Embarcadero Lofts - 300 Beale (Image Source: NoeHill.com)

Designed by Frederick Meyer, founder of the California College of Arts and Crafts and known for his “innovative use of large glass areas,” 300 Beale was built for the Coffin-Redington Drug Company in 1937. Sixty years later, Embarcadero Lofts was born with MBH Architects leading the building’s conversion into 53 residential lofts.

300 Beale: Court

In 2001 the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places (for architecture and engineering). And this weekend, one of those 53 units (300 Beale #319) should hit the market listed for $845,000.

300 Beale: Living

The “down to the studs concrete” renovation of this 954 square foot one-bedroom features three hand made 500 pound steel and glass panels by South Park Fabricators (think Sand Studios), and plates of glass which can be individually replaced (not that we would, but think opaque for more privacy).

300 Beale: Bath

The luxury kitchen and bath truly are (think Italian marble, Waterworks tiles, and custom cabinets throughout); and the laundry “room” adjacent to kitchen (with Miele washer and dryer) is a nice touch.

No Sunday open houses (nor even Tuesday broker tours), so you’ll have to make do with the photos or make an appointment if you’re interested (please don’t shoot the messenger). Be sure to note the Cadillac cloth drapes (yes, as in the car) if you do (make an appointment that is).

[Full Disclosure: The listing agent for 300 Beale #319 advertises on SocketSite. And yes, we would have featured it regardless.]

27 thoughts on “Loft By Nature, Luxury By Design: Embarcadero Lofts (300 Beale)”
  1. this is a great building and a great coversion. the top level units are even more fantastic (2 story, balcony, >2200sq ft, most 2/2, some 3/2). one issue to be aware of, however, is construction. many of the surrounding sites that aren’t occupied by high rise building have plans to change that.

  2. I usually dislike lofts/industrial as they feel too cold for me, but I like this space a lot.
    lofts IN MY OPINION are often impractical unless one is single, and the layouts are often different. so I just go with that. the loft lover of course loves these things.
    I’m an old-fashioned mind-limited codger, so I ask questions like tv did, such as “where does the TV go? and “is that floor heated?” and “can one person go to bed while the other person watches TV or reads due to the light and noise since there are only those 2 glass doors separating the bed/livingroom?”.
    that said: most lofts don’t even have glass doors, so this bedroom is more of a bedroom than 95% of lofts that I’ve seen.
    overall I love it, and would love living there if I were 24 years old and single with really hot feet.

  3. How many single people can afford a $845,000 1-bdr condo? There are just so many properties in SF that are basically just for 1 person with a hefty salary. I realize that there are many high paying jobs in SF and the Bay, but there is a limit. When people buy these ridiculously-priced 1-bedrooms, they should post what they do for a living, haha. Just kidding, but seriously, how many people would pay $850,000 for a 1 bdr/1 ba, not me.

  4. From the exterior, it looks like it truly deserves to be on the National Register of Historic Places. . . of the Soviet Union.

  5. There is no accounting for taste (to be less than original.) This unit appears to have no view and no garage. The buyers will be paying fully for these interior fittings and decoration, which I admit appeal to many people. They are also buying a location. So the market will decide whether this is good value for money. Unlike many other lofts, and live-work spaces, this building is not among the slums of the future. It could be in almost any city, not especially San Francisco, and definitely not the SF of Herb Caen.

  6. I have been in this building many times as I used to live next door at the Avalon Towers (2004-2005)and went to any open house that came up here. While I really like the exterior and the top floor lofts that have roof balconies are really nice, all of the lower lowfts felt like caves. very little light comes in and the cement walls are depressing.
    also, a bit overpriced.

  7. Am a little surprised to see a 1 bed loft so prominently featured. Granted it’s clean and a nice remodel but at 845K for 1 bed and 1 bath.
    Am I too believe the average reader thinks this is a wise investment? This would have to sell for $900,000 minimum to break even after real estate commissions.
    Isn’t this the very type of property a savvy investor would RUN from in this market? Who can purchase this property down the road? Just single people, empty nesters and couples not expecting to grow in size. (meaning babies, not gaining weight). Add to that the abundance of new units in high rise buildings within a quarter of a mile and this appears to me to be a recipe for investing disaster.
    I’d invest my 875K in San Francisco right now – but not in a 1 bed / 1 bath loft.

  8. Have seen this units. Nice lofts but certainly many will have no view whatsoever in a few years.
    Once Infinity is finished, the parking lot to the East of 300 Beale (between 300 beale and infinity) will feature two 400′ towers….Not to mention the lot to the North is zoned just like the temporary transbay lot north of the infinity (a 50′ pedestal with a 300′ tower).

  9. Usually I like high-end loft properties, but this one just seems *too* luxe. Some of the appeal of a cool loft is the “ruggedness” of the space, which this one seems to lack, IMO.

  10. it is soooo funny that this was put up today. i was here last night! someone i met lives here. i was really impressed by his corner 2/2. the kitchen was really amazing, so were the bathrooms. one had a sink that blew me away. i dont know how long he has lived there, but EVERYthing is very down to the studs literally. but like i said the fit an finishes are stunning in the kitchens and bathrooms. the hallways are a bit odd in the sense that they are very long nd confusing. if you dont know your way its very easy to get lost… worth looking at.

  11. Well, I’m admittedly not a loft person. But of the lofts I’ve seen in this city, I have to say this building is among my favorites. Generally very well done and clean, although I have not seen this unit. 2 other thoughts:
    1) Location: lots of construction in the area, and in a few years, this will be the only 4-story building in the area, surrounded by highrises. Something for a long-term owner to consider.
    2) Value: Agreed with most above that this is seriously overpriced. There have been 2 previous sales of 954 square foot units in this building. One in January of ’05 for $599K, and one in August of ’03 for $465K. May or may not have been this unit (don’t have unit #s).
    In any case, the most recent sale in the building seems to be #408, which sold November of last year for $875K. And it was 1,379 square feet, so $634 per square foot.

  12. my friend owns in the building, and i can see how upgraded this unit is. WOW! look at those cool glass sliders…this is the ultimate swanky city pad. I like that these lofts are in a good neighborhood that you can walk around in comfortably, as opposed to some of the sketchy loft neighborhoods.
    And yes, the floors are heated in the building

  13. With Folsom lined up to be the retail spine of the Rincon Hill neighborhood and turned into a 2-way boulevard from the water to 2nd Street, you’ll certainly have a front seat at this building.
    The lots on the other side of Folsom will have towers on one corner, but I believe the rest are townhomes and maybe something in-between (podium?) on each block.

  14. RE: color
    As the noted architect Claude Stoller (of Marquis and Stoller) used to say, “If you get two people agreeing on color, one of them is colorblind and the other is a liar.”

  15. South Beach? Wow, no thank you. Huge million-dollar views of an iconic San Francisco eyesore: One Rincon Hill. If you’re going South Beach, you might as well choose the Brannan. At least, while in your unit you forget where you live.

  16. i think the view in the other direction, are much more blocked by the Infinity towers. Personally i would hate to stare at the Infiniti Towers every day. I think they are much more of a sore thumb than ORH.

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