Big news: 601 Dolores, the church across the street from Dolores Park, has found itself a buyer. But first, a history. The property, which needed massive seismic retrofitting before it was ready for occupancy, was placed on the market in 2007 with an asking price of $2,100,000. Curbed SF discovered that Siamak Akhavan, the owner of a seismic retrofit engineering company, then purchased the 17,000 square foot property and turned it into a 3-bed multimillion-dollar home. In early 2009 601 Dolores was placed back on the market with a very expensive price tag of $9,950,000. No bites, so it was delisted. In 2010 it showed up again, this time with a reduced asking price of $7,490,000. Now the property's in contract.
Marion Quinones, the Director of Development for Children's Day School confirms it: the buyer of 601 Dolores is Children's Day School. The property's now in contract with an accepted offer of $6,600,000.
The space will be used for the Children's Day School's middle school, plus a large gathering/performance space which it plans to make available to community groups, Quinones said. The school currently has a location at 330 Dolores. 601 Dolores will be the school's second location. Quinones also told us that the building will undergo interior renovations to build classrooms, complete additional seismic strengthening and make the building a legit school. Children's Day School will preserve the exterior and the historic integrity of the property. The school has "very happily worked" with Jensen Architects in the past for renovations to 333 Dolores, and hopes to continue that relationship with the renovations at 601 Dolores.
· Ask Curbed SF: Holy Land on Dolores Street [Curbed SF]
· Curbed SF Answers: Holy Land on Dolores Street [Curbed SF]
· (Back) On the Market: Your Very Own Church in the Mission [Curbed SF]
· Dolores Park Church Mansion Loses Nearly $2.5 Mil Off 2009 Price [Curbed SF]
· Children's Day School [website]
