Albert Van Dekker Residence by R.M. Schindler in Woodland Hills Back on the Market

[Update January 22, 2014]: This home sold for $700,000 on December 31, 2013. Cant wait to see the restoration. 

[Original Post]:

Images courtesy Architecture & Design Collection, University Art Museum, UC Santa Barbara

Above images courtesy LA Curbed

19950 Collier Street

4 Beds/3 Baths on 2,518 sqft on a total lot size of 0.47 acres built in 1940 designed by world renowned architect R.M Schindler in Woodland Hills available for $799,000 (Schindler also designed the Laurelwood Apartments and Goodwin House both in Studio City).  The price might seem like a good deal but the home needs major restoration work as the home has been neglected for many decades. 

The home was originally commissioned by Albert Van Dekker who was a stage and screen actor best known for playing 1940's Dr. Cyclops and evil villain Dr. Soberin in Kiss Me Deadly. Dekker later sold the property to Al "Buzz" Bezzerides, screenwriter for Kiss Me Deadly, who lived in the property up until his death in 2007 where it remained in neglect for close to 50 years. In 2009, the home was nominated for HCM status (and awarded in 2010) meaning it could never be tore down without special consideration and review and was purchased by Josh Gorrell who planned to restore the home to its former glory on October 16 for $580,000. Gorrell, so far, has replaced the roof and removed the septic tank and instead connected to the city sewer system but is now selling to focus on other endeavors. Since this home needs a lot of work, it appears that this home will need to find a special buyer who has the upfront cash, time, and desire to restore to its original condition which means it will probably be sitting on the market for awhile. You can read more about this home at LA Curbed and check out the latest renovation pictures in 2010 here and here. The listing description states: 

Your chance to own a piece of History. Built in 1940 and designed by the renowned master architect R. M. Schindler for Albert Van Dekker. This 4 Bedroom, 3 Bath three-story is situated on almost a half acre South of Ventura Blvd and exhibits character-defining features of Modern style and architecture. These features include but are not limited to: tightly interlocking volumes, folded planes, an asymmetrical roof, sloping walls & ceilings, polygonal windows, butt-glazed corners, exposed wood interiors, flagstone patios & fireplaces. Major repairs are required to preserve this historic landmark for future generations. (Sterling Realty)

You can view more SFV Architecture and Real Estate here.

Francis Lederer's Historic Canoga Mission Home Hits the Market

[Update January 22, 2014]: This home sold for $1,500,000 on December 9, 2013.

[Original Post]:

23132 Sherman Way

Somebody pinch me because I must be in a dream after randomly searching online listings where I found the historic and truly one of a kind home built for actor Francis Lederer in 1933 which was declared a Historic Cultural Monument on November 15, 1978 at #204. Lederer also owned the stables across the street which is now the Canoga Mission Gallery which was declared on December 4, 1974 and both sites comprised a 300 acre ranch owned by Lederer who was also the Honorary Mayor of Canoga Park during a good portion of his life prior to his death in 2000 at the age of 100. Lederer was also a promoter of the West Valley especially Canoga Park where he helped establish the sister city program between Taxco, Mexico and Canoga Park in 1963. 

Some more info on this historic home (from Wikipedia):

In 1934, Francis Lederer began design and construction, with the help of artisan builder John R. Litke, of his landmark residence and stables on the hilltop of a large rancho in the Simi Hills in Owensmouth, renamed Canoga Park, renamed again to present day West Hills. It is in the western San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California. The house is sophisticated example of a distinguished blending of Mediterranean Revival style with Mission Revival Style architecture in which the interior and exterior integral design, artisan work, and construction details are in a refined landmark quality. The rich building materials were chosen with greatest of care and painstakingly employed to make the finished buildings appear centuries old. The imported original 14th and 15th century Italian Renaissance and Spanish Renaissance museum-quality art pieces, decorative arts elements, and furnishings, are of particular rarity, value and interest.

The stables are in pure Mission Revival Style architecture, also designed by Francis Lederer with John R. Litke in the 1930s. It was built beside Bell Creek. Marion Lederer, his wife, transformed them into the Canoga Mission Gallery in the 1970s, which continues to present day.

The residence and stables are both protected Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monuments. The 1994 Northridge earthquake damaged the house. It is currently undergoing a major renovation. The estate is next to the very large 1845 Mexican land grant Rancho El Escorpión, which was his southern rural viewshed and remained undeveloped open space until 1959. The home and grounds are still in the hands of the Lederer family, and will become a public historical resource center.

