Opera Plaza

“Is 450 homes too many?”
Not when it comes with a pool, a 24-hour lobby and some of the most attainable prices in the middle of the city.

Opera Plaza is a full-block, mixed-use complex at 601 Van Ness Avenue, completed in 1982 to a design by John Carl Warnecke & Associates. About 450 condos sit above shops, offices, restaurants and a cinema, with a pool, spa, sauna, fitness center and racquetball court for residents and a lobby that’s attended around the clock. It’s in the MLS Van Ness/Civic Center district, a short walk from City Hall, the opera, the symphony and Hayes Valley. We’ve helped buyers here, so we know how the floors and exposures change the price.

Quick Facts

• Street address: 601 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94102
• Completed: 1982
• Homes: About 450
• Parking: Leased garage spaces
• Sizes: ≈ 450 - 1600 sq ft
• Floor plans: Studio, 1BR, 2BR, 3BR
• Architect: John Carl Warnecke & Associates
• MLS neighborhood: 8F, Van Ness/Civic Center

Amenities

• Heated pool and spa
• Sauna
• Fitness center
• Racquetball and indoor game court
• 24-hour attended lobby
• Secure garage with leased spaces
• Shops, restaurants and a cinema on site

The Good

• A full amenity package at prices well below the citywide condo median
• Walk to City Hall, the opera, the symphony and Hayes Valley
• A lobby that’s staffed around the clock
• With dozens of sales a year, there’s nearly always a home here to compare against

The Tradeoffs

• Parking is leased separately for a monthly fee
• Van Ness and the Civic Center blocks are busy and urban
• Finishes are 1980s originals in some homes and fully redone in others, so compare carefully

Who It's For

Opera Plaza is for buyers who want amenities and security at an attainable price in the middle of the city: first-time buyers, people who work at City Hall or in the Civic Center, and anyone with season tickets across the street. If you need a dedicated parking space included, or a small building where you know every neighbor, this isn’t it.

The Backstory: A Neighborhood on One Block

Opera Plaza was built as a planned neighborhood on a single block, with homes upstairs and shops, offices, restaurants and a movie theater below. The cinema opened in 1984. In 2017 its operator planned to close it and convert the space to retail; instead a neighborhood theater foundation took a long-term lease, funded a renovation and reopened it with four screens in late 2021.

Floor Plans

Studios start around 450 square feet, one-bedrooms run about 550 to 950, two-bedrooms about 970 to 1,020, and three-bedrooms about 1,130 to 1,175, with a few larger homes up to about 1,600. We don’t have the original floor plans posted for Opera Plaza; ask us for the plan of any home you’re considering. Free Insider members can see every recent sale here, unit by unit, below.

HOA Dues

Dues at Opera Plaza vary by home size and change with each year's budget, so we don't publish a number that could be out of date by the time you read it. Ask us for the current dues on any home here and we'll send them along with the latest budget, reserve study and any special assessments. Call or text (415) 416-4699 or email fullerteam@compass.com.

Parking, Transit & Getting Around

Parking is in a secure garage, with spaces leased for a monthly fee rather than deeded to each home; ask us how it works for a specific home. Van Ness rapid buses stop out front, Civic Center BART and Muni are a short walk, and Hayes Valley is a few blocks south.

Opera Plaza Questions, Answered