Hot off the press: 1899 SF 'anti-Victorian' in Cow Hollow for sale for the first time in 50 years.
Thank you Anna Maria Erwert at SFgate.com for the feature.
An experct from the article: "When 2590 Union St. was build in 1899, it was bucking the main building trend in San Francisco at the time. Its design is the work of architect Newton J. Tharp, and its clean stately lines and unembellished shingle exterior exemplify Tharp's decidedly anti-Victorian aestectic. While this look would help shape the city after the earthquake and fire of 1906, it was novel at the time."
"Tharp was not a fan of Vicotiran architecture," said listing agent Max Armour of Compass. "He felt that style to be presumptuous and preferred a more simple, digified style. He had a long career in the city and held a lot of sway in the design of this city, especially after the great quake."
Tharp’s unembellished style shows clearly inside the 4,990-square-foot home. From the entry through the formal dining room and up the balustraded stairway, exposed beams and wood framing are antithetical to Victorian ostentatiousness. His uncomplicated, quietly impressive intentions have been well preserved in this five-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom home, though modern touches in the large kitchen, luxury bathrooms, and the top-level roof deck bring this century-old home firmly into 2023.
The property, resting on a garden-filled 0.75-acre lot, offers both iconic city views and iconic city history. Its clean, simple facade embellished only by leaded glass and dark wood accents, offers a preserved representation of his style. Tharp studied at the San Francisco School of Design and traveled throughout Europe to round out his architectural education. These experiences led him to an affinity with Edwardian, Tudor and craftsman design; the pageantry of Victorian architecture, to Tharp, was showy and pretentious.
A prolific producer of homes and buildings in San Francisco, Tharp was first employed by Edward R. Swain. According to Newton J Tharp’s obituary, when Swain died, it was Tharp who “perfected the plans for the present ferry building.” He went on to design numerous iconic municipal buildings, as well as many private homes.
During his lifetime, Tharp was a member of the American Institute of Architects and served as director of the San Francisco Art Institute.
At the time of his death, Tharp was city architect of San Francisco (during his tenure he designed the Hall of Justice as well as the Dewey Monument in Union Square, the Grant Building and the Sloane Building, among others). In all of these municipal structures, we see the same clean, classic design we find in 2590 Union, a style he spent decades creating and perfecting in the Bay Area.
Enjoy today's 2590 Union Street Tour proudly presented by Max Armour here:
See more details about this home here, 2590 Union St.
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