Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s Former Apartment Building in San Francisco Lists for $8 Million
The hillside location boasts views of both the bay and the city, set along the eastern slope of Telegraph Hill
A San Francisco apartment building that was once home to famed artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera has hit the market for $8 million. Located at 36-52 Calhoun Terrace, the hillside edifice was originally constructed in the late 1930s and was known as the Hoeffler Building. According to the listing, “the property is believed to be unlike any other in San Francisco, designed to step dramatically down the hillside in the manner of a Swiss mountainside apartment building.”
Kahlo and Rivera lived here from 1939 to 1940, in Unit 42. It was during this timeframe that Rivera created Pan American Unity, a celebrated mural that is currently in storage at the City College of San Francisco (CCSF). It is set to be installed in the Diego Rivera Performing Arts Center, which broke ground earlier this year and will be located on CCSF’s Ocean Campus.
This artwork was made during the 1940 Golden Gate International Exposition at Treasure Island in San Francisco. It was the centerpiece of the “Art in Action” exhibit, during which the general public was able to watch various artists create artworks right before their eyes.
“Properties of this caliber rarely come to market,” Jean-Paul Samaha, the property’s exclusive listing agent, tells Galerie. “With breathtaking San Francisco Bay and downtown views from every residence, an extraordinary Telegraph Hill location, exceptional architectural significance, and the unique distinction of having housed Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, Calhoun Terrace stands apart. Coupled with its exceptional investment qualities, it is truly one of San Francisco’s premier trophy properties.”
In total, the building consists of 11 residences, each with distinct features, including a private outdoor space overlooking the San Francisco Bay and skyline. The only other structure on the lower Calhoun Terrace is the Richard Neutra-designed Kahn House. Additionally, this apartment building has appeared in several movies, artworks, and photographs, including the 1952 noir film The Sniper.
