Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California

Pacific Heights is an affluent neighborhood of San Francisco, California, on the north side of California Street in the city. Pacific Heights is located in one of the most scenic and park-like settings in Northern California, offering panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz and the Presidio. Its idyllic location provides a temperate micro-climate that is clearer, but not always warmer, than many other areas in San Francisco. The neighborhood extends from Presidio Avenue to Van Ness Avenue, and from California Street to Broadway. It is home to young urban professionals and some of San Francisco's wealthiest citizens.

Geography

Pacific Heights is located on the crest of one of San Francisco's seven hills, and lies 370 feet above sea level at its peak. Altogether, it covers 130 city blocks. The streets of Jackson, Pacific, and Broadway extend along some of the most scenic areas along the hilltop crest. The section of Broadway Street extending from Divisadero to Lyon Street is known as the "Gold Coast". Pacific Heights features two parks, Lafayette and Alta Plaza, each with spectacular views of the city. To the north of Pacific Heights, and easily visible from the top of the hill, are the Marin Headlands, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, as well as the Marina District. The neighborhood of Lower Pacific Heights, meaning the area located south of California Street down to Pine Street, was invented by real estate agents in the early 90s. It was formerly considered part of the Western Addition.

ZIP Codes: 94109, 94115

Population (2000 [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=86000US94123&_geoContext=01000US%7C86000US94123&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=&_zip=94115&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=860&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=DEC_2000_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=] ): 33,115

Male: 15,947 (48%)

Female: 17,168 (52%)

Housing units: 18,422

Single-family owner-occupied homes: 1,293

Elevation / Land area: 370 feet above sea level and covers 130 square blocks.

Water area: zero

Real estate

The neighborhood was first developed in the 1870s, with small Victorian homes built. Starting at the turn of the century, however, many were replaced with period homes. Still residential, the area is characterized by painted Victorians, chateaus and mansions. Many international consulates are located in San Francisco and several, including the consulate generals of The Russian Federation, Greece, Egypt, Vietnam, Italy, Germany and Indonesia, are located in Pacific Heights buildings. Today, there are also many consular residences in Pacific Heights, including the Consular Generals of The Kingdom of Norway (Normadie Street), Italy (Webster Street), Germany (Jackson Street) and France (Jackson Street). It also serves as home to many San Francisco's first families, as well as to successful entrepreneurs and artists.

The oldest building in Pacific Heights, located at 2475 Pacific Avenue, was built in 1853, though the majority of the neighborhood was built after the 1906 earthquake. The architecture of the neighborhood is varied; Victorian, Mission Revival, Edwardian, and Chateau styles are common.

hopping

Most of the neighborhood's boutiques and restaurants can be found along Fillmore Street, south of Pacific Avenue. Other businesses in Pacific Heights are located on California and Divisadero Streets, as well as on Van Ness Avenue.

Pacific Heights is also home to California Pacific Medical Center.

Adjacent neighborhoods are:
*Lower Pacific Heights, to the south, with California Street as the border.
*Japantown
*Polk Gulch, to the east, with Van Ness Avenue as the border.
*Presidio Heights and Presidio Park to the west, with Presidio Avenue (formerly Central Avenue) as the border.
*Cow Hollow to the north.
*Marina District, to the north of Cow Hollow (between Lombard Street and San Francisco Bay).

Transportation

Franklin and Gough Streets are often used as alternate routes to busy Van Ness, and Pine and Bush Streets are used as alternate routes to California Street. As for public transportation, the following Muni lines service the area: 1-California, 1BX-California 'B' Express, 3-Jackson, 12-Folsom/Pacific, 24-Divisadero and 22-Fillmore.

chools

Pacific heights is home to many middle and high schools.

Colleges, universities and graduate institutions

*Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, part of the University of the Pacific
*Academy of Art University
*University of San Francisco USF (Laurel Heights, Lone Mountain)

High schools

*San Francisco University High School
*Drew College Preparatory School
*Convent of the Sacred Heart High School
*Stuart Hall High School
*Metropolitan Arts and Technology High School

Middle schools

*The Hamlin School
*Town School for Boys
*San Francisco Waldorf School
*Convent of the Sacred Heart Elementary School
*Stuart Hall for Boys
*Newcomer High School

Trivia

*The house in the movie "Pacific Heights" is not in this neighborhood; it is in Potrero Hill.

Famous movies filmed in Pacific Heights

*"Allison Sidney Harrison" (1980)
*"Around the Fire" (1998)
*"Basic Instinct" (1992)
*"Bullitt" (1968)
*"The Conversation" (1974)
*"Days of Wine and Roses" (1962)
*"Dr. Dolittle" (1998)
*"Dr. Dolittle 2" (2001)
*"Foreign Correspondents" (1999)
*"Foul Play" (1978)
*"Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" (1967)
*"Guinevere" (1999)
*"Heart and Souls" (1993)
*"Mrs. Doubtfire" (1993) shows two Pacific Heights properties. The family house is a white Victorian located at 2640 Steiner Street. From his apartment located at 1200 Washington Street, Robin Williams's character has a panoramic view of the city.
*"The Navigator" (1924)
*"Nine Months" (1995)
*"Pacific Heights" (1990)
*"Pal Joey" (1957)
*"Portrait in Black" (1960)
*"The Princess Diaries" (2001)
*"So I Married an Axe Murderer" (1993)
*"Sudden Fear" (1952)
*"Sweet November (2001)
*"The Towering Inferno" (1974)
*"The Wedding Planner" (2001)
*"What's Up, Doc?" (1972)

Famous residents

The social elite includes many of San Francisco's first families, famous authors, business people, successful entrepreneurs, artists, musicians and even an actor or two who call Pacific Heights their home.

Current residents

*Larry Ellison (Broadway)
*Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Richard Blum (Vallejo at Lyon Street)
*Donald Fisher (Vallejo at Scott)
* Ann and Gordon Getty (Broadway)
*Don Johnson (Vallejo)
*Frank Jordan (Fillmore)
*Jessica McClintock
*Mimi Haas (relative by marriage of Walter A. Haas) (Jackson Street)
*Danielle Steel (Washington at Octavia)
*Paul Otellini
*Nancy Pelosi (Speaker of the United States House of Representatives)
*Lars Ulrich (Metallica)
*Michael Tilson Thomas (Conductor, Pierce St.)
*Barry Zito
*Michela Alioto-Pier, SF Board of Supervisor for District 2 (the Marina and Pacific Heights)

Former residents

*Francis Ford Coppola
*Gavin Newsom (2870 Pacific Avenue-sold on 02/25/2004 for $3,625,000)
*Sharon Stone
*Kirk Hammett (Metallica)
*Nicolas Cage vacated the house on Franklin Street once owned by Werner Erhard, the founder of EST.

ee also

*List of San Francisco, California Hills

External links

* [http://www.phra-sf.org Pacific Heights Residents Association]
* [http://www.sfgate.com/traveler/guide/sf/neighborhoods/pacheights.shtml The Chronicle's standing article about Pacific Heights]
* [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/05/CMGODFPVSO1.DTL The Perfect Pacific Heights Commute The Scene from Pacific Heights to Lucas Film in the Presidio]
* [http://www.flickr.com/groups/pacificheights/pool/ Flickr Photos of the Pacific Heights Neighborhood]