Church where Van Morrison performed is being turned into a $4.4 million estate

A historic California church enters a new chapter as a beautiful residence, after undergoing a graceful transformation that breathed new life into the building – while paying careful attention to its past lives as a religious building And an iconic recording studio that has played host to several music legends over the years.

The property in San Anselmo, CA, was built in the early 20th century as a quaint Presbyterian church that was later expanded to accommodate the growing congregation. It remained a house of worship for sixty years until 1966, when it was transformed into “one of Marin County’s most legendary recording studios.”

Between the 1960s and 1980s, the studio played host to a wide variety of legendary musicians who flocked to the space to take advantage of its exceptional acoustics. Artists like Van Morrison, Boz Scaggs, Jefferson spaceshipAnd Huey Lewis they were all known to have recorded live performances in space.

The property even has a rare connection to The Beatles, who reportedly used a lower-floor bedroom to store their instruments when they traveled to San Francisco for their final performance.

However, when those musical heydays came to an end, the church was ready to turn the page again — this time with a little help from the current owners, who bought the building for $995,000 in 2014 and wanted to turn it into a private residence.

“In 1908 it was a Presbyterian church and shortly afterwards it was extended to its current size,” said real estate agent Chris DeNike from Sotheby’s International Realty – San Francisco Brokerage.

“When the sellers purchased the home, they transformed the studio and living space into this once-in-a-lifetime masterful space.”

Although it now has a very different aesthetic, the ‘architecturally sensitive’ renovation took great care to maintain the historic integrity of the building, highlighting the more impressive design details, including an emphasis on the high ceilings that helped create those sensational acoustics.

The 4,553-square-foot industrial-chic interior of the main residence features 22-foot vaulted ceilings, exposed steel beams and stained concrete floors.

“When you walk in the front door you’re greeted with these 20-foot ceilings that give it a wow factor,” DeNike said. “You feel like you’re in a contemporary, but it’s so hip it could be a loft in the city. It takes the senses to another level.”

A steel-reinforced, glass-encased staircase leads to an additional open-plan living area.

“Upstairs there is another room with 20-foot ceilings and disappearing walls that lead to a patio and enhance the indoor-outdoor flow,” he noted.

The modern kitchen overlooking the living room with gas fireplace features sleek custom cabinetry and opens onto a spacious patio for entertaining and relaxing.

“Everywhere you go there are thoughtful architectural elements that really suit the space,” DeNike said.

The lavish master suite features vaulted ceilings, a sitting room, a spa-inspired bathroom with soaking tub, and direct access to the patio.

“Another bedroom has a custom-made bed, so you walk up four steps and underneath is a custom-made closet,” he added.

But the church is not the only structure on the site; In addition to the main residence, the sale also includes the Old Rectory, a detached two-bedroom guesthouse that boasts a very impressive history – as the birthplace of mountain biking.

According to local lore, the property was briefly home to famous cycling enthusiasts Charlie Kelly And Gary Visserwho are said to have invented the modern mountain bike while living in the parsonage and working with the bands in the recording studio.

“When Gary Fisher and Charlie Kelly were young, they worked for the bands and were avid cyclists,” DeNike said.

“They bought parts for bikes all over the country and it became the birthplace of the mountain bike. Gary Visser has his own bicycle brand and Charlie Kelly wrote a book called ‘Big tire kite.'”

Things will come full circle on May 23, when Kelly returns to hold a book signing for his newly published tome.

Looking further ahead, DeNike says the historic building could serve multiple purposes, including as a revenue-generating opportunity.

“I think [the church] will likely be used as a primary residence and there is also income potential with the two-bedroom cottage,” he noted.

“We’ve had young families looking at it, along with empty nesters who are looking for a home that is move-in ready, turnkey and not the standard cookie-cutter home. This location is also equidistant from Fairfax and San Anselmo, both thriving communities with cafes, restaurants and shops. You can easily hop on a bike and get to both cities easily, so it’s really special.”