SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Crews began work Monday to remove the controversial Vaillancourt Fountain in San Francisco’s Embarcadero Plaza.

Tamara Barak Aparton, spokesperson for the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, said this week is focused on preparation, including removing grout between arm joints and labeling the fountain so it could potentially be reassembled later.

She said the fountain is being removed because of significant public safety risks caused by deterioration. It is structurally unstable and corroded.

“There’s also, like a lot of old structures, asbestos and lead, and it’s become kind of an attractive nuisance, so having it in storage will be significantly safer than having it out in a public square,” Barak Aparton said.

The fountain, created by sculptor Armand Vaillancourt, has been controversial, with a preservationist group suing to keep it in place.

The fountain, made up of 710 tons of material, was completed in 1971.

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In 1987, U2’s Bono spray-painted graffiti on the fountain during a free concert. He was cited for it.

The city said the entire removal process will take several months. The removal and storage of the fountain will cost $4 million.

San Francisco resident Alec Bash is happy to see the fountain go, saying it had become an eyesore.

“It had been a wonderful site-specific art installation,” Bash said. “Now it’s sort of out of place, out of context, out of time.”

Business owners Mike Stephens and Nigel Kennedy have mixed emotions about the removal.

“I remember skateboarding here in the ’90s, this whole plaza,” said Stephens, who owns Mike’s Barbershop in San Francisco. “To me, that fountain, it’s kind of a little ugly, but it has an iconic memory.”

MORE: After decades of public protest, SJ votes to remove controversial Thomas Fallon statue

“I’m a little sad to see it go,” said Kennedy, of Pro Style Barber Shop in San Francisco. “I think they are pushing some things through to make this all happen. But I’m also open to new opportunities. I’m a business owner here, so it might bring new business for me.”

ABC7 Eyewitness News reached out to the group advocating to keep the fountain, as well as the group’s attorney.

The attorney for keeping the historic fountain open sent a statement to ABC7 Eyewitness News’ Gloria Rodriguez writing:

“Friends of the Plaza filed an appeal last week of the preliminary injunction denial. Today Friends filed an appellate petition for a stay and writ of supersedeas to prevent physical disassembly, demolition, or removal of the historic Vaillancourt Fountain from Embarcadero Plaza while the legal case proceeds.

Emergency exemption from CEQA, including for a project to substantially alter a qualified historic resource, requires more than deteriorated condition. Exemption is restricted to a “sudden, unexpected occurrence” requiring “immediate action” with no time for CEQA review. ( 21060.3.) Those are not present here.

No substantial evidence supports a conclusion that retaining the fountain in place to protect the court’s jurisdiction during the adjudication of the mandamus petition-projected at four months under the current schedule-could or would cause any harm to the public.

The City now admits that it can protect the fountain and the public on the site at a cost of $ 890,000 (Declaration of Eoanna Goodwin): much less than its current plan to spend $4.4 million for fountain disassembly and relocation. There is no emergency.

A stay and supersedeas will give a unique, storied resource of undisputed local, state, and national historic significance the benefit of the public CEQA process required by law-its only chance for survival. The historic Vaillancourt Fountain should not be disassembled or relocated from Embarcadero Plaza while Friends prove that there is no emergency justifying exemption from CEQA. Imminent substantial damage or loss of a historic resource presents exceptionally clear basis for issuance of a stay.

An emergency stay-this week-and supersedeas are urgently requested to protect the status quo while the case proceeds.”

There will be a community meeting Tuesday at 5:30p to discuss the future of Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park. It is from 5:30p to 7p at Three Embarcadero Center.

Phoenix and Denver have long reigned as the twin powerhouses of the Mountain West region, drawing transplants with their booming job markets, appealing lifestyle amenities, and world-class outdoor recreation—but a look at the metros’ luxury housing trends reveals that a major role reversal is underway.

Back in 2016, Denver boasted a luxury entry point roughly $250,000 higher than Phoenix’s. At the time, expanding technology and energy sectors made the Mile High City the ultimate regional destination for high-earning professionals looking to put down roots.

Today, the tables have turned. The luxury threshold in Phoenix—defined as the top 10% of the market—sits at $1.5 million, nearly $148,000 higher than Denver’s $1.35 million, the result of a dramatic pandemic-era swap, according to a new report from Realtor.com®. 

While Denver’s luxury housing segment surged, peaking at $1.85 million in January 2022, it subsequently experienced a 27% correction before stabilizing, explains Realtor.com senior economist Anthony Smith.

Phoenix, on the other hand, saw its luxury benchmark rise more gradually, reaching a high-water mark of $1.76 million as recently as February 2024.

When the inevitable pullback arrived, it was far shallower than Denver’s, shedding approximately 15% off its peak. By early 2026, high-end real estate in the Valley of the Sun had found its second wind and begun appreciating once again.

