Prominent venture capitalist Tim Draper and his wife Melissa have brought their luxurious penthouse in San Francisco to market. The property in Nob Hill, which they owned for over 15 years, is being offered at a price of $5.2 million. The couple acquired the nearly 3,000 square foot residence in 2010 for $3.5 million.
The penthouse boasts a remarkable history, having once been owned by newspaper publisher Randolph Apperson Hearst and his wife Catherine Wood Campbell Hearst. Their daughter, actress Patty Hearst, spent part of the 1970s there while awaiting bail for her controversial bank robbery conviction. The residence, imbued with this historic past, is located on the top floor of the Beaux-Arts building designed by Houghton Sawyer in 1914.
Property features and amenities
The penthouse spans 2,980 square feet of interior space and additionally offers 4,693 square feet of exterior areas. It comprises two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and one half bathroom. Features include a curved stained-glass skylight, a wood-panelled library, and a private office that can also serve as a third bedroom. A distinctive copper hood in the kitchen and two walk-out terraces are also among its special characteristics.
- —Curved stained-glass skylight
- —Wood-panelled library
- —Private office or optional third bedroom
- —Copper extractor hood in the kitchen
- —Two walk-out terraces
- —Views of Nob Hill and San Francisco Bay
- —24-hour concierge service and lift access
Upon entering the penthouse, visitors are greeted by a marble-laid foyer framed by arched mirrored panels and layered ornamentation, before a short staircase leads into the main living area. In the living room, the ceiling rises under a large, curved stained-glass skylight, while floor-to-ceiling French doors open the room directly onto a private balcony.
A wood-panelled library, currently serving as an intimate family room, adjoins. Here, dark wood envelops the walls around a curved window alcove, complemented by a leather sofa and two lounge chairs opposite a marble fireplace. Sliding doors connect the library to a private office, which can be flexibly arranged as a third bedroom. The formal dining room, with a dark round table and a glass chandelier under a recessed ceiling, presents elegantly. An antique French dresser with carved woodwork and glass fronts adorns one wall.
Reasons for the sale
The kitchen is characterised by a darker colour scheme, with glossy black cabinets and stainless steel appliances. At its centre is a compact butcher block work table on a black and white chequered floor. A large-format copper hood above the cooking area creates a warm metallic contrast to the black cabinets and light stone splashback. The guest suite, directly adjacent to the kitchen, is compact and functionally designed, while the luxurious master suite offers a large sleeping area with French doors to two separate balconies.
Tim Draper and his wife are selling the penthouse as they no longer use it enough to justify its ownership. Draper's focus remains on Draper Associates, Draper University, and his startup investment show 'Meet the Drapers'. For the next owner, the residence represents far more than a penthouse in a classic Beaux-Arts building; it offers luxurious interiors, private balconies, a light-filled living room, and a flexible layout, all connected with a unique history of the Hearst family.
