It was on September 25, 2009 that we informed you of Stephen Fowler’s San Francisco real estate foibles (you all informed us of his Wife Swap antics), and it is today that we get word of his next people pissing off project:
Elevation PDF
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Elevation 2 PDF
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Floorplan PDF
Plans for a vast expansion of the Douglass house were filed in April, and the neighbors are currently contesting Fowler’s plans. The proposed project calls for a horizontal rear extension with a roof deck above the addition; a music room; guest room; new kitchen and vanity; three new bathrooms; and a master bedroom on the third floor, among other plans.
As one neighborhood group opposing the project objected in a letter to the Planning Department: “It is a massive project that will severely impact adjacent homes by blocking out light, air and privacy…This house would be so much taller, deeper, and bulkier than neighboring homes…We are asking that the project extend less into the mid-block open space and have major setbacks on the second and third floors. We are also asking that the placement of some of the windows facing neighboring homes be reconsidered, as they will destroy the privacy of these neighbors. It is understandable why the adjacent residents are freaking out. We would be, too, if this was proposed next door to us.”
Thanks to Inside SFRE for the post, and that good ‘ol thing called “anonymous” for the renderings. If you see these anywhere else (yes, that includes SocketSite), they poached ’em from us. Curbed…go ahead, you have our permission.
–Next Monster Home in the Works for Noe Valley Wife Swapper [Inside SFRE]
I posted about it approx. 6 minutes after you. Seems we might have the same sources ;)
Sally,
We meant the renderings, which you’re welcome to take. Just do the right link thing like you folks at Curbed always do.
Well, looks like the house is a little longer than the house on the left and as tall as the house on the right, so it doesn’t seem, on paper, to extend that far from the development envelope. But it will be bulky. Wouldn’t want it for my neighbors…BUT not sure wouldn’t want it for myself…
His wife swap debacle is so OLD NEWS. This guy’s suffered enough: embarrased on national TV, lost his job, and almost lost his family. Lets let him pick up the pieces and move on with his life. These new house plans look fine. From the street view there is virtually no difference from original and proposed. Why don’t the neighbors want to benefit from price appreciation of their homes with Mr Fowlers modest upgrade? Because some of these neighbors are not happy with their lives,have too much time on their hands (old, unemployed or retired) and get great pleasure in spreading their misery to others. These losers in life are the ones that need to get out of our city so we can replace them with folks who “love life”. Time to move out Grandpa!
can I poach this too?
William: you may think he’s suffered enough which really has absolutely NOTHING to do with the proposed new addition to his house. It appears to be a pretty sizable addition, out of scale with the neighbors..Calling the neighbors who oppose this “losers” and “old” is pretty disgusting on your part. shame on you.
where does he find the money anyway? I thought his wife took him to the cleaner?
I don’t understand how someone can stubbornly STAY in a community that does not accept/value/respect him. (and it’s not hard, in this country, there is a place for everybody!)
Why is he simply not living in a anonymous area for a couple of years till everybody forgets about him? with THAT amount of money, he would buy a neat penthouse in SOMA.
Seems like there is a Stephen Fowler in just about every community. The selfish, greedy, inconsiderate people really makes us better appreciate our “good” neighbors.
actually, the plans look pretty reasonable to me and not all that bulky. I mean, Fowler is Jerk #1 on national TV so I have every reason to dislike him, but, on balance, these plans look perfectly reasonable.
I think people are blinded by the fact that its Fowler proposing this… people have a hard time separating emotion from logic.
I think it is reasonable for neighbors to want to preserve the character of the mid-block open space. When you buy into a block, you are buying into the mid-block open space as much as the street front. Planning Code and the department seems to care little for mid-block open space always favoring rear development over street side development– they basically say do whatever the hell you want so long as it is set back fifteen feet from the street. On blocks where large open spaces and a sense of privacy have been lucky enough to be maintained, residents simply want Planning and their neighbors to recognize the value and enjoyment it brings to a block.