Notably, the luxury tier benchmarks in both Western markets exceed the national figure of $1.25 million recorded in March. 

From entry-level luxury to the top 1%

An analysis of the latest housing data shows that Phoenix outpaces Denver across all luxury price points, not just at the entry level. 

Phoenix’s top 5% of the market currently starts at $2.66 million, dwarfing Denver’s $1.95 million threshold. 

The gap becomes even more pronounced at the ultraluxury level, identified as the top 1% of listings, with Phoenix’s benchmark standing at $6.72 million, leaving Denver’s $4.26 million in the rearview mirror.  

This divergence is most striking when comparing each metro’s priciest enclave. 

Denver’s premier ZIP code, 80116, covering Franktown, has a median listing price of $1.75 million, which is nearly a third of the $4.99 million price tag in Phoenix’s Paradise Valley. 

“Phoenix’s steeper price escalation at the top reflects a market with a slightly more pronounced separation between the broader market’s median home price and its entry point to luxury,” says Smith.

For perspective, the median listing price in Phoenix in March was $496,900, roughly a third of the metro’s luxury entry point. Meanwhile, Denver’s median of $577,000 sits at nearly half of its luxury entry point, according to the latest Realtor.com monthly housing market trends report.

While both metros have an identical 17.3% share of million-dollar listings, the volume tells a very different story. In Phoenix, that percentage translates into 3,403 seven-figure properties, more than double Denver’s 1,585, reflecting a significantly broader and deeper pool of luxury for desert-bound buyers.

Smith explains that this disparity mostly comes down to Phoenix’s larger market, with a population of nearly 5.2 million compared with Denver’s 3 million residents.

Mountain West’s migration corridor

Situated more than 800 miles apart, Phoenix and Denver nevertheless are closely linked by buyer demand and migration.

According to a study of Realtor.com cross-market listing demand data, the two Western hubs are each other’s largest single source of out-of-market interest. 

Over 13% of Denver’s external listing views on the site originate from Phoenix, and nearly 9% of Phoenix’s out-of-market views come from Denver. 

“Denver consistently attracts out-of-state buyers and visitors alike, and more often than not, visitors turn into buyers,” Michelle Schwinghammer, a real estate agent at West and Main Homes in Denver, tells Realtor.com. “Once people experience it here, they tend to want to stay. Life simply feels different in Denver, in all the right ways.”

Smith explains that this two-way demand pipeline reflects a migration corridor between Phoenix and Denver, which both offer lifestyle perks, lower cost of living compared with coastal markets, and ample outdoor recreation opportunities.

“For buyers moving from Denver to Phoenix, the draw often includes a warmer climate, no state income tax, and a deeper supply of luxury inventory,” says the economist. “For those moving from Phoenix to Denver, the appeal may center on four-season mountain access, a more temperate summer climate, and an economic engine driven by aerospace, defense, and tech.”

Schwinghammer says that for high-net-worth buyers drawn to Denver’s relaxed vibes, diversified economy, and active lifestyle, luxury can mean different things, depending on their budget and personal preferences.

“For some, it’s a gated estate in Cherry Hills Village, morning tee times on pristine fairways, followed by the grueling decision of which world-class neighborhood restaurant to dine at that evening,” says the agent. “For others, it looks entirely different. A penthouse in one of Denver’s new architecturally driven luxury high-rises, where sweeping city and mountain views set the backdrop for a lifestyle defined by modern design, elevated amenities, and resort-inspired living centered around entertaining, gathering, retreating, and indulging on a daily basis.”

Meanwhile, buyers interested in luxury condo living put a premium on high-end amenities, such as rooftop terraces with pools and spas, outdoor firepits, state-of-the-art fitness centers, and social lounges.

Why Denver wins the race to the closing table

While Denver’s luxury prices sit well below Phoenix’s, the Mile High City remains the undisputed champion of market pace.

The typical entry-level luxury home in Denver goes under contract in just 43 days, outstripping Phoenix’s 66-day median and the national luxury benchmark of 62 days. 

This speed, according to Smith, is driven by Denver’s more compressed price range at the top of the market and a more decisive buyer base.

However, Schwinghammer warns Denver’s luxury buyers not to let this blistering pace cloud their judgment, arguing that the smartest move is to slow down and explore.

“Denver is bigger and more established than most people realize, made up of 78 distinct neighborhoods, each with its own style, personality, architecture, historic character, and sense of place,” she says. “The right fit isn’t just about the home, it’s about finding the neighborhood that matches how you want to live.”

Conversely, Phoenix’s deeper luxury inventory has emerged as a double-edged sword. While the metro offers shoppers more variety, it often leads to buyer hesitation, extending the time it takes to get to the closing table. 

“These two metros demonstrate how the Mountain West has matured into one of the country’s most dynamic luxury housing corridors,” says Smith.