Once upon a time in the 1800s, the San Francisco shipping magnate William F. Babcock had a grand home built on Broadway as a wedding gift for his daughter.

In 1911, all 10,000-plus square feet of it—including eight bedrooms and eight baths—was relocated to its current address on Vallejo Street, near the Baker Street stairs, where it is announced by a spread of lawn atypical in the City and has a panoramic view of SF Bay from the living room.

Behind a wrought iron gate, the front yard has three Japanese maple trees and a boxwood-lined brick path to the leaded-glass front door and a viewpoint overlooking the bay. Once inside, the expansive entryway has stunning oak parquet floors and a grand curving staircase that reaches upward to a Palladian window.

The vibe is expectedly stately throughout. The living room, which spans the entire width of the house, has 20-foot vaulted redwood ceilings and dramatic, glittering chandeliers. Large bay windows punctuate two sides of the space, and walkout balconies promise a view of the Palace of Fine Arts, Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate Bridge. An intricate fireplace with inlaid woodwork anchors the space.

Across the foyer from the great room is a charming and equally ornate library crowned by a coffered ceiling. A built-in window seat here provides a cozy spot to read a book selected from one of the arched, built-in shelves. A reading room of this stature wouldn't be complete without a fireplace—there is, of course, a fancy one here—or a secret door: One of the bookshelves disguises access to a well-stocked a wet bar connecting to the dining room, making it a perfect room for showing off to friends. Just outside the floor-to-ceiling French doors is a stone patio flowing revelry in pretty weather.

The second level houses private quarters including the primary suite with its own coffered ceiling, fireplace, and elevator access. Two more en suite bedrooms complete this floor, one quirkier than the other with an emerald green palette and floral wallpaper. On the top level, find three more en suite bedrooms along with a large game room (also accessible via the elevator) that connects to the rooftop terrace overlooking the bay.

But that's not all. The home also includes a main level kitchen as well as a separate catering kitchen, and a full lower level dedicated to staff bedrooms and living areas, a laundry room, and four-car garage.

Size: 10,345 sq. ft.

Bedrooms: 8

Bathrooms: 8

Asking price: $28 million

// 2828 Vallejo St. (Pacific Heights); for more information, visit nealwardproperties.com.