A storied Nob Hill penthouse once associated with Patty Hearst is back on the market, with venture capitalist Tim Draper and his wife, Melissa, asking $5.2 million for the historic San Francisco residence.
For a buyer drawn to properties with provenance, 1001 California Street, No. 7, offers an unusually layered story. The nearly 3,000-square-foot residence occupies the highest full floor of a 1914 Beaux-Arts building designed by Bay Area architect Houghton Sawyer. It has also been linked to one of San Francisco’s most closely followed families and one of the city’s most notorious legal sagas of the 1970s.
Draper and his wife purchased the penthouse for $3.5 million in 2010 and have held it for more than 15 years. Now, the residence is being offered at $5.2 million, or about $1,745 per square foot, with Grazia Bennett and Mary Lou Castellanos of Sotheby’s International Realty representing the sale.
For californialuxuryhouses, the appeal of the property goes beyond the price tag. It is the combination of architecture, ownership history, San Francisco pedigree and a highly unusual piece of American history that makes this Nob Hill address stand apart from a typical luxury condominium.
A 1914 Nob Hill Landmark With a Rare Full-Floor Residence
The building at 1001 California Street dates to 1914, when Houghton Sawyer designed it in the Haussmann tradition that drew inspiration from the grand stone architecture and urban planning of 19th-century Paris.
Its pale, almost toasted-cream exterior is marked by carved stonework, glass details, bay windows and wrought-iron balconies. Inside Residence 7, the architectural language continues with marble, dark wood, curved windows, formal rooms and elaborate detailing.
The penthouse occupies the entire top floor, giving it a level of privacy that is increasingly difficult to find in historic San Francisco buildings.
Grazia Bennett explained to SFGATE that the building’s Haussmann architecture takes its name from Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann, whose work transformed Paris under Napoleon III. Bennett also noted an especially unusual piece of the building’s history: there was originally a pool on the roof.
That detail is no longer part of the property, but it underscores how unconventional 1001 California Street was when it was conceived.
The residence itself measures approximately 2,980 square feet and includes two bedrooms in the current configuration, two full bathrooms and a powder room. A private office can also function as a third bedroom, giving the floor plan additional flexibility.
A Home With a Patty Hearst Connection
The property’s historical provenance is perhaps its most unusual feature.
In the 1970s, Patty Hearst lived in the penthouse with her parents, Randolph Apperson Hearst and Catherine Wood Campbell Hearst, after her release on bail while legal proceedings surrounding her bank robbery conviction continued.
Hearst’s story had already become one of the most closely watched American criminal cases of the era following her 1974 kidnapping by members of the Symbionese Liberation Army. After her arrest and conviction, her release on bail in 1976 brought her back to San Francisco and to her parents’ Nob Hill residence.
Contemporary reporting from the period places Hearst at her parents’ Nob Hill apartment after her release, while more recent reporting by SFGATE specifically identifies 1001 California Street, No. 7, as the residence where she lived during that period.
That history gives the penthouse an unusual distinction. It is not simply an old San Francisco residence with an impressive architectural pedigree. It is a property whose walls were part of a very public chapter in the city’s history.
Tim Draper’s 15-Year Ownership Comes to an End
Draper’s ownership began in 2010, when he and Melissa purchased the penthouse for $3.5 million.
Public property records and listing histories show that the residence had previously traded for $2.9725 million in 2006 and $3.25 million in 1998. Earlier records also show a 1994 sale at roughly $1.3 million. The property was subsequently marketed at several points before Draper’s purchase, including a 2004 listing at $4.5 million and a 2005 listing at $3.675 million.
The latest sale therefore represents another chapter in a long transaction history for one of Nob Hill’s more recognizable residences.
Draper’s reason for selling, however, appears considerably simpler than the property’s history might suggest.
In a post promoting the listing, the venture capitalist wrote that he and his wife were selling their San Francisco home because it had a “great location, great views, beautiful place,” but “we weren’t using it.”
That straightforward explanation fits the broader trajectory of Draper’s career. The founder of Draper Associates has spent decades investing in technology companies and building businesses around entrepreneurship. His professional portfolio has included early investments associated with companies such as Hotmail, Baidu, Skype, Tesla, SpaceX and Twitch, while Draper University and the entrepreneur-focused Meet the Drapers have become extensions of his interest in startups and innovation.
For the next owner, however, the penthouse represents a very different kind of long-term proposition: a piece of historic San Francisco architecture with an unusually well-documented lineage.
