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ORH WELCOMES FIRST RESIDENTS
One Rincon Hill, the tallest residential tower on the San Francisco skyline, recently welcomed its first residents.
The ORH move-in team, Beverly Wilson, general manager; Charmane Crain, resident relations manager/concierge; and, Ben Irving, building engineer, readied a lineup of lobby ambassadors and valets. On that first day, Feb. 6, Chief Lobby Ambassador Johan Nowack, formerly of the Four Seasons Hotel, held roost over the front desk lobby while construction workers buzzed around him like a theatre crew getting ready for the big show.
Frank Ng was the first resident of 425 First St., the official address of the Phase I tower. On Feb. 4 he closed escrow on his home. That Friday, Ng moved in, spending the weekend in his 10th floor home with his girlfriend, dog, and a delivery pizza, while a skeleton crew manned the front desk of the near-empty building.
"We ate pizza staring out at a great sunset toward Twin Peaks as we always do now," said Ng, who works a few blocks away as a systems engineer at Snapfish. "It was a real windy night, so there were funny sounds whirling around. We explored. We toured the accessible spaces and even got lost in the maze of the garage. It was pretty exciting and a bit weird."
Over the next two months, the pace of occupation atop Rincon Hill grew. The sales team closed on more than 100 homes and Beverly's team moved in more than 80 residents throughout floors 8–27.
For Hafeez Esmail and Britta Stromeyer Esmail, they had to wait until after their March wedding to make the move up the hill from a nearby condo. In effect, they became the first couple to honeymoon atop Rincon Hill, with views of the Bay from their 11th floor residence.
"We really love our new home, particularly the finishes, views and the amount of space," said Hafeez Esmail, who works in the Financial District and often walks to work. "Given that we are both generally early risers, we were thrilled both days this weekend when we opened the blinds and were able to watch the sun rising over the Oakland Hills and reflecting off the water while lying in bed. It was surreal and we don't imagine this will ever get old and will be even more spectacular as summer approaches."
For new residents, there's a sense of being a part of something special — modern day pioneers on Rincon Hill. It can be an adventure, too, as construction continues all around.
"Our team helps to minimize any major nuisances construction might cause," said Wilson. "We also held an impromptu party with wine and appetizers provided by Whole Foods, that gave neighbors a chance to meet for the first time."
 According to Wilson, the new resident orientation is a key part of the welcome. Aside from traditional matters such as a review of the HOA manual and handing over of keys, residents receive a unique closing gift. With help from Marin-based Windgate Press, the developer created an embossed portfolio containing 20 frame-worthy prints portraying the neighborhood's historical past. This collection includes a colorful map of the city circa 1850, as well as historical black and white photographs of the mansions that once dotted the Hill. Also included is a booklet with excerpts from "Rincon Hill and South Park: San Francisco's early fashionable neighborhood," a fascinating out-of-print book by Albert Shumate.
"One Rincon Hill's first residents are beginning a new era for Rincon Hill," said developer Mike Kriozere. "It's our hope that these images of the past will inspire them to take photographs and create their own history atop Rincon Hill — once again one of the city's most fashionable neighborhoods."
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 WHAT'S NEXT?
- The groundbreaking ceremony for Phase II, a second tower to be built at the corner of Harrison St. and Fremont St., will be scheduled soon after the selection of the general contractor this summer, with pre-sales in 2009.
- ORH is a phased-occupancy building and closings follow that schedule. Beginning in mid-April, closings begin for floors 27 to 60, on a floor-by-floor basis through Sept. 2008, when the penthouses on floors 56-60 are occupied.
- The main entrance and lobby still have some details to finish. Craftsmen are installing stone to the front columns and a glass canopy. Meanwhile, the curved bank of 20 foot tall glass windows are awaiting window treatments.
 Later in the summer, common areas will be completed. This will include a lap pool, hot tub and barbecue grill, surrounded by lounge chairs offering city views in every direction. Inside, just off the pool area, is a conference room and a large hospitality lounge which has already hosted several functions. The lounge has a 73" flat screen TV, a baby grand piano and a full kitchen. Down the hall are men's and women's locker rooms, each with saunas. They are adjacent to a fitness center that offers an assortment of Precor and Nautilus equipment, as well as natural light and a stellar view of the Bay Bridge.- Townhomes are rising along Harrison Street. There are 14 in all, each with private entrances and terraces. Some have private elevators and poolside patios. Sales tours are anticipated in early fall.
- The dramatic driveway up to ORH will be lined with 16 ft. trees, about 72 in all. This extensive landscaping surrounding the tower will be installed when Caltrains finishes work on the First St. on-ramp later this summer.
- Currently, only a handful of homes remain available for sale in Phase I. The sales center has a waiting list for homes that may become available during the upcoming phase of closings.
