Instagram Twitter Youtube
Join
Renew

Tag: Architecture

Posted on

Ocean Blvd’s Casa de la Puesta del Sol

Picture of Tom Heffernan

Tom Heffernan

One of the great, historic Ocean Blvd homes is on the market. 2700 Ocean Blvd was built in 1929, only a couple years after the Kerckhoff Marine Lab and China House, and sits atop the stairs down to China Cove.

The Wurts lovingly named the 4 bed/4 bath/3000sq ft Spanish style home, ‘Casa de la Puesta del Sol’ (House of Sunset). The main house has 3 beds and 3 baths and there is a 2 story, 1 bed, 1 bath attached guest house. The home is listed by Compass for $6.995M after a recent $655K price cut.
Posted on

Cottage Loss: 514 Acacia (1942-2021)

Picture of Tom Heffernan

Tom Heffernan

514 Acacia (Credit: CdM Historical Society)

We haven’t released our Top 100 Cottages list yet but wanted to share some history on one of the Top 100 before it gets bulldozed next week so you can take one last walk past it this weekend and remember it before it is replaced by a lot-filling modern home. The plans look to be more along the lines of soulless modern rather than modern farmhouse but from their IG it appears that the developer has churned out plenty of both of these styles which now dot our Flower Streets.

Rendering of its replacement (Credit: nicholson companies)

We’ll save the full story for the Top 100 profile on 514 Acacia but this lovely home remained in the same family for the past 60+ years starting with a dancer who appeared in several Hollywood films in the silent movie era.

G.C. Kroenke owned these 7 lots on Acacia & Begonia

It was built by developer G.C. Kroenke, a San Bernardino developer, in 1942 who bought almost half of the block that includes the even side of the 500 block of Acacia and the odd side of the 500 block of Begonia. Unclear if it was on speculation of the coming post-war housing boom or just as a summer home for he and his wife, Myrtle, he would hold onto it until 1947. Perhaps because he had such a large parcel of land, he didn’t stay within the traditional 30’ x 118’ lot dimensions for 514. It actually takes over half of the parcel next to it making it a little more than 50% larger than traditional Flower Street lots at 47’ wide.

A view of Acacia, Begonia, Carnation, and part of Dahlia in 1940, just before 514 was built.

After 2 more owners that lived in the house for about a decade, it was sold to Theresa Allen in 1958 and it would remain in her family until 2020. Born in Indianapolis in 1908, she moved to Hollywood to pursue a showbusiness career and picked up credits in 6 movies in 1929-1930 including The Vagabond King and Happy Days. She was a chorus girl in several of the movies and had small roles in the others. In 1931, she gave birth to her daughter, Theresa L. Smith and retired from Hollywood at age 22. ​

Theresa Allen is one of the dancers in this photo from IMDB but they were not individually identified.

It is unclear if and for how long they were married but Theresa’s father is famed Disney composer Paul Smith. Smith arranged and scored some 70 cartoons over the next 25 years including Snow White, Pinocchio, Bambi, and Cinderalla. He received multiple Academy nominations for his work arranging music and won the Oscar for his score of Pinocchio. In 1994, he was posthumously made a Disney Legend by the Disney Studio.

Disney Composer Paul Smith was a legend, arranging and scoring over 70 cartoons.

Theresa Allen would live in the house for the rest of her years, passing away in 1997 at age 89. Her daughter, Theresa L. Smith, who had become Theresa Colesworthy, inherited the house and kept it for the last two decades. She passed away in 2019 and her heirs were quick to accept an offer on the house.

Posted on

Vintage Multi-Family on Marguerite

Picture of Tom Heffernan

Tom Heffernan

Tucked away on Marguerite is a multi-family complex that went up during the post-WW2 housing boom and has managed to maintain its vintage charm and original details for over 70 years.   The complex at 610-614 Marguerite built for former owners Albert & Vera Hutchins in March 1948 has (6) 2BR, 1 BA units situated on 1 ½ lots. ​

You could have walked past this community dozens of times and not noticed it as it is set behind a large hedge and gate that creates a nice private setting for its residents in the literal center of CdM.  When you enter, there is an orange tree in the center of the complex and duplexes on either side.  In the back there are units above the garages. ​

Inside and out, it is impressive that the units are able to be so well maintained while retaining the great original details and character.  They all feature beautiful, original hardwood floors, original mouldings, and tons of vintage charm.  ​

Update:

Demolished in early February 2026. Even the little tree in the brick planter is gone.

Posted on

Cottage Profile: 518 Marigold

Picture of Tom Heffernan

Tom Heffernan

Photo: MLS/REMAX

Bringing Cottage of the Week back to recognize 518 Marigold.  Not your grandfather’s cottage – while we love cottages that maintain an original look – we also love cottages like this one that have been wonderfully updated to appeal to current tastes and ensure their survival. ​

This house has had a couple major renovations in its day, with the first coming in the late 1980s when owner Ross Bartlett converted it from a duplex into a single family residence and the latest in 2017 when owner Shannon Hondl updated it to the beautiful house you see today.

We have not announced it yet but 518 Marigold was selected by our distinguished panel of judges as one of CdM’s Top 100 Cottages. It earned high marks for its modern take on the traditional CdM cottage.  We will have more info on the Top 100 announcement soon, apologies that our posting has slowed a bit while we work on getting that ready.
Posted on

Cottage Loss: 609 Jasmine (1920-2020)

Picture of Tom Heffernan

Tom Heffernan

A Bulldozer levels 609 Jasmine

609 Jasmine was demolished today. We featured it a few months back as it was one of only four homes in CdM that were over 100 years old and the oldest remaining home on the inland side of PCH. It was likely one of the first houses built on that side of PCH as much of the early development in the area centered around the Bluffs and was not that far back.
Posted on

Cottage Profile: 512 Larkspur

Picture of Tom Heffernan

