.8 million with 9 bidders. There's definitely high demand in this area of SF.

Posted by: [prime] at April 21, 2008 6:46 PM

Yeah I saw it this weekend and admit it probably goes for asking. Very impressive.

Somehow the owners got the neighbors to let them add square footage by filling in two lightwells (note no windows in kitchen, baths, and DR). Whoever fixed the drawings did a good job but i'm still skeptical whether yuppie buyers can fit their two cars in the garage (bimmers or land rovers). OK 2.6 works - still have to give it a slight discount for having to sleep on the ground level.

Posted by: resp at April 21, 2008 7:07 PM

Sweet Tjasha Owen Painting on the back wall of the kitchen! I'll guess...Craig Stoll & his wife from Del Fina ?

Posted by: Art Tiste at April 22, 2008 4:39 PM

Does anyone know what this is in escrow for?

Posted by: ss at May 2, 2008 8:29 PM

153 Avila closed escrow yesterday (5/15) with a reported contract price of $2,975,000 (10.4% over asking).

Posted by: SocketSite at May 16, 2008 9:15 AM

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