The former San Francisco residence and studio of the late renowned photographer Fred Lyon has been placed on the market with an asking price of $2 million. The Cow Hollow condominium at 2832 Lyon St. offers 1,890 square feet of living space over two floors, with a history that spans decades of the city's cultural narrative. The property was where Lyon, whose imagery has been emblematic of San Francisco's vivacity, spent his final years pursuing his craft, according to SFGATE.
Details of the unit, which has long served as a personal and professional sanctuary for Lyon and his wife, interior designer Penelope Whelan Rozis, include three bedrooms, a full and a partial bathroom, alongside a living room sporting a wood-burning fireplace. Adding charm to the culturally rich dwelling is a formal dining room and a gourmet kitchen, as indicated in the property listing by Schumacher Properties. Entering the market at $1,980,000, slightly beneath the anticipated $2 million price tag, the allure of the condo is enhanced, not just by its past resident's legacy but also by upscale finishes and a mature shared garden.
Rebecca Schumacher of Sotheby’s International Realty, who is handling the listing, reminisced about the sale of the unit back in 2013 to Lyon and Rozis. "Fred Lyon was the last to present and brought a signed copy of one of his books,” Schumacher shared in an interview with SFGATE. The residence's historical significance is underscored by the bottom-level studio—a key feature for the esteemed photographer—now reimagined for various uses, including as a family room or artist's studio.
Although Lyon passed away on August 22, 2022, at the age of 97, his storied career and contributions to photography continue to resonate within the walls of 2832 Lyon Street. Fans of his work can delight in the property's tangible connections to his life, with features like the chef's gas kitchen and wood-burning fireplace in the living room mentioned in the listing via Schumacher Properties. The condo also contains east-facing bedrooms that ensure the morning light floods the interiors, enhancing the residence's warmth and charm.
The metamorphosis of Lyon's former studio into a domestic living space does not detract from the vestiges of his immense creative output. The listing notes upgrades have respected the building's 1921 architecture, with recent enhancements in 2024, including a new building-wide electrical system and roof. The property is located directly across from the Presidio and sits among San Francisco's outdoor and cultural offerings. Less than two weeks after listing, there is already pending interest in this unique piece of San Francisco history.
