Historic Mission Revival Home Shaped by LA’s Past

In a city rich with architectural heritage, the Mission Revival style is one of LA’s most uniquely Californian movements. Inspired by the Spanish Missions that dominated the state before it became part of the United States, the style features white stucco walls, low-pitched roofs with terracotta tiles, curvilinear gables, and often towers. Presenting a romanticized version of California’s past, it was popular in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Perhaps the most famous example is Downtown LA’s central train hub, Union Station, but Mission Revival homes dot the Hollywood, Pico-Union, Highland Park, and West Adams neighborhoods.

A chance to own a piece of LA history presents itself with the listing of a historic Mission Revival-style home in West Adams for $2.3 million. Before and after World War II, it was owned by Takejiro Kusayanagi, a prominent member of the Japanese-American community and owner of a local dry goods store. His family was among the first to be sent to the Manzanar concentration camp, where his daughter, one of two female graduates of USC’s medical school in 1941, ended up running the camp hospital. It was later owned by Logan Westbrooks, a trailblazing African-American record executive who worked at Source Records, CBS, Mercury, Capitol, and more. It was eventually operated as a Boys Town of California facility, which provided services to at-risk youth, before transforming into its current incarnation as a yoga retreat. 

The versatile home, built in 1914, offers six bedrooms and five bathrooms. Soaring ceilings and sparkling hardwood floors offer light-filled spaces with the quiet elegance of historic craftsmanship. The generous floor plan connects expansive gathering spaces with more intimate rooms, perfect for multi-generational living, a hybrid work/live environment, or group use. A spacious kitchen features a central island with counter seating. 

Outside, find almost half an acre of grounds that support the retreat atmosphere. The mature landscaping includes large palm trees, garden plots, a charming patio, and an expansive lawn. Parking for up to fourteen cars—a rare feature in Los Angeles—enhances this unique property.

The historic home is located in West Adams, one of LA’s oldest neighborhoods. Known for its multiple historic preservation overlay zones, the region is home to numerous important homes and buildings. Developed by railroad magnate Henry E. Huntington and industrialist Hulett C. Merritt, it was the wealthiest neighborhood in Los Angeles in the 1920s, evidenced today by its historic Victorian mansions. Convenient to USC and Downtown LA, with the Westside, Culver City, and everything LA has to offer accessible by freeway, it is a convenient and centrally located place. Nearby options for entertainment include the Crypto.com Arena, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area. Celebrities who have called the neighborhood home include Ray Charles, Little Richard, and Joe Louis.

The listing is held by Matt Dunfrund of Avenue Realty Group and Alex Wolf and Tyler Wolf at Compass.

Photo Credit: Tea Tree Productions.

Source: www.compass.com