An industrial-chic penthouse created for Getty Oil heir William Paul “Billy” Getty—grandson of the late oil baron J. Paul Getty Sr.—hit the market earlier this month in San Francisco’s Russian Hill community for nearly $20 million. Now, a second penthouse tied to another storied American family has become available in nearby Nob Hill.
Owned by billionaire venture capitalist Tim Draper and his wife, Melissa, who acquired the residence in 2010 for $3.5 million, the apartment is atop the historic building at 1001 California Street. It was previously occupied by Randolph Apperson Hearst and Catherine Wood Campbell Hearst, the parents of Patty Hearst, and it’s where the granddaughter of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst was legally required to stay in the 1970s while out on bail pending the appeal of her notorious bank robbery conviction.

A chandelier-topped dining room is accented by an antique French china cabinet.
Open Homes Photography for Sotheby’s International Realty
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Listed for $5.2 million with Grazia Bennett and Mary Lou Castellanos of Sotheby’s International Realty—San Francisco Brokerage, the two-bedroom, three-bath residence spans the top floor of the landmarked seven-story, Beaux-Arts tower designed in the early 1900s by architect Houghton Sawyer. Roughly 3,000 square feet of maximalist living space showcases rich hardwood floors and a striking curved stained-glass skylight, plus a pair of terraces capturing city and bay views.
An entry foyer heads up dual staircases to a spacious fireside living room centered beneath the signature skylight, with an adjacent wood-paneled library connecting to an office or optional third bedroom. Other highlights include a chandelier-topped dining room with an antique French china cabinet, alongside a kitchen featuring an oversized copper range hood. An en suite bedroom is tucked beyond the kitchen, while the primary suite occupies its own wing with a sitting area, terrace, and two-toned pink and black marble bath.

Leaded-glass windows in the mahogany-paneled library frame city views.
Open Homes Photography for Sotheby’s International Realty
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The $5,432-per-month HOA charge covers a 24-hour doorman, direct elevator access, water, trash, and full maintenance of the grounds and common areas.
Draper—a Tesla and SpaceX investor who made a fortune investing in cryptocurrencies—recently listed his 110-acre private island in Tanzania for $7.9 million. He and his wife maintain their primary home in the Silicon Valley enclave of Atherton, routinely ranked as the nation’s most expensive ZIP code.
Click here for more photos of the Nob Hill residence.


