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Central North District

The homes in the Central North District are an interesting mix of restored Victorians and newer townhouses and apartments. This area has seen considerable redevelopment. From the "up-and-coming" Hayes Valley to the well-established Western Addition, this part of the city offers a variety of housing options. Family-owned bakeries and markets lend a small-community feel to the area. The neighborhoods in the Central North District include:

• Alamo Square
• Anza Vista
• Hayes Valley
• Western Addition

View healthcare facilities in this district

Photo Credit: SFCVB

Alamo Square
Alamo Square is actually a park and playground surrounded by a residential area. Its boundaries are Fulton, Steiner, Hayes, Scott Streets, an area that includes the "Painted Ladies"—Victorian homes painted in bright colors—on Steiner Street. The neighborhood also is home to the French American School at Steiner and Grove, and the Imperial Russian consulate building at 1198 Fulton. The playground and dog-friendly park make this an attractive neighborhood for families. Many of the older properties have been restored.

Anza Vista
A far cry from the elaborate Victorians in some San Francisco neighborhoods, most of the homes in Anza Vista were built during the 1930s and 1940s, and they reflect the simpler design of those times. A number of the houses feature the modern Bauhaus architectural style, which emphasizes functionality rather than ornamentation.

Anza Vista has quiet, clean streets that are practically free of traffic, a feature that tends to attract older couples and families with children. The residences here are single-family homes, flats, and apartments. The neighborhood is bordered by Geary Boulevard to the north, Divisadero Street to the east, Eddy Street to the south, and Masonic Avenue to the west.

Hayes Valley
Once having had the dubious distinction of being best known for its crack houses and tenements, Hayes Valley has experienced a rebirth over the past decade, and is now considered ultra-chic. This diverse neighborhood—an interesting mix of young hipsters and long-time residents—is located downtown near the Civic Center, home to the San Francisco Opera, Ballet, and Symphony. Franklin and Divisadero Streets are its east and west boundaries; McAllister and Haight Streets are north and south. Hayes Valley's commercial district is centered on Hayes Street and Franklin. It's populated with fashion boutiques, bistros, art galleries, designer shops, and trendy restaurants and clubs.

You'll find many restored Victorian homes in this neighborhood, as well as newer apartments, townhouses, and lofts. Hayes Valley is still expanding and as a result, it's becoming progressively more expensive to live here. But even with its upscale face lift, the locals insist there is an old-fashioned sense of community in this neighborhood.

Western Addition
Back in the 1950s and 1960s, the Western Addition consisted primarily of housing redevelopment projects—affordable, if not particularly noteworthy homes. This was San Francisco's first multi-cultural neighborhood and there still is a large African-American and Japanese-American population here. Urban renewal projects, however, have given the Western Addition a new look. The Japanese Cultural and Trade Center, completed in the late 1960s, includes the Miyako Hotel, the Peace Plaza and Peace Pagoda, and the eight-screen Kabuki Theater. St. Mary's Cathedral on Van Ness is a striking example of modern design. Built after the original, more traditional structure was destroyed by fire in 1962, St. Mary's has become the focal point of the area.

The neighborhood includes the section of the city bordered by California Street to the north, Fell Street to the south, Van Ness Avenue to the east , and Masonic and Presidio Avenues to the west. The main commercial section of the neighborhood is along Fillmore Street. You'll find shops and restaurants, as well as the musically historic Fillmore Auditorium, where people have flocked to listen to rock music since the 1960s. The Western Addition has hundreds of old Victorian homes (many have been restored; others still await restoration), as well as newer apartments. Homes and apartments on the northern boundary of the Western Addition tend to be a little pricier, as they border the exclusive Pacific Heights neighborhood.

Healthcare facilities in the Central North District::

• Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Geary Campus
• UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion