Feinstein's $16.5 million view in Pacific Heights
- Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross
Sunday, January 29, 2006

Sen. Dianne Feinstein and her mega-millionaire husband, Richard Blum, are pulling up stakes on their quiet Presidio Terrace home and moving uptown to a Pacific Heights mansion -- with views to die for.

The $16.5 million mansion -- which sits at the foot of Vallejo Street, between the Presidio and some of the city's most hoity-toity addresses -- offers a sweeping view of the bay.

It's right off what Herb Caen christened the "Gold Rush" -- the final two blocks of upper, upper Broadway, where the residents include Ann and Gordon Getty, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, and Mimi Haas -- as in the Levi Strauss Haases.

"And everyone is extending a warm welcome,'' said former Mayor Willie Brown, who hangs with the hill crowd. "They figure it will mean better homeland security."

The very hush-hush house sale, we're told, was finalized within the past three weeks. Workers are busy fixing up the place and installing new recessed lighting before Feinstein and Blum move in.

For the past two decades, San Francisco's top power couple has lived in the shadow of Temple Emanu-El -- on the very private and swank Presidio Terrace, just off Arguello Boulevard -- where they've hosted everyone from reporters to presidents.

The house, which has yet to go on the market, comes complete with a flagpole.

So why the big move?

"We've never had a view, and this was an opportunity to get one,'' Feinstein said Friday. "We also have an expanding family -- five grandchildren and soon to be a sixth -- and we needed some more space.''

Their new, 9,500-square-foot mansion -- once owned by the former wife of "Star Wars" creator George Lucas and featured as the 1995 San Francisco Decorator's Showcase -- offers much more than just picture-postcard vistas.

The four-story abode, which has sat empty for the past couple of years, has five bedrooms (including two master suites), three fireplaces, an elevator, a wine cellar and an in-law apartment.

"It's a very gorgeous, gorgeous property -- a very special home,'' says Sotheby's agent Pattie Lawton, who represented the sellers, a couple she declined to name.

The sellers never actually lived in the house, which they bought in 2004. The price then wasn't disclosed, but real estate industry sources said they believe it was close to its appraised value of $12 million.

One big curiosity is the garden just off the front entrance that is actually part of the Lyon Street steps, a favorite of joggers, walkers and camera clickers.

At night, the 332 steps are also a popular hangout for teenagers to sneak a drink or two.

This is hardly Blum and Feinstein's only real estate undertaking in recent years. Five years ago, they traded in their five-story townhouse in Washington, D.C., for a nearly $6 million, French Renaissance-style estate in the Spring Valley neighborhood, just down the street from American University.

A couple of years earlier, they built themselves a $7.4 million ski retreat on 30 acres in Aspen, Colo., just down the road from the 15-bedroom pleasure palace of a Saudi prince.

No word yet on if -- or where -- the flagpole will go up on the new digs.

More home views: Speaking of home, Sen. Feinstein was undoubtedly feeling heat from the West Coast before announcing Friday that she would support a floor filibuster against Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito after all.

Just a couple of weeks back, Feinstein said she probably wouldn't support a move to block the nomination, unless Alito turned out to be guilty of some "moral turpitude.''

But by Friday, Feinstein apparently had heard the message loud and clear from constituents urging her to support the filibuster.

"It was very strong in terms of Californians contacting us in support of the filibuster,'' Feinstein spokesman Howard Gantman told us.


www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/01/29/MNR.TMP

Maybe a grandfather clock will fall down the stairs and on top of her during the move.

tag

That rich idiot prolly has a bulletproof house

No word yet on if -- or where -- the flagpole will go up on the new digs.

I have a VERY good idea where that flagpole can go...

I think it is clear that anyone that spends $16.5 million on one residence knows exactly what your day-to-day life is like and what you need/don't need.

G

It's a safe bet the flagpole never saw much use....

I had no idea that she has that much money!  

i hope a quake hits the house

Quoted: i hope a quake NUKE hits the house

Fixed.

Good god I hate that bitch more than any other politician in the world.  Even more than Hitlery.  

Quoted: I had no idea that she has that much money!

Funny, isnt it?  They never seem to let it slip the they are some of the richest in the 'gov.   The Dems are for the poor little guy.  I guess they should know, 'cuz that's who's cleaning their shitters and doing the laundry.  Looks like a plantation, I wonder if she will have any "colored" folks working there.

Wonder if she's looking for extra cash to help her fight off Sheehan in the next election.


-K

Yup.  Mainstream all right...

BTW:  37*47'37"N  122*26'47"W

Google Earth is cool...

Quoted: Quoted: i hope a quake NUKE hits the house Fixed.

i originally said I hope it burns....but im tryin to be nice

May a mudslide take out thier new home

Nice place.

A real democrat would give it to the needy...

Seems Richard Blum once owned Ringling Bros.  Maybe DiFi was working the sideshow?

Bio of Blum

The Democrat Party: For the little people. like you!

I'm speechless.