Inside the Penthouse
The entrance opens into a marble-lined foyer, where curved staircases lead toward the main living level.
The living room is the visual centerpiece. A curved stained-glass skylight rises above the room, filtering daylight into an interior anchored by a marble fireplace. Doors along the rear open onto a private terrace, bringing San Francisco’s cityscape into the living experience.
A richly wood-paneled library sits nearby. Built-in cabinetry, a curved window bay and another fireplace give the room the character of a traditional private club or old-world study, although the current owners have also used it as a family room.
Pocket doors connect the library with a private office that can be converted into a third bedroom. That flexibility is particularly useful for a buyer who wants a dedicated workspace without sacrificing guest accommodations.
The formal dining room continues the more theatrical side of the residence. A large antique French china cabinet occupies much of one wall, while a chandelier hangs above the dining area.
The kitchen takes a darker, more contemporary direction. Black cabinetry, stone surfaces and stainless-steel appliances are paired with an oversized copper hood that becomes one of the room’s strongest decorative elements.
The primary suite occupies another portion of the floor and opens through French doors to private terraces. The accompanying bathroom combines dark marble, wood cabinetry and brass fixtures, while a separate bathing area features a built-in tub beneath a curved window.
The result is a home that does not attempt to erase its age. Instead, its contemporary comforts sit alongside the original architectural character.
Two Terraces and Views Across Nob Hill
Outdoor space is one of the residence’s most compelling features.
Two walk-out terraces extend the penthouse beyond its interior rooms, with views across Nob Hill and toward San Francisco Bay. From the primary suite, a covered terrace provides a more intimate setting, while the living room terrace creates an obvious extension for entertaining.
Mary Lou Castellanos described the property as “a rare opportunity” in one of San Francisco’s prestigious full-service buildings, emphasizing its Nob Hill setting and proximity to the Fairmont and Huntington Park.
The building also offers 24-hour door service and elevator access. Current listing information shows monthly homeowners association dues of $5,432, covering building services and common-area maintenance.
The building has also undergone substantial capital work. In a February 2026 San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting, Melissa Draper, speaking as the building’s HOA secretary, said the property had recently gone through a four-year, multimillion-dollar renovation addressing issues including water intrusion. That provides additional context for the building’s ongoing maintenance and preservation.
Living on San Francisco’s Nob Hill
Location is another major part of the penthouse’s appeal.
Nob Hill remains one of San Francisco’s most recognizable residential districts, positioned above the downtown core and surrounded by some of the city’s most important historic hotels, churches, clubs and cultural landmarks.
San Francisco Travel describes the neighborhood as a meeting point for several major destinations, with Chinatown and the Financial District to the east and Fisherman’s Wharf to the north. The California Street cable car line runs through the neighborhood, providing one of the city’s most distinctive forms of public transportation.
Huntington Park sits directly across California Street from Grace Cathedral, offering residents a rare patch of greenery in the middle of the hilltop district. The Fairmont San Francisco is just a short walk away, while the InterContinental Mark Hopkins and its Top of the Mark lounge add another layer of hospitality and dining to the neighborhood.
Dining options range from the legendary Tonga Room at the Fairmont to restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Nob Hill and nearby Polk Street. San Francisco Travel highlights Top of the Mark for its panoramic views, while contemporary neighborhood guides point to an increasingly diverse restaurant scene.
Shopping and everyday services are similarly accessible. Polk Street provides neighborhood-oriented retail and dining, while Union Square’s larger concentration of luxury shopping is within easy reach downhill. Chinatown is also close enough to become part of everyday life rather than merely a tourist destination.
For residents who prefer to leave the car behind, the location is particularly compelling. Nob Hill’s central position puts many restaurants, hotels, parks and cultural attractions within walking distance, while buses and cable cars connect the hill to the rest of San Francisco.
A $5.2 Million Piece of San Francisco History
At $5.2 million, 1001 California Street, No. 7, is considerably more than another luxury condominium entering the San Francisco market.
Its value proposition is built around scarcity: a full-floor residence inside a 1914 Beaux-Arts landmark, original architectural details, private terraces, city and bay views, full-service amenities and a history that reaches from the Hearst family to one of Silicon Valley’s best-known venture capitalists.
The property’s transaction history also adds perspective. Draper paid $3.5 million in 2010, while the residence has been marketed at significantly higher prices in more recent years before returning to the market at its current $5.2 million asking price.