Back from the dead... or at least a long slumber!

Sorry folks - work and life generally has kept me busy and some things like this blog have been casualties of late.  Anyhow, saw a new listing on the MLS this morning that got my blogging juices flowing.

This is 1316 Vuelta Place in PVE.  The MLS listing description describes it as "spectacular new construction" of a "custom built" house built, per the MLS build date, in 2013.  Yet upon a deeper dig, this home appears to have just sold in December 2012 for $1.275M (more than $1M less than the current asking price of $2.399M).

The home measures 2,860sf on a nice 0.4 acre lot in Montemalaga.  Curiously, public records show the home as a 2,555sf 1964 build.  The previous listing in 2012, which started at $1.345M and closed at $1.275M looks very very similar to the 'new construction' with some obvious facade tweaks.

The 2012 facade is obviously the original 1964 design.  The 2013 facade of the 'new construction' is really just an update, as far as I can tell, of the exterior of the home to albeit better, more interesting and architecturally accurate design.  The garage, front door, windows, and even the roof are in the same places as its 60s predecessor.  The new front boasts recessed windows, nicer plaster/stucco walls, wooden garage door (although I'm not a fan of the glaze) and nice accent lights.  I do wish the owner would have gone with a white exterior rather than the McMansiony cream color we've seen so much of lately.

The new listing boasts of modern conveniences in the home; however the 2012 listing also touted a remodeled kitchen among other interior improvements.  Given the work done to this house is mostly superficial, does that warrant a near doubling of the asking price?

No interior photos of the new house have been added to the MLS, so we'll see what other changes have been made.  Given that the last sale closed less than 3 months ago, I remain skeptical as to what updates and changes could have been made in such a short period of time (especially given the rather lengthy approvals process in PVE for aesthetics and structural changes).  We shall see.

Nearly done...

So here's the nearly complete home on PV Dr North.  To my eye, it looks like the home was painted slightly off-white.

(Source: NJC)

It actually doesn't look as bad as I thought it could.  My biggest complaint with the facade is the narrowness of the windows above the garage - makes it look far too busy.  Otherwise, the home fits in well with the landscaping.  I don't think anyone will miss the older, run-down ranch house it replaced.

A Spanish home goes up on the Drive

What a busy summer it's turning out to be!  Remember this post on a new build going up on PV Drive North in Valmonte?  Well it is coming along (relatively) nicely.  A quick recap:

Homeowners purchased the home (see below) in December of 2010 for $839K.  The home was a marketed as a teardown, a fixer in desperate need of TLC.

(Source: MLS)

(Source: Google Maps)

So the homeowners, a couple moving from the Los Verdes area of Rancho Palos Verdes, hired local architect Doug Leach to design for them a new home in the Spanish vernacular.  The plans were approved in May 2011 and several months later, work began.

(Source: Google Maps)

(Source: NJC)


As you can see from the photo above, the house was going to either be Spanish or Italian in style and it had a reverse C-shape layout, with a central courtyard.  In my earlier post, I had written that I hoped it would maintain some architectural integrity to either style.  If Spanish, that it would be white, with appropriate trim details.  If Italian, that it wouldn't go overboard with stonework and too much ornamentation.  Well folks, the home is nearly complete!  And it doesn't look terrible!

(Source: NJC)

You can see from the photo that the house has what some have called the 'Santa Barbara' style, mixing the white plaster-y stucco with the teal blue window trim and wrought iron accents.   It is still a few weeks from completion, so I'll reserve final judgment until then.  But so far, looks promising.  I do think the windows in the room above the garage are too narrow/large for the space - they should be shorter.  But again, let's see how this all shakes out in the end.

Notice that the front entry leads to a courtyard which is open to the west (see arrows below).

(Source: NJC)

Given the size of the lot, I suspect the courtyard comes at the expense of the backyard.  Oddly enough, if you look at the aerial photograph at the beginning of the post, the 1952 2,233sf ranch home that this Leach design replaces also had a small western-facing courtyard and a very small rear yard.

Stay tuned for more on this later.

Money may buy you many things, but taste isn't one of them

So today I just thought I'd do another quick post.  Remember that Lunada Bay Spanish home that's listed for sale for $2.8M designed by Doug Leach?  Well, its basically done and I'm not a fan!