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MEET THE CONCIERGE
Charmane Takes the Lead
 The entrance of One Rincon Hill was designed by architects from SCB to capture the look of the Sailor's Union Building across the street. Once inside, the dramatic two-story lobby and bridge took inspiration from an ocean liner. Overlooking it all from the building management offices is Charmane Crain, the "cruise director," if you will, for residents as One Rincon Hill begins its maiden voyage.
Officially, Crain's title is resident relations manager and concierge, but she's as friendly and helpful as any counterpart on TV's "Love Boat." Most amazing; however, is how she has taken San Francisco by storm since moving from San Diego last summer. In just a few months, she's introduced herself to hundreds of restaurants, stores and service providers throughout Rincon Hill and SOMA in order to offer recommendations, as well as garner deals and introductory offers for new residents who use their One Club card.
Born in Baton Rouge, La., Crain grew up in Las Vegas, where for six years, she was a ballroom/Latin dance instructor/competitor and coach for dancers/ice skaters performing in the "Folies Bergere" and "Fire and Ice" shows. She has spent the past 20+ years in California and began her 16 years in real estate management as a leasing agent for high-end property in Laguna Beach, Calif. There, she worked with Geoff Nelson of GC Nelson Management, which is also managing the ORH Association. Later, she was leasing manager/event coordinator at CityFront Terrace, Mike Kriozere's property in San Diego, where she worked with Beverly Wilson, who eventually recruited her for One Rincon Hill.
That history together has made Charmane and Beverly an ideal team for the monumental task of moving in residents of Rincon Hill.
"Readying a property of this size takes a big dose of coordination and the ability to smile," said Crain. "Our experience as a team makes for smooth sailing.
"Plus, for me, as a new resident of San Francisco and Rincon Hill, too, I have had the chance to uncover all the neighborhood has to offer and look forward to sharing that fresh knowledge with our new residents. It's been a great adventure."
 Another thing Crain might share with residents is her dancing ability — although she's not making any promises. She is a professional ballroom dancer and instructor from her days in Las Vegas, and continued her dancing (and instruction) alongside her real estate management career for many years. In 2005, Crain was tapped to be the dance coach for actors such as Donnie Wahlberg and Marisa Tomei in the independent film "Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School." She had three credits: "Dance Coach", "Blonde Dancer" and was given "Special Thanks" for helping raise a portion of the film's budget and performing many associate producer duties. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006, was presented at 100 Landmark Theaters across the nation and is currently showing on cable TV.
Aside from her profession and her talent, Crain also finds time to give back. Last summer, before moving to San Francisco, she worked with Global Volunteers in Poland teaching English to students in farmland communities near Warsaw. Crain hopes to get involved in San Francisco, as well.
"Rincon Hill and San Francisco are both fascinating," said Crain. "We're developing a great community at One Rincon Hill and are in a great position to take advantage of all this area offers."
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ONE CLUB HAS ITS PRIVILEGES
 One Rincon Hill residents enjoy living at one of the City's most exclusive addresses. One of the best perks is the e-Concierge service that residents can access online at www.onerincon.com.
"The e-Concierge aims to put the City at people's fingertips, as if all these amenities were right downstairs in the lobby," said David Kriozere of Urban West Associates, who envisioned this virtual concierge as a compliment to the efforts of Concierge Charmane Crain.
The e-Concierge lists restaurants, shops and services — all personally tested, selected and recommended by the concierge. Only residents get access to the site, where they have information about everything from restaurants to dry cleaners to dentists. Best of all, residents get a One Club card, which gives them valuable deals and discounts at an ever-growing list of merchants.
Here's a sampling of the businesses which already offer One Club members special deals: Local Kitchen & Wine Merchant, Ozumo's, Pasta Paradiso, Patisserie Philippe, Henessey's Gourmet Wines, SOMA Wine & Spirits, Ferry Building-2-Go, K-9 Playtime, Laundry Locker, SOMA Cleaners, Art Haus, Commodore Cruises, Cocoon Urban Day Spa, Spa Bar, Zaza'a Nail's, Lombardi Sports, Psoas Massage & Bodywork, Satori Yoga Studio and Body, Mind, Spirit.
ORH also has exclusive arrangements with these services:
 The nearest grocery store at Fourth St. and Harrison St., Whole Foods welcomes residents with a goodie bag and $10 gift card. It also provided wine and appetizers for the first resident function. Best of all, for ORH residents who shop during lunch time, Whole Foods will store and deliver items curbside.
 San Francisco On Call Medical Group (www.SFOnCall.com) is a pioneer in the field of house calls and medicine, providing primary, urgent and geriatric healthcare with physicians available 24 hours a day via phone. ORH residents have access to a premium version of the service integrated into e-Concierge. This includes a wellness offering with naturopathic and integrative medicine services, and a dedicated 24-hour medical concierge available by email and phone to assist with scheduling specialists, pharmacy refills and more.
 DRIV offers a private portfolio of luxury and exotic vehicles to enjoy in the Bay Area and Las Vegas — everything from a Ferrari to a Lamborghini to a Rolls Royce. With exclusive access at www.clubdriv.com/oneclub, ORH residents get membership savings and special perks, including vehicle delivery, 24/7 roadside assistance, and more.
 ORH is San Francisco's first luxury residence to have access to Open Table's OT Concierge, an online restaurant reservation tool designed by and for hotel concierges. This exclusive service gives Concierge Charmane Crain extra insider tools to make reservations for ORH residents at the City's top restaurants.
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BUSINESS TIMES HONORS ORH
 One Rincon Hill took top honors among residential real estate developments at the Bay Area Deals of the Year 2007 Awards, presented by the San Francisco Business Times in a ceremony Thursday evening, March 27, 2008 at San Francisco's historic Palace Hotel.
 One Rincon Hill won the highest honor in the category of Best Market-rate Residential / San Francisco. Awarded annually, the San Francisco Business Times' Real Estate Deals of the Year recognize the most significant real estate projects and transactions in the Bay Area in several categories. When determining the winners, nine judges representing various real estate industry sectors, considered the following factors: size and value, community impact, suitability of land
use and quality of design. The Rincon Hill neighborhood was twice honored, with The Infinity recognized as the runner-up.
"It's very exciting to have the Business Times recognize One Rincon Hill and I'm very proud of the entire team behind this project," said Mike Kriozere. "Fittingly, this week, our sales team closed escrow on the 100th home in the Phase I tower; a tremendous accomplishment speaking to the appeal of this one-of-a-kind San Francisco landmark and new residence."
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LOCAL POPULAR WITH THE LOCALS
 A short walk down First Street from ORH is a trendy neighborhood spot that has already become a favorite hangout for residents atop Rincon Hill.
Created by Chef Ola Fendert, proprietor of Oola on Folsom Street, Local Kitchen & Wine Merchant opened in Dec. 2007, quickly amassing a loyal following from ORH  and surrounding condos. It's also become a new star on the city's culinary scene, garnering rave reviews, including one from San Francisco Chronicle Restaurant Critic Michael Bauer who called it "the embodiment of the emerging neighborhood" and said "in both food and decor, the restaurant effortlessly mixes the refined and the rustic."
Local has a modern warehouse feel with an active open kitchen highlighted by a wood-burning oven, centered on a marble tiled wall. They also have a popular
community table — ideal for meeting new neighbors.
 Local offers wood-fired pizzas, pasta and herb-crusted rotisserie chicken made from ingredients strictly obtained from local farms, artisans and fisherman — all paired expertly with a dazzling array of wines. Meanwhile, the adjacent retail wine merchant shop offers more than 250 different bottles of wine and wine tasting classes that aim to create awareness of lesser-known and up-and-coming wine regions. Upstairs, is Cocoon Urban Day Spa, another new destination serving the neighborhood.
With a great atmosphere and refined, rustic Cal-Italian fare, Local promises to be an ongoing favorite of One Rincon Hill residents. And with the short stroll to get home, it makes enjoying a great meal and too, too, too many glasses of wine that much better.
Local Kitchen & Wine Merchant
330 First St. (between Folsom and Harrison), San Francisco
(415) 777-4200 or www.sf-local.com.
 Lunch 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.,
Monday–Friday;
Brunch 10 a.m.–3 p.m.,
Saturday–Sunday;
Dinner 5:30–10 p.m., Sunday–Thursday,
until 10:30 p.m. Friday–Saturday.
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RINCON HILL NEIGHBORS GATHER MONTHLY
The Rincon Hill Neighborhood Association is another testament to growing acceptance of the unique identity of this section of SOMA.
 Created in 2007, the RHNA's initial meetings were held at the ORH Sales Center. April's meeting attracted 47 people and was hosted by The Infinity, which speaks to how the organization has been welcomed and firmly planted its roots throughout the neighborhood.
"I'm very excited about the residents and merchants already involved with our organization, the attention we are attracting on important issues and the prospects of being an important influence in shaping our reviving neighborhood in a positive way," said Vitaly Golomb, owner of Sputnik Integrated, and RHNA board chairman. His firm is also hosting www.rinconhillneighbors.org and in the process of building out the Web site.
Meetings are held the second Tuesday of every month, starting at 6 p.m. at various sites in the neighborhood. Speakers have included local merchants, the battalion chief for the fire department, the police captain for the southern station, and, most recently, the Redevelopment Agency reporting on the status of the Transbay Terminal.
Annual membership dues are set and will be collected shortly at the following levels:
- Rincon Hill residents (individual) $25
- Rincon Hill residents (household) $35
- Rincon Hill small business (under 20 employees) $50
- Rincon Hill large business $100
The next RHNA meeting is May 13, 2008. Scheduled to appear are Rob Black, VP Public Policy for the SF Chamber of Commerce and C.W. Nevius, columnist, San Francisco Chronicle. For more information, visit www.rinconhillneighbors.org.
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