Elena Barbagelata Presents
A Presidio Heights Property
That Truly Has it All
3940-3942 Clay Street, San Francisco
|$7,998,000
All Property Photos
Architecturally stunning and set in one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in San Francisco, Presidio Heights, 3940-3942 Clay Street is a distinguished 1908 Edwardian duplex designed by noted European-born architect August Nordin, well known for San Francisco’s landmark Swedish American Hall on Market Street. Fabulously maintained and cherished for more than 40 years by its interior designer owner, this is the kind of property that seldom becomes available, an enduring piece of San Francisco’s architectural heritage, rich with character and presence.
Soaring ceilings, beautiful hardwood floors, exquisite stained and beveled glass, original millwork, built-in cabinetry, wood-burning fireplaces, a private garden, rooftop deck, and garage parking for two cars are just the beginning.
The expansive owner's residence occupies the top floor and has wonderful scale and proportion. An elegant foyer leads to a grand dining room with light-stained wood floors that flow beautifully into a lavish living room with a wood-burning fireplace, overlooking views across the city toward wooded Parnassus Heights. The open, airy eat-in kitchen is filled with natural light and finished with quartz counters, stone tile floors, stainless steel appliances, a gas range, and a wonderfully inviting layout that allows the cooking area to face the dining space. Designed as much for gathering as for everyday living, it has long served as another natural entertaining area of the home, with a charming center garden patio just beyond. Also on this main level, at the end of a private hallway, are two bright bedrooms with hardwood floors overlooking the garden below, along with a handsome remodeled bathroom with a walk-in shower and separate water closet.
The upper level is devoted to a private second living area. The primary bedroom features a cozy built-in window seat, beautiful hardwood floors, and an adjacent full bathroom with jetted tub. The second living room is more intimate and private, with west-facing windows looking out toward the Pacific Ocean and the peaceful Byzantine-inspired Temple Emanu-El. From this upper living area there is access to an extraordinary rooftop deck with expansive views that feels more like something you might find atop a glamorous residence in Paris, Rome, or Milan. It is also a wonderful place for morning coffee, a workout in the fresh air under the open sky, starting a rooftop garden, and most certainly evening cocktails above the city.
The lower residence echoes much of the gracious scale and character of the owner’s unit, with a generous living room and dining room, and a kitchen that opens to the private backyard. There are two bedrooms, a full bathroom, and a separate water closet. Beyond the two residences, there is still more to discover.
Set on an exceptionally deep lot, the property includes an additional flexible lower level live/work unit, a workshop area, the building’s original boiler room and two car garage. A long breezeway, complete with a custom painted mural on the fence lining the alleyway, leads to the enclosed backyard, filled with greenery, palms, and a flagstone patio, adding to the remarkable sense of depth, privacy, and discovery found throughout the building.
And then there is the neighborhood. The Presidio, part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, is practically at your doorstep, with miles of trails, open space, and some of the most beautiful scenery in San Francisco. Laurel Village, Sacramento Street, and Clement Street are all close by for everyday shopping, restaurants, coffee, and neighborhood favorites. Exceptionally walkable and with convenient public transportation nearby, the location also offers easy access to downtown, the beaches, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Marin, while this part of Presidio Heights still feels intimate and removed from the rush of the city. It is hard to think of another San Francisco location that puts so much within such easy reach.
An exclusive opportunity awaits the future buyer of this remarkable property, a residence of this caliber, held and cared for over generations, is seldom available. The vacant owner’s residence is ready for its next chapter, offering the freedom to shape and personalize a truly exceptional home, while the additional units provide established tenancy and steady income. It is a property that balances beauty and practicality with ease, offering both an inspiring place to live and a meaningful long-term investment.
Soaring ceilings, beautiful hardwood floors, exquisite stained and beveled glass, original millwork, built-in cabinetry, wood-burning fireplaces, a private garden, rooftop deck, and garage parking for two cars are just the beginning.
The expansive owner's residence occupies the top floor and has wonderful scale and proportion. An elegant foyer leads to a grand dining room with light-stained wood floors that flow beautifully into a lavish living room with a wood-burning fireplace, overlooking views across the city toward wooded Parnassus Heights. The open, airy eat-in kitchen is filled with natural light and finished with quartz counters, stone tile floors, stainless steel appliances, a gas range, and a wonderfully inviting layout that allows the cooking area to face the dining space. Designed as much for gathering as for everyday living, it has long served as another natural entertaining area of the home, with a charming center garden patio just beyond. Also on this main level, at the end of a private hallway, are two bright bedrooms with hardwood floors overlooking the garden below, along with a handsome remodeled bathroom with a walk-in shower and separate water closet.
The upper level is devoted to a private second living area. The primary bedroom features a cozy built-in window seat, beautiful hardwood floors, and an adjacent full bathroom with jetted tub. The second living room is more intimate and private, with west-facing windows looking out toward the Pacific Ocean and the peaceful Byzantine-inspired Temple Emanu-El. From this upper living area there is access to an extraordinary rooftop deck with expansive views that feels more like something you might find atop a glamorous residence in Paris, Rome, or Milan. It is also a wonderful place for morning coffee, a workout in the fresh air under the open sky, starting a rooftop garden, and most certainly evening cocktails above the city.
The lower residence echoes much of the gracious scale and character of the owner’s unit, with a generous living room and dining room, and a kitchen that opens to the private backyard. There are two bedrooms, a full bathroom, and a separate water closet. Beyond the two residences, there is still more to discover.
Set on an exceptionally deep lot, the property includes an additional flexible lower level live/work unit, a workshop area, the building’s original boiler room and two car garage. A long breezeway, complete with a custom painted mural on the fence lining the alleyway, leads to the enclosed backyard, filled with greenery, palms, and a flagstone patio, adding to the remarkable sense of depth, privacy, and discovery found throughout the building.
And then there is the neighborhood. The Presidio, part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, is practically at your doorstep, with miles of trails, open space, and some of the most beautiful scenery in San Francisco. Laurel Village, Sacramento Street, and Clement Street are all close by for everyday shopping, restaurants, coffee, and neighborhood favorites. Exceptionally walkable and with convenient public transportation nearby, the location also offers easy access to downtown, the beaches, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Marin, while this part of Presidio Heights still feels intimate and removed from the rush of the city. It is hard to think of another San Francisco location that puts so much within such easy reach.
An exclusive opportunity awaits the future buyer of this remarkable property, a residence of this caliber, held and cared for over generations, is seldom available. The vacant owner’s residence is ready for its next chapter, offering the freedom to shape and personalize a truly exceptional home, while the additional units provide established tenancy and steady income. It is a property that balances beauty and practicality with ease, offering both an inspiring place to live and a meaningful long-term investment.
Property Details
Bedrooms
5
Bathrooms
5
Square Feet
5,530 sq ft
Neighborhood
Presidio Heights, San Francisco
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Floor Plans
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Neighborhood
If you like Pacific Heights, but don't like the pretension, then Presidio Heights is for you. Although some of the grandest homes in San Francisco can be found here, like those harbored within the gated community of Presidio Terrace, this section of the city is one of the most family-friendly you will come across. On sunny days, all shapes of families can be found spreading blankets across the hills of Presidio Park, laying out exquisite picnics and taking in the sun.
Nearby Julius Kahn playground makes for extensive romping for boys and girls. Plentiful choices in neighborhood schools helps to add a certain ease when it comes to raising a family here. Some of the best schools in California, placing local students in the top tiers of competitive education, call Presidio Heights home.
Presidio Heights offers homes for sale that are some of the most pristine properties in San Francisco. Many of the older homes are complete with front and back yards, and offer stately 2 storey living quarters that are unequaled in elegance. Known primarily as a residential neighborhood, there are plentiful shopping opportunities to be found in the adjacent Laurel district.
This part of town is known for its ecumenical viewpoint. The Jewish synagogue Temple Emanuel sits just around the corner from the Little Sisters of the Poor on Lake Street. The Jewish Community Center, further down California Street, welcomes all to its top-notch health facility and nightly performance series of dance, music, and theater. Loads of ethnic and local fare can be found along the sidewalks as well. High end restaurants fill Sacramento Street along with the techno ambiance of upscale bars and clubs. Presidio Heights hits all the high notes when it comes to livability.
Nearby Julius Kahn playground makes for extensive romping for boys and girls. Plentiful choices in neighborhood schools helps to add a certain ease when it comes to raising a family here. Some of the best schools in California, placing local students in the top tiers of competitive education, call Presidio Heights home.
Presidio Heights offers homes for sale that are some of the most pristine properties in San Francisco. Many of the older homes are complete with front and back yards, and offer stately 2 storey living quarters that are unequaled in elegance. Known primarily as a residential neighborhood, there are plentiful shopping opportunities to be found in the adjacent Laurel district.
This part of town is known for its ecumenical viewpoint. The Jewish synagogue Temple Emanuel sits just around the corner from the Little Sisters of the Poor on Lake Street. The Jewish Community Center, further down California Street, welcomes all to its top-notch health facility and nightly performance series of dance, music, and theater. Loads of ethnic and local fare can be found along the sidewalks as well. High end restaurants fill Sacramento Street along with the techno ambiance of upscale bars and clubs. Presidio Heights hits all the high notes when it comes to livability.
Elena Barbagelata
BarbCo Real Estate
Realtor®
- DRE:
- #01215417
- Mobile:
- 415.706.1116
- Office:
- 415.566-1112
- Fax:
- 415.566.1204
https://elenabarbagelatarealestate.com/
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Elena Barbagelata
BarbCo Real Estate
Realtor®
- DRE:
- #01215417
- Mobile:
- 415.706.1116
- Office:
- 415.566-1112
- Fax:
- 415.566.1204