Judging from the updated MLS pictures, it looks like Mulligan/Leach opted for some beige derivative for the exterior color instead of the more authentic white.  Also, as I suspected earlier, the front is too busy.  Too much going on.  The windows are too big, too ornate with lights on either side, a column separating the two panes.  Insufficient white space separating all the ornamentation on the facade.  Also, why oh why did Mulligan opt for a cheap plastic garage door that was painted brown?  Why not splurge the extra cash on an authentic wooden garage door?  If you're spending $1M on construction costs, what's an extra few $K? 

Can someone explain to me why there is a small wall separating the driveway and the entryway?  If you opt for parking your car in the driveway and want to enter the front door, why must you walk all the way around to the pedestrian path?

 (Source: MLS)

(Source: MLS)

I understand the lot is width-constrained.  This lot I believe is 67 feet wide, implying that the home itself is approximately 50 feet wide.  That is still plenty of space.  Especially considering that several other homes have managed to achieve creative, tasteful, and restrained designs even on 60' wide lots in which the facades are constrained to 43' wide.  Take for example this other home in the Valmonte neighborhood which is also listed for sale at $2.4M.

 (Source: MLS)

(Source: Google Maps)

That 3,683sf home built in 2001 sits on a comparatively small 7,886sf lot which is about 63' wide.  Yet despite these constraints, the home has loads of architectural features - all tastefully done.  It's not one big mass of a home with faux Spanish or faux Italian elements.  Its authentic.  Its well done indeed.

Even the siting and layout takes advantage of the natural features.

(Source: MLS)

I'm not sure who the architect was on this project.  The original homeowners, who have listed this home for sale, bought the lot with an older home on it in 1998 for $750K.  They tore that home down and built this beauty in 2001.

KEY STATS

Location: Valmonte PVE
Style: Cape Cod
Year built:  2001
Architect: Unknown
Square footage: 4,000sf
Lot size: 7,886sf (63'x130')

I have to say, that despite the atrocities of the Leach/Mulligan Spanish home, there are some truly beautiful homes in PVE.  Furthermore, for all my issues with the Art Jury being asleep at the wheel, they have at least prevented some absolute extremities of design from popping up in the city.  Unlike Beverly Hills.  Check out this home below, which is currently listed at $5.8M and spans 8,675sf.  The listing description heralds the house as a "one of a kind" home "with French and Italian style."  I think the photos say it all - no further commentary needed.

(Source: Google Maps)

(Source: MLS)

Are we in the Valley?

Quick updates today.  Remember that monstrocity in Lunada Bay that I wrote about (more here) ?  Well, my fears were confirmed when I checked out the progress being made.  Here's what the first of the two homes looks like as of last week.

 (Source: NJC)

(Source: NJC)

This is a cartoon of a home if I ever saw one.  It's a block.  Well, three blocks.  With windows.  Lots of them.  Close together.  Doors.  Lots of them.  Close together too.  And the three car garage!  The siting and massing of this house is atrocious!  And what's more, rather than even attempting to have any semblance of authenticity by say, painting the home white and using a deeper red tile, the home is yellow.  With orange tile.  I mean, if you're going to go with something that is overly simple, at least do it well.  This home is a McMansion.  The kind you normally find in the Valley or Riverside County.  It does not belong on a bluff top lot in PV.

If the owner/builders were going for the symmetric, stately yet informal, balanced facade look, they could have gone with this home below which was built last year in Beverly Hills.  While this home too is imperfect, it still is head and shoulders above the Paseo del Mar McMansion!

 (Source: NJC)

(Source: NJC)

This example is a simplified, somewhat symmetric and balanced facade. The BH home has the right color palette.  Better massing.  The design is restrained, graceful even.  Sufficient white space.  Etc.

What do you all think?



Also, one other quick update.  The other home I wrote about is nearly complete - and its a beauty!
You remember this one? Well here it is, all grown up!

(Source: NJC)

We need more homes likes this!  Unique, authentic designs.

Since we're on a Tomaro theme...

Thought I'd drop a quick note today on another project of Louie Tomaro - this one isn't in PV - it's in Manhattan Beach, where Tomaro Design does most of their work.  In this home, on 1st Street, Tomaro, the architect on the job, remodels the interior by reversing the floorplan to move the living spaces back downstairs.  This is to accomodate some property acquisitions of the homeowners in which they added  a large lawn, pool and pool house (see aerial below).  The 6,650sf home now sits on a very large (by beach cities standards) 13,200sf lot.

(Source: Google Maps)


One of the other remodels Tomaro did to the home - and the reason I'm writing this post - is converting  the Italian-esque/McMansion exterior to a "softer, Santa Barbara" style.   What do you all think of the changed facade?


