$10m for a rock in a bay
If you have ever wanted to own a piece of San Francisco Bay, now is your chance. Red Rock, the only privately owned island in the bay, is up for sale.
But it is well beyond most pocketbooks. David Glickman, a Bangkok-based gems dealer and attorney, wants US$10 million (Bt346 million) for the 5.8-acre, uninhabited island in the shadow of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. "It's time to sell. I'm not going to live much longer. I'm almost 78. My wife is Thai, highly educated, and I'd like to leave her in good finances," Glickman said. Red Rock Island, which gets its name from the reddish-brown colour of its soil, was privately purchased in the 1920s. After a few owners, Glickman, then practising law in San Francisco, bought it sight unseen in 1964 for $49,500. It is located about 13 kilometres north of San Francisco's famed Fisherman's Wharf at a point where the San Francisco, Marin and Contra Costa counties converge. "At the time, I thought I'd sell it. The island has a good spot for a marina, and it's in the bay, so the marina would be useful," he said. "But each time I thought I was going to sell it, something happened to make it worth more money." Settled for good in Thailand, Glickman has so far refused to drop the asking price or consider donating it for conservation purposes. Associated Press
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