Just a few miles west of downtown, this circa-1932 French Normandy Revival-style mansion at 601 Boulevard Lorraine in Los Angeles' historic and sacred Windsor Square neighborhood retains its original interior and exterior appearance more than 90 years after it was designed. doing. It was designed several years ago by prominent LA architect Paul Revere Williams.
Situated on a 0.41-acre corner lot and facing the back of the Getty House, the official residence of the Mayor of Los Angeles, the stately traditional building was built for William Collins, a wealthy Sanger-based rancher and investor. built. (The house was burglarized in 1938, with $15,000 worth of jewelry, furs, and silver stolen.) They reportedly moved out in 1959, but the house remained in the Collins family until 1966. It was then purchased by real estate developer Lee Chase. and his wife Suzanne Chase who survives him;
For the first time in nearly 60 years, the vintage home has been listed for sale by Timothy Perry of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties and Richard Battaglia of Compass for just under $5.5 million. At just under 4,900 square feet, the home has five bedrooms and five bathrooms.
The foyer features elegant moldings, vintage lighting, and an original curved staircase.
Juwan Li/Courtesy of Tim Perry, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties
The interior could use some polish, such as renovating the kitchen or bathroom, but it also features high ceilings, herringbone-patterned wood floors, stucco walls, custom woodwork and moldings, and solid wood. interior doors, vintage light fixtures, etc. The property received a Landmark Award from the Windsor Square Hancock Park Historical Society.
The graceful curves of the scroll pediment above the main entrance are echoed in the grand sweep of Williams' signature staircase and foyer, and in the brocade pattern of the shimmering platinum wall coverings. The swooping staircase's railings are original and rumored to have been carved on site, according to marketing materials. The foyer's fanciful features continue into the pale pink tiered living room, which features a chateau-style carved wood fireplace and French doors that open to a covered brick patio.
In the wood-paneled library, a hidden door to the right of the fireplace opens to reveal a secret Prohibition-era bar for hiding booze. In the mid-1960s, the Chase family brought in Williams to remove the wall between their homes. Kitchen and butler's pantry. An auxiliary kitchenette on the second floor is ready to transform into a late night snack bar or early morning coffee station.
A Prohibition-era bar is hidden behind a hidden library door.
Juwan Li/Courtesy of Tim Perry, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties
The back of the house has a partially covered brick patio with a circular fire pit. Beyond the patio, there are towering trees and bushes surrounding the expansive lawn, ensuring excellent privacy from the surrounding homes. The property is walled for security and has three separate entrances with gates, one of which has a motor court and his three separate entrances at the rear of the property. It is connected to a parking lot. Unlike many if not most of the homes in the neighborhood, there is currently no pool, but there is certainly plenty of room to add one.
The first certified African American architect west of the Mississippi River, Williams created similarly elegant homes in a variety of styles for Hollywood celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, Lon Chaney, and Tyrone Power. Designed with. In the 1930s, he designed a large home in the Holmby Hills area for media pioneer Jay Paley. Hotelier Barron Hilton acquired the property in the 1960s, and in 2021 the Hilton family sold the trophy property to former Google CEO Eric Schmidt for $61.5 million.
Click here to see more photos of 601 Lorraine Boulevard.
Juwan Li/Courtesy of Tim Perry, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties
