Hoping to memory-hole the flooding drama at 33 Tehama, the luxury SoMa high-rise is suddenly rebranding itself as “Spera,” and while it is at the exact same location, it now claims to be located at 39 Tehama Street.

It was two years ago this month when the swanky South of Market high-rise apartment building 33 Tehama completely flooded due to a roof-level pipe bursting, forcing the evacuation of all of the building’s 600-plus tenants, and leaving much of the building in the condition seen below. Things quickly went from bad to worse for those tenants, as they started having their replacement hotel rooms revoked and were forced to fend for themselves to find shelter. A couple months later, the place flooded again, and repair crews were caught on camera stealing the displaced tenants’ belongings.

The tenants’ move-back-in date was delayed from months later to a year-and-a-half later. Understandably, about 50 of the tenants sued the property manager Hines, alleging that the manager knew about the faulty plumbing, and was intentionally dishonest with them about reimbursement for the interim housing that the tenants had to pay for from their own pockets. Finally, tenants were allowed to move back in this past January.

And now, apparently, Hines wants all those flooding-related disasters to be water under the bridge. KGO reported Wednesday night that Hines had renamed the building Spera SF, and now claims its address is 39 Tehama. The Chronicle then reported Thursday morning that the signage on the building has also changed to reflect the “Spera SF’ rebrand, and the signage also says “Now Leasing.”

“It's a sham,” former 33 Tehama tenant Ankur Sharma told KGO. “They are basically just fooling people so that the previous results don't pop up on Google search. That's why they changed the name, change the address."

Unsurprisingly, the real estate investment types at Hines would like to sell this differently.

“We are growing our Spera community,” Hines spokesperson Marisa Monte-Santoro told the Chronicle. “In addition to the restoration and renovation work inside and out, new signage and signature art will be installed this summer, as well as enhanced activity programming and concierge offerings.”

Hines claims the building is now 43% occupied, down from having been 95% occupied when the floods hit.

Hines further said, "As of last month, approximately one-third of the original residents from 2022 have returned to the property, and of those who elected to retain their leases throughout the extensive restoration, nearly 75% returned to the property."

The rebranded Spera website shows all manner of luxury accommodations, with images of  hip, young, affluent people playing billiards, doing core exercises, or soaking in a hot tub.

The irony may be lost with regards to soaking in a tub at a place that was emptied out because bursting the pipes had flooded the place on multiple occasions.    

Related: Still-Flooded Out 33 Tehama Residents Sue Property Manager, Alleging Mismanagement and Dishonesty [SFist]

Image: Ben G. via Yelp