See grand 1912 Bay Area home built for Oakland Tribune editor. Price: $3.85 million
A grand and stylish Oakland, California, residence built in 1912 for the managing editor of the Oakland Tribune newspaper is for sale for $3.85 million.
The property at 1012 Ashmount Avenue was designed by prominent and influential Bay Area architect John Hudson Thomas for John F. Conners, who ran the Tribune’s news department at the time, according to Red Oak Realty, which holds the listing.
“This idyllic residence has a true sense of grandeur while still feeling intimate,” according to the official listing. “This is not just a house, but a home that is truly a piece of art.”
Many prominent people have been guests of the residence. George Killian, president of American President Lines and the national teasurer of the DNC owned the home. During his ownership, President Harry Truman visited. Later, former California Gov. Jerry Brown, after he left the seminary, interviewed for a job with Killian in the office of 1012 Ashmount. He and his wife Anne have been guests there numerous times since 2010, according to a representative for Red Oak Realty.
The estate spans 7,142 square feet with five bedrooms and five full bathrooms. The grounds stretch over .38 acres that are fenced-in and private.
“This home features a stately living room accented with crisp White Dove walls, a hammered copper fireplace hood, bold clear-heart redwood beams, baseboards and woodwork,” the listing states. “This room is the most serene place to relax and enjoy the glow of the afternoon sun filtering through the west-facing windows.
French doors take you into a formal dining room with a fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a Norfolk Island pine tree. Another set of French doors open into a sunny family room, and the indoor-outdoor set-up flows onto a front balcony stretching across the entire front of the home. Here, there are views of Crocker Highlands and glimpses of the bay.
Up a handsome main staircase with a mezzanine-level seating area, the floor expands to three large bedrooms with fireplaces and more bay views. The primary en-suite has a luxurious bathroom with a soaking tub and oversized shower. The room also has a substantial walk-in closet and a private balcony with bay views.
The commanding front office boasts picturesque views of the front gardens and the exquisite ceiling detail. There’s cozy eat-in kitchen, walk-in pantry and an island/breakfast bar painted in a deep green called Duck Green by Farrow and Ball. Beyond wall of windows and a French door is a private deck and hot tub.
Other spaces in the home are used for lower-level au-pair, a bar, laundry and storage rooms. There is a detached carriage house studio with kitchen and a full bathroom.
The home last sold in 2009 for $1.79 million, according to realtor.com.
Guests to the home over the years have included President Harry Truman and former California Governor Jerry Brown.
Deidre Joyner of Red Oak Realty is representing the seller.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated June 29, 2021 to correct when the home last sold. It was 2009., according to a Red Oak Realty representative.
This story was originally published June 25, 2021 at 4:20 PM with the headline "See grand 1912 Bay Area home built for Oakland Tribune editor. Price: $3.85 million."
