Pad in Al Gore's SF Building Slashed by $21 Million

Looking for a swank pad in San Francisco? Look no further than the penthouse of the St. Regis Hotel, which just went from $70 million to $49 million in the stroke of a keyboard.

The 20,000 square foot domicile is owned by local real estate speculator Victor MacFarlane, who bought it for a mere $30 million in 2005. The still unfinished apartment was listed by Southeby's at the ridiculous price of $70 million.

Granted, you might run in to former vice president, Nobel prize winner and current venture capitalist Al Gore in the elevator on the way to the parking garage.

Owner MacFarlane's real estate management company hasn't posted an update to their Web site since 2007. Which is as clear a sign of the times as any I've seen beyond my own inability to pay rent.

Gore is probably spending little time in San Francisco these days as his high-rise investment plummets in value and his pie-eyed descriptions of environmental calamity becomes all the more urgent.

Gore will be in Chicago on Friday for the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting.

Besides, rooms at the hotel are available for as little as $359 a night starting next weekend according to the hotel's online reservations Web site.

So go ahead and splurge, assuming one night at the St. Regis doesn't cost you more than a couple of weeks of pay at that part-time job with no benefits.