Live Like Royalty at This Home from ‘The Princess Diaires’

The enclave’s rare siting came about thanks to Corporal Apolinario Miranda, a Company of San Francisco cavalryman, who, per Parry, “petitioned his Commandant of Arms, Jose Sanchez, that he be granted a 100 vara (approx. 275 by 275 feet) plot of land on the edge of the Presidio” in 1833. The request was granted, with the 1.74-acre parcel, eventually known as the “Miranda Grant,” officially recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1861. The ownership of the land changed hands numerous times in the years following before being acquired by Carlo in November 1922. Parry details, “Matraia immediately deeded one-third interests both to August Headman and to real estate broker Robert A. Wilson. The parcel was then divided into six lots. Headman provided the Italian Renaissance design of the group and Wilson marketed them.”

While five of the structures were fashioned as luxe duplexes, Matraia reserved the middle lot, measuring 0.11 acres, for himself, employing Headman to craft an ornate single-family home on the premises. All six properties are undeniably stunning, but Carlo’s pad is easily the prettiest of the bunch, its eye-catching Beaux Arts-inspired double staircase and Juliet balcony capped by a trio of handsome arches making it the definitive standout of the Lilliputian block.

Resplendent with traditional detailing and understated grandeur, the four-bedroom, four-bath villa’s interior is about as classic as they come. Boasting panoramic views of the surrounding skyline, the bay and the lush eucalyptus groves lining the Presidio from nearly each of its 4,554 square feet, the pad offers the very best of the San Francisco lifestyle. 

Plush living spaces include a formal dining room, a living room with a wood-burning fireplace, a media room, a gym, an office and a massive, modern eat-in kitchen outfitted with marble counters, a stainless steel appliance suite, glass tiling and a plethora of cabinet space.

Seamlessly marrying the old with the new, attractive moldings, arched openings, French boiserie and hardwood flooring can be found throughout.  

Upstairs on the third level, the chic gray-toned owners’ suite is finely appointed with a succession of windows offering stunning views stretching all the way to Alcatraz Island and beyond, a walk-in closet and an oversized bath with a soaking tub, a walk-in shower and self-fogging privacy windows.

A rooftop deck spanning the entire fourth level completes the property. Thoroughly spacious and inviting, the retreat features an outdoor kitchen with a BBQ, a dining area, plenty of spots for lounging, a garden, a firepit and dramatic 360-degree views.

There is also an elevator on the premises, lest potential buyers become weary at the thought of regularly having to traverse the home’s four levels. 

The tony residence has been home to several prominent local figures over the years, including Rhodes Scholar David M. Heilbron, San Francisco Giants owner Bob Lurie and, currently, Michael Mendes, the former CEO of Just Desserts, and his wife, Dr. Wendy Berry Mendes, who are letting go of the place due to a new employment opportunity on the East Coast. 

The couple initially purchased the pad in 2009, thrilling their then 9-year-old daughter, a major “Princess Diaries” fan, in the process. As Mendes humorously lamented to The Wall Street Journal, her enthusiasm “was a bit unfortunate because we were trying to negotiate a good price.” 

The Mendes made several updates to the property during their tenure, including an extensive revamp of the rooftop deck, transforming it into the idyllic escape it is now. 

Despite the changes, the residence remains thoroughly recognizable from its onscreen stint over two decades ago. 

Although Meg Cabot’s 2000 “The Princess Diaries” novel, on which the movie is based, takes place in New York, director Garry Marshall decided to switch the cinematic backdrop to San Francisco, where his grandkids lived. He told the Chronicle, “One of the perks is that my grandchildren are here, my daughter and son-in-law. I wanted to see them. Plus, New York’s a hard shoot, and I didn’t want to go to Toronto, which is the fake New York.” The film became a true family affair with Marshall’s granddaughters, daughter, daughter-in-law and sister making brief cameos onscreen and his son working as a second-unit director.

While the City by the Bay provides a stunning backdrop for the storyline, the majority of filming actually took place in Los Angeles, with cast and crew capturing just a handful of scenes on location in SF over the course of a scant two and a half weeks. A few spots featured include Engine Company No. 43, a firehouse-turned-residence that plays the home of Mia and her mother, Helen (Caroline Goodall), the intersection of Taylor St. and Broadway, where Mia and her grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews), get into a car accident, and, of course, 2601 Lyon St.

At the time of the shoot, the estate was owned by Lurie, who had recently relocated to Atherton and was gearing up to put the pad on the market. The vacancy made it a convenient shooting option for “The Princess Diaries” crew, with location manager Laurie Noll telling SFGate that “dumb luck and perfect timing” secured its role in the film.

Three different locations were actually used to portray Grove High onscreen, with the Lyon St. estate standing in for the front exterior of the school, which becomes a hangout for paparazzi and news crews once Mia’s royal status as the Princess of Genovia is uncovered.

Grove High’s rooftop tennis and basketball courts can be found just a few blocks east atop the McKinne Building at The Hamlin School, a private girls’ academy for grades K-8 located at 2120 Broadway in Pacific Heights. (The school is not open to the public and tours of the courts are not permitted, but you can catch a virtual glimpse of Mia and Lilly’s favorite gathering place here.)

Finally, Grove High’s courtyard, classroom and baseball field scenes were shot a good 400 miles away at the oft-filmed Villa del Sol d’Oro on the campus of Alverno Heights Academy, a private Catholic school in Sierra Madre.

Of the three spots, 2601 Lyon St. is the most recognizable – a villa truly fit for royalty.