You could own the birthplace of OpenAI — if you have $1.5 million to spare.
When OpenAI first launched in 2015, its founders, including Sam Altman, did not have an office and primarily worked out of cofounder Greg Brockman’s apartment in the Mission. That very loft apartment on the upper levels of 2977 21st St. in San Francisco has been listed for sale for $1,545,000 and had its first open house over the weekend.
Shane Ray, the listing agent with Compass, told Business Insider that while some visitors arrive knowing the history of the unit, which is in a Victorian house built in 1885, others are simply attracted to the floor plan and are pleasantly surprised when they discover the association with one of the world’s most valuable companies.
“I think real estate is one part just logistics and a transaction, but there’s a part of it for everybody that’s a little bit emotional,” said Ray.
“I don’t know if this changes the price of the property, but even if it’s not that OpenAI started in that living room, any history that you can know about a place always adds a little bit to your understanding of the place and how you view the place,” Ray added.
The building
The upper unit spans two floors and occupies about two-thirds of the building’s available space. It was fully renovated by the building’s current owner in 2015. There’s also a commercial unit and another apartment on the ground level, respectively occupied by an architecture firm and a longtime tenant.
According to Ray, the building’s owner is a photographer who bought the building more than a decade ago with the intention of making the upper unit his studio, but later changed his mind. Brockman became his first tenant and eventually left during the pandemic.
The layout
The 1,816-square-foot apartment features three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and two outdoor decks.
The floor plan centers on a spacious open-concept main level, where a vaulted great room with exposed beams and wide-plank white oak flooring. The upper windows bring abundant natural light directly into the main floor.
Upstairs, the primary suite has direct access to a deck overlooking a shared garden for all building residents. Two additional bedrooms are located at the rear of the main level, along with a second full bathroom.
A look inside
Ray said the unit’s interior is “a nice mix of old and new,” with Victorian features like honeycomb windows, but a bright, open, modern interior with updated appliances.
The interior features an in-unit washer and dryer, an open kitchen with an island, wooden beams, a bathtub, and built-in closets in the primary bedroom on the second floor.
Pricing and availability
According to Ray, the owner has listed the entire building for a little under $2 million, with an option to purchase only the upper unit. There is no HOA for the building because all units are owned by a single individual, but if only the upper unit sells, there will be a plan to co-own the building.
“We’re likely setting an offer date later this week,” said Ray. “Most of the people who are interested seem to be interested in the full building, and we’ve had a lot of interest.”
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