‘The Princess Diaries’ home in San Francisco, where ex-Giants owner lived, is for sale
A grand, century-old home in San Francisco — once owned by former Giants boss Bob Lurie and featured in the 2001 Anne Hathaway movie “The Princess Diaries” — just hit the market for $8.9 million, according to the Compass real estate firm.
Michael Mendes, former CEO of the San Francisco-based bakery Just Desserts, and his wife, UC San Francisco professor Wendy Berry Mendes, are selling the Italian villa-style estate, their primary residence next to The Presidio of San Francisco park.
The couple are moving to the East Coast for new work opportunities, according to a representative of Compass, which holds the listing.
The home was last traded in 2009 for nearly $6.4 million, according to tax records and MLS sales reports.
The residence, approximately 4,500 square feet with four bedrooms, three full bathrooms and a powder room, offers incredible views of San Francisco and the bay.
“Fans of neo-classical Mediterranean design consider the home to be among the most aesthetically graceful in San Francisco,” the official property listing states.
Anne Hathaway’s character in front of home
In “The Princess Diaries,” the front of the home is presented as the high school attended by Anne Hathaway’s character.
Steven Mavromihalis and Jessica Grimes of Compass are the listing agents.
“There is a kind of romance to the home that will surely attract prospective caretakers for whom beauty and harmony really matter,’ Mavromihalis said in a statement.
Designed by renowned architect August Headman, the home was built in 1923 and renovated over the past two decades. An elevator serves all three floors from the entry level.
A jaw-dropping roof-top garden with an outdoor kitchen, heaters and a fire pit serves up stunning panoramic views of the city and bay. A Beaux Arts double curved staircase is another highlight of the residence,
A separate entrance leads into a finished lower-level room that can be used as a music room or meditation space. There’s a one-car garage with extra room.
The property stands at 2601 Lyon St., between the Pacific Heights and Cow Hollow neighborhoods along the eastern edge of the Presidio Wall.
The residence isn’t the only San Francisco building used for exterior shots in “The Princess Diaries.” A historic firehouse in the Excelsior neighborhood was transformed into the home of the movie’s protagonist, Mia Thermopolis, a quiet, eccentric high school girl who becomes royalty overnight.
Lurie previously owned the house, according to Compass. He sold the San Francisco Giants baseball club for $100 million in 1992 to a group headed by Peter Magowan.
This story was originally published March 7, 2023 at 1:27 PM with the headline "‘The Princess Diaries’ home in San Francisco, where ex-Giants owner lived, is for sale."
