Someone bought a whole street instead of the properties??

[Jia Liu]

I just stumbled upon this article. http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/Rich-SF-residents-get-a-shock-Someone-bought-11738236.php It caught me by surprise that you can buy a private street instead of a physical property?? Can someone help explain how that's possible and how this works?? Thanks!