John Abides! Lautner in The Hollywood Hills

After seeing the Big Lebowski for about the 1000^th time last Friday at Lebowski Fest LA, I was already in a Lautner kind of mood!  Then this one hit this morning.  

John Lautner’s Polin House from 1947 (3542 Multiview) appeared in my inbox and was on Caravan today.

Coming back from an inspection in the Valley, I stopped in to check it out.  Up a shared driveway are dueling Lautners.      

They own the promontory, making the most of the jetliner views it offers.  I indignantly banged on the door of the wrong one before making my way to the correct house. Lautner incorporated long walls of glass, sharp angles and open spaces into these houses.  

Only 1,342 SF, it is not a large house by any means.  Dwarfed by the Sheats Goldstein Residence in The Big Lebowski, this is a very different but very livable space for a couple or single person.

It is billed as having 3 bedrooms, but one has been converted into a very cool study and one is a lower unit not accessable from the interior.

So essentially it is a very indulgent 1-bedroom pad.

With 27,000+ SF of land (mostly hillside) it is a nice chunk of the hill.  Overlooking the Valley below, it is clear why this lot was chosen.

Offered by Aaron Kirman & Chad Rogers of Hilton & Hyland

For sale at $1,495,000, that’s $1,114/SF.  Worth it for a Lautner?  Well... How badly do you want it? 

If you want to see it, let me know! Call (310) 991-3808 or email anytime.

MINTZ

PS I love you

On the way back from the desert this weekend, we drove through Palm Springs with 2 intentions: 1) to eat our 2nd Mexican meal in 12 hours and 2) to seek out and admire some of the iconic mid-century architecture that residents have preserved and restored.

We started our pseudo-tour on Apache Road in Twin Palms Estates where the first Alexander Tract Houses reside.

Next we stopped by St. Theresa Catholic Church, a William F. Cody designed building from 1968 (great year BTW) with incredible details throughout.  I caught this Road Runner genuflecting outside in one of the many courtyards.  There were no coyotes in sight.

This Motel/Apartment called, "The Hideaway," designed by Architect, Herbert W. Burns, won a 2010 Palm Springs Modern Committee Preservation Award.  So we checked it out... poked around the grounds and contemplated going for a swim.

We drove as close as we could to Frey House II, but couldn't get as close to it as Julius Shulman did in 1965.

We found  the Walter White House on West Cielo Road in Little Tuscany Estates. Rumor has it that It was built in 1955 after White spent some time with R.M. Schindler.  Ripoff or homage?  You be the judge.

Just up the road on Cielo, we saw this very cool house sitting atop a bluff.  I don't know anything about it.  If you do, please let me know!

We happened upon the Kaufmann House, a Neutra from 1946.

Before leaving town, we stopped at the corner of El Molino & North Sunny View where 7 of Donald Wexler's Steel Development Houses stand at attention.

Before leaving Palm Springs, we pulled into the Visitors Center. The dramatic hyperbolic paraboloid  and futuristic overtones of the building instantly reminded me of 2 other iconic structures. "Jack Colker's 76" gas station in Beverly Hills (easily one of the best example of Googie Architecture)...

...and the Edens Theater (no longer in existence) in Northbrook, IL, near where I grew up.  When it opened in 1964, it was billed as, the largest hyperbolic paraboloid building ever constructed.

I was not surprised to find out that the Visitors Center was originally built in 1965 as a filling station.  It was designed by Albert Frey and Robson Chambers and to this day serves as a gateway to the city and a harbinger of great things beyond.

  

MINTZ

Get your shovel! You are going to dig this....

The Wildwood Project

This is a great opportunity for an investor, builder or developer, but can also be an interesting alternative for a home buyer that just can't find the right house.

I recently listed 4 hillside lots in Eagle Rock on Wildwood Drive, a gorgeous winding street peppered with trees and lovely mid-century homes. The panoramic vistas lord over the valley.

Click to enlarge!

The scope of the project is up to you.  Buy all four lots and build four individual homes, create a small lot subdivision or just pick your favorite lot and build your dream house.

Click to enlarge!

This is a very unique project as much of the tedious work has already been done with the city.  The seller purchased 5 lots, tying 2 together to make 4 individual parcels ranging from 5,000-10,000 Square Feet, he got an exception to move the existing oak trees and has pulled ALL permits for 1544 Wildwood.

His intention was to build the four homes rendered here:

Click to enlarge!

There are plans for all 4 homes which were designed by noted Chilean architect, Juan Pablo Rozas. They broke ground on two of the lots, completing excavation, retaining walls and caissons before putting the project on hold. You can take it from here.

Click to enlarge!

The property at 1544 Wildwood (pictured below) actually comes with plans, reports AND permits already paid for.

Click to enlarge!

The lots are priced as follows:

1540 Wildwood     4,800 SF     $165,000

1544 Wildwood     5,380 SF     $195,000

1552 Wildwood     6,795 SF     $99,000

1556 Wildwood   10,094 SF     $150,000

Map It

If this sounds like a project for you or someone you know, please email or call me anytime at: (310) 991-3808. I have the plans at my office if you would like to go over them in person.

MINTZ

Simple. Elegant. Refined. Buy this Silver Lake house now!

1973 Redesdale Avenue, 90039

Another Josef Van der Kar, AIA hit the market this weekend. This wonderful Silver Lake home exemplifies the renowned architect’s point of view… And by point of view, I mean aesthetically, not politically.  For an interesting read about Van der Kar’s amazing connection to cold-war-era politics, click here.

Purchased for just $275,000 by its current owner in 1995 it is listed today at $1,070,000 after what seems to be extensive renovations, repairs, care and a devotion to Van der Kar’s original vision for the home.

With 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms in 1,840 SF it sits back from the street overlooking the reservoir. The 8,451 SF lot is being maximized for true California outdoor living.

 Offered by Barry Gray of Deasy Penner & Partners

Are you in the market for a home?  If so, give me a call at 310-991-3808 or shoot me an email anytime.

MINTZ

Grand Theft Abode- Steal this house!

  

2190 Talmadge St. in Los Feliz

It’s called “The Gogol House, 1939” according to the listing.  Raphael Soriano is the architect responsible.  At $1,195,000 this 2,779 SF home built in 1939 could be yours! The current owner purchased it for $915K in 2003 (over asking).

 

Soriano was an influential figure in the evolution of “mid-century” architecture; home design practices and their implementation.  This is a great example of his early work.

 

It is important to note that he is a fellow Trojan, having graduated from USC in 1934… FIGHT ON!

What do you get for your million-two?  3 bedrooms & 3 bathrooms, decks, glass and a great pedigree to hang on your wall!

 

The listing rightfully states that this is “a rare opportunity to own an important residence by an iconic, mid-century modern architect.”  

 

 

 

Offered by Deasy Penner & Partners

If you want to see it, send me an email or call me at: (310) 991-3808

MINTZ 

"A tale of 2 Ficketts" or "Now You CAN Be Fickle About Fickett"

Two great Ficketts in one week?  Not far from each other either!  This property, located at 3122 Nichols Canyon Rd. in Nichols Canyon, is the 2nd offering in the past few days built in the same neighborhood in the same year by the same guy... MY fellow Trojan, Edward Fickett. The man designed over 60,000 homes, so I guess it's understandable.

Nevertheless, it is a spectacular home that has been tastefully updated and renovated, yet it seems to maintain Eddie's original intention.

The 2,510 SF house is perched on a respectable 8,400 SF lot with 4 bedrooms & 3.5 bathrooms.

There seem to be so many walls of glass that I think you are going to have to invest in some freestanding art.  There is nowhere to hang your Calder!

Per the listing: "The open living plan revolves around a dramatic glass atrium that anchors the center of the house and provides incredible light."

"Floor-to-ceiling sliders open the entire rear of the house to the pool & decks."

This is a great house for realizing your California dream.  Fickett masterfully arranges space, both indoor and out, for relaxation among simplicity.... But, you can put your racket away. This one doesn't have a cantilevered tennis court either!

Offered by Geoff Clark of Deasy Penner & Partners

The property is listed for $1,895,000

If you want to see it, shoot me an email or give me a call at: (310) 991-3808

MINTZ