Original:

 (Source: Google Maps)

New:

(Source: Tomaro)

Construction update - More news in Lunada

A quick one today - an update in Lunada Bay. New parcels of land on Paseo del Mar that were previously vacant saw their first home go up (or close to it).  The closest one to the bluff, which measures about 0.5 acres, sold for $1.7M in mid 2010 after being listed at $2.35M for some time.  The smaller lot, about 0.35 acres, sold shortly thereafter for $1.5M.  Both were bought by Mulligan Development.    You can see the evolution below, from flagging to construction.  Looks like the smaller lot, farther from the bluffs is going up first (probably to sell it while it has a view before the next home goes up in front of it).

 (Source: NJC)

(Source: NJC)

(Source: NJC)

(Source: NJC)

Mulligan, as you may remember, has been building the other under construction home I was blogging about in Lunada - this one: http://homesofpalosverdes.blogspot.com/2011/08/lunada-bay-coming-along-nicely.html 

As you'll recall, he used Doug Leach for that home.  But for the Paseo del Mar projects, he's using an known gentleman named Jesus Meza - who's address on the construction applications appears to be his own home in Los Angeles.  Doing a little more digging, it looks as though Meza used to work for Ashai Design and is now on his own.  (Anyone else have any info here?)

The Paseo del Mar house that's going up now looks like it will be another McMansion - oversized windows, front facing garage, a unusually imbalanced looking roofline, etc etc.  Also, note from the flagging how close the second home will be to this one!  Let's pray I'm wrong, but thus far, I'm not a fan.  Thoughts?

Lunada Bay - Coming along nicely

Update: Lunada Bay Spanish coming along nicely!  Let's hope they keep this one white... and not ruin it by painting it brown or beige!

(Source: NJC)

Update: Lunada Bay Spanish hits the market

Some of you may remember my recent post on a Spanish home under construction in Lunada Bay (recall that post here).

(Source: NJC)

Just saw that the home was officially put on the MLS this weekend - for, wait for it.... $2.8M!  You may recall from my earlier post that the owner bought the lot near the peak in 2007 for $1.3M and then earlier this year started construction on a 4,000sf, 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath home.  Well, for the curious readers, we now have floorplans!  See below:

(Source: MLS)

(Source: MLS)

As I had suspected, the floorplan is unsurprisingly predictable.  Entry foyer.  Garage on left.  Living room on right.  Stairs.  Central hallway.  Formal dining area between kitchen/family room and living room.  Guest bedroom downstairs is a little unique although in homes of this footprint and demographic, we also see in lieu of a downstairs bedroom, some sort of home office space.  Upstairs, much the same.  Three small bedrooms and a master. Boring. Boring. Boring.  I wonder if the interior has any unique architectural features, because the floorplan sure doesn't!

The listing description indicates that the home is being built by Mulligan Development, the same name that appears on the trust deed for the 2007 sale.  At 4,000sf, I'd suspect the build costs to range in the $750-900K mark depending on finishes.  Thus, the investment basis for Mr. Mulligan is in the $2.0- 2.2M range.  I think the current $2.8M asking price is fairly aggressive - if I were a betting man, I'd guess this trades around $2.2-2.4M tops.  Let's see how it unfolds!

KEY STATS

Location: Lunada Bay, PVE
Style: Spanish
Year built:  2011
Architect: Doug Leach
Square footage: 4,000sf (approximate)
Lot size: 9,780 (67'x148')

The kinda guy the Art Jury should have...

So as most of you know, I've been pretty critical of the PVE Art Jury given some of the architectural monstrocities they've allowed to be built in recent times.  The original PV planners back in the 20s had assumed the Art Jury would be comprised of esteemed architects - internationally renowned folks who were leaders in their field and styles.    Guys like John Galen Howard, famous for the Beaux Arts style of buildings of the Berkeley campus and Myron Hunt with notable structures all through Southern California (notably Pasadena).  While I'd suspect that most of the current Art Jury members do have solid architectural credentials (in fact, why don't they have their bios on the PVE or PVHA website?), I suspect their work would not stack up to the critique of their industry leading peers in the same way that their forebearers' work from the 20s/30s would.  In my daytime hobby as a reader of architectural mags and blogs, I did come across one great architect that's done some amazing Spanish work in SoCal.  Kevin A Clark. His designs, penned by hand and not by some fancy schmancy computer CAD software, look like timeless works of art - and the ultimate product, the home, look as though they were built a century ago.

He, as a general matter, isn't very prolific in the amount of homes he pens - designing only a handful of homes per year as I understand it (unlike Tomaro and Leach, for example, who each pen 25-35+ homes per year).  Check out some of his work here:

 (Source: Kevin A Clark Inc)

 (Source: Kevin A Clark Inc)

 (Source: Kevin A Clark Inc)

 (Source: Google Maps)

 (Source: Kevin A Clark Inc)

 (Source: Kevin A Clark Inc)


I wish he'd do some work on the Hill.  PV could use his talent!  If you're interested in more info, check out his Facebook page (he doesn't have a website): http://www.facebook.com/KevinAClarkInc

Development alert! We're losing a classic!

I noticed some flagging a few weeks back on one of the cooler classic homes in Lunada Bay - the McCreery House.

 (Source: Google Maps)

 (Source: PV Library)

Designed by Arthur C. Munson and built by Arthur Barnes in 1930, this Spanish home measures a comfortable but not excessive 3,725 square feet and sits on a flat 23,010sf lot.  It was originally built for Mrs. Madelon Matthews McCreery and then Ethel Barrymore.  Today, it is held by the Coors family (Enid Coors).

The lot itself is amazing - 160 feet wide, 155 feet deep.  It has room for a tennis court, big grass yard, motor court and several patios.  I haven't been able to snap my own photos and Google doesn't do this home justice - its perfectly elegant, understated, harmonious!

 (Source: Google Maps)

(Source: Google Maps)

(Source: Google Maps)


Anyhow, I noticed the flagging - a precursor to new building approval and part of the neighborhood compatibility process, a few weeks ago and that was a red flag to me - why would anyone want to tear down such a beautiful home with great history?  I was hoping that maybe it was just a facelift - a touch up, if you will, of the exterior.  But unfortunately, I was wrong.  A quick perusal through city council minutes and planning commission minutes shows indeed that Mrs. Coors heirs, who currently reside in Rancho Palos Verdes, applied for a new single family home permit.  And, to make matters worse, the architect they have chosen is Doug Leach.  Don't get me wrong - Doug has done some fine work, but he has also done some work of questionable integrity/fidelity.  Exhibit A. and Exhibit B.  I worry that this home will ultimately share the genetics of a McMansion rather than a classic Spanish home that would make Wallace Neff or George Washington Smith proud.

In fact, this home is just a few homes down from my last post's home, which has the garage facing the street rather than the alley.  The current home has the garage tucked away behind a quaint porte cochere.  What will Doug do here?  I don't know anyone in the requisite 300' radius who would have seen the drawings as part of the approval process, but perhaps one of my readers has a copy they'd like to share?  I sincerely hope that it is a tasteful Spanish home, faithful to the style, rather than a McMansion special.  I also hope that the owners preserve most if not all of the beautifully mature landscaping currently on the lot. To lose the home is such a tragedy, and to lose the wonderful trees would add further insult to injury.  Let's hope that what goes up in something at least as good as what's coming down.  Fingers crossed!

Another Spanish takes shape in Lunada Bay

Construction seems to be the reason for the season these days.  Lots of homes being flagged and framed as I drive around the Peninsula.  Today, I'm writing about another Spanish home going up in the bluffs of Lunada Bay.  The Mulligan Residence.

(Source: NJC)


Designed by Doug Leach in 2009, the home the Spanish styled home replaces a 1,893 square foot 1964 ranch style home which sat on a 9,780sf lot.  The original home was purchased in 2007 for $1.275M.

(Source: Google Maps)

(Source: Google Maps)

As you can see from above, the original home was nothing remarkable nor did it appear well maintained.  The lot is one of the few alley streets in PVE, meaning the garage on many of the older homes are located on the alley side, leaving the main street on which the home is located free from traffic.  As you can see in the new home that's going up here, the garage is placed front and center - what a shame!

(Source: NJC)

The new home looks sadly predictable.  Garage.  Central entry.  Living room balancing out the garage in the front.  Why oh why do people default to the default - what happened to the creativity in custom homes!

For a predictable home, this one may still work - the devil is in the details and final fishes.  Will it be white plaster or beige stucco?  How about the window trim?  Tiles used in the roof? Landscaping?

My fingers and toes are crossed hoping that this home turns out well.  I'd really like to see a nice, non-McMansion Spanish home set the tone for new builds in Lunada.

 (Source: NJC)

(Source: NJC)

KEY STATS

Location: Lunada Bay, PVE
Style: Spanish
Year built:  2011
Architect: Doug Leach
Square footage: Unknown, but probably 3,700 or thereabouts
Lot size: 9,780 (67'x148')