The home measures 2 Beds/2 Baths on 4,796 sqft on a total lot size of 6.62 acres built in 1933. This home was first listed on Februrary 26, 2013 (and rather quietly because I have not heard of any other websites reporting this listing) for $1,599,000. Assuming the furniture is original and included with the sale, that must  be worth a good chunk of change that easily boosts the value of this home due to its rarity. I cant believe its been on the market for this long. According to the listing:

Back on Market! Canoga Mission Historic Landmark Property on four separate parcels totalling just over 6.5 acres on the market for the first time. Built for Frances Lederer, this authentic Spanish style home has amazing valley views and a detached two unit guest house. Courtyard style home with French doors from almost every room makes this the perfect entertainer home. Property features stunning dining room with fireplace, huge living room with arched windows and massive fireplace, cantina with wet bar and fireplace and library with yet another fireplace. There are no words to properly describe this home. The authentic detail is stunning, and the "Calabasas" stone used in construction was quarried on site. This is an opportunity to own one of the West Valley's only Historic Landmark Homes.

The Lederers left this property after it was damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake and continued to live in the Palm Springs home at 1385 El Alameda which was sold for $390K on July 12, 2011 (they also owned a Malibu beach house at 31220 Broad Beach which sold for $3,812,500 on September 5, 2001. I believe the home is still owned by Lederer family but a review of the property records shows that producer turned real estate investor Nile Niami of Toluca Lake purchased this property on October 30, 2001 for $195,000 which would be shortly after the deaths of the Lederers in 2000. But that doesnt seem right to me so just reporting what I find. 

You can view more SFV Architecture and Real Estate here. 

Images courtesy Prudential California Realty

And some aerial views from Google and Historicaerials.com

The property today with the latest development being the condos at the bottom. Image courtesy Google Maps.

Image courtesy Google Maps

In 1952, Canoga Park was mostly empty. Image courtesy Historicaerials.com

In 1959, Canoga Park was starting to be developed. Image courtesy Historicaerials.com

In 1978, Canoga Park was mostly developed including the West Hills Hospital and the stretch of Sherman Way turning into Platt. Image courtesy Historicaerials.com

By 2003, all land was developed except for Lederer's property, however the portion near the Post Office would be developed a couple years later encroaching onto the Lederer property. Image courtesy Historicaerials.com

Craig Residence by Paul Williams in West Hills

8431 Pinelake Drive

6 Beds/4 Baths on 4,780 sqft on a total lot size of 0.67 acres built in 1939 West Hills. This home was last sold on July 25, 2008 for $775,000. This home was originally built for Talton R. Craig, an owner of the Los Angeles Full-Flow Valve Company by famed architecht Paul Revere Williams. Williams designed a one story U-shaped home with stables on 1600 acres known as the Peppergate Ranch which bordered the Chastworth Reservoir and The Orcutt Ranch (which was declared HCM# 31 in 1965).  This area was later subdivided into the Woodlake and Pinelake Estates in the 60s. According to the Paulwilliamsproject.org site, 

Local lore suggests that one of the three basements was used as a sanctuary for Japanese Americans hiding from internment during World War II and “drug fueled” parties of the sixties were attended by psychedelic rockers and their entourage of groupies. Through the years the house underwent a number of remodelings, not always sympathetic to the Williams’ aesthetic.  Because the present owners appreciate the home’s “charm and grandeur,” they hope to undo some of the previous work and preserve it for future generations. In April 2011, their hard work was rewarded when the house was given official status as  Historic-Cultural Monument #992.

In the SFV, Paul Williams also designed the Barbara Stanwyck home which was later purchased by Jack Oakie which was eventually preserved by the City of LA and received HCM# 484 (note, there is some speculation that Williams may have not been the prinicpal architect on this property). The other home that Williams designed is the Dr. A.E. Abdun-Nur residence in Tarzana which still exists but has not received an HCM status and its condition is not known as well as the Livingston Motor Car Company dearlership in Woodland Hills which also is not an HCM but still present. There may be other homes in the SFV designed by Williams which I am unaware of. If you have any info, please let me know.

Although this home is not currently for sale and probably wont be for awhile, I wanted to blog about this home because of its Historical status and its such a unique home which was heaved onto the public market before this blog was started. You can also view more pictures at Paulwilliamsproject.org.

You can view more SFV Architecture and Real Estate here. 

Above images courtesy  Broussard Realty 

Craig Residence in 1952 on 1600 acres of farmland. Image courtesy Historicaerials.com

Craig Residence in 1959 on 1600 acres of farmland, still undeveloped. Image courtesy Historicaerials.com

Craig Residence in 1977 which had already become fully subsidized and developed with the original house remaining. Image courtesy Historicaerials.com

[Update July 15, 2013]: Some more pictures of the Craig Residence courtesy current owner Dodd Harris and through the Friends of the Craig Hacienda at Peppergate Ranch Facebook Page.