Don't Bet The Farm!

2300 Baxter St.

Los Angeles, CA 90039

I like this new listing in Silver Lake, but I am worried that it is priced too high.  What do you think?

It is a very chic re-envisioned 1930s bungalow transformed into what looks like a Virginia farmhouse.  I know that last sentence makes this pad seem questionable, but it's not.  Barbara Bestor did it in 2004 and it is very, very cool! But is it worth $925,000? It was sold for $372,000 in 2003 before the renovation.

Here is the situation:  It is listed as having 1,625 SF.  Per the assessor, it is 1,330.  I imagine that the converted garage makes up the difference.

Per the listing, "The pitched roofline and cement board siding evoke an east coast farmhouse, but simple interior volumes, sustainable materials & industrial ingredients are classic California modern."

It sits way above the street on a mostly usable 7,303 SF lot.  There is not much to say about the landscaping or outdoor spaces.  They are very spartan to say the least. The home possesses some decent views (away from the reservoir) and a nice deck from which to enjoy them.

The interior is very well conceived and makes great use of the small space.

It is listed at $925,000, has 3 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms. It is in Clifford Elementary.

Listing is courtesy of Barry Gray of Deasy Penner & Partners

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

MINTZ

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

Meet me for Tequila at Hollywood & Vine!

I just listed a fantastic 2-story live/work loft in the heart of Hollywood. You might recognize the building. It has a giant Patron bottle on the top!

Located at the most famous intersection in the world, this penthouse unit sits 12 floors above the iconic corner.

Enter on the lower floor which can be used as a studio space, office, 2nd bedroom etc.

Upstairs is a swanky living area with high ceilings, 2 bathrooms, a custom Viking kitchen and  plenty of room to entertain!

The views are spectacular and can be enjoyed form large windows facing 2 directions (north & east).

Click!

Bring the party upstairs to the rooftop deck and make the patrons at Dre's jealous.  You can see them from here... so they can see you!

6253 Hollywood Boulevard Penthouse 1106


It is available for sale or lease. $675,000 & $3,800/month.

Call or email for details! (310) 991-3808


MINTZ

Community Theatre

I’ve been a fan of Dan Bern for years. If you are not familiar with his music, I urge you to check him out.  He is an amazingly prolific songwriter possessing an unusual ability to weave comedy into poignant lyrics with a voice & attitude akin to Bob Dylan. Why is this relevant to eastsidedigs?  Because I dig Echo Park, and I now have one more reason to espouse its virtues.

Dan.

I had the rare opportunity this week to sit in a comfortable chair, surrounded by other Dan Bern fans in a room decorated slightly more quirkily than, but in the same vein as, the rec-rooms I recall from the 70s.  The venue was wedged into a commercial space in Echo Park next to a very cool frame store. In this uncanny space, I was treated to an amazing acoustic set, sans amps and mics. Dan performed a few feet away from me with an awesome group called Common Rotation. 

Common Rotation

Being a fan, I get an email every once in a while from Dan’s headquarters alerting me to his concert schedule.  It seems that even though he lives in LA, he doesn’t often play here.  I missed his last performance at the Bootleg, but noticed that he was going to be showing up at this enigmatic venue: The Echo Country Outpost. I arrived early and, to my surprise, found a no-cover, no frills room filled with chairs  and  couches from just as many yard sales.  I was offered a beer at no charge and took my seat.  Where the hell was I?  No line?  No duchey door guy? No cover?  Free beer?  Friendly, engaging people lacking the typical vapid, annoying attitude you might have also have come to expect from our city… Utopia?  No.  Echo Park... If you have the opportunity, go see a show here.

It was in incredible evening.  I left the event bolstered by a feeling that there is an unusual sense of community developing in EP.  Once known for its roughhewn edges, it’s now considered one of the up-and-coming hoods in our city.  Gone are the days when you would only go to Echo Park to see a baseball game and then just as quickly get the hell out!

Echo Park: It’s not just for baseball anymore!  Now you can push your stroller down the street, see live music for free, eat well and feel safe.  I was at The Echo a few Sundays ago... during the day!  There were several decent bands performing... and young children running through the crowd.  


If you are in the market to buy and haven’t considered Echo Park, you might be surprised by the steadily increasing home prices.  Take a walk on Sunset near Alvarado on any night of the week.  The energy is palpable.  The feeling of community is growing.  The neighborhood is alive and vibrant!  Don’t be surprised if you get back in your car and think, “hey… I want to live here!”

As for Dan Bern, Common Rotation and the Echo Country Outpost, put them all on your to-do list. 

Of course if you want to add Echo Park to your home search, I can help you with that!  Give me a call or email anytime! (310) 991-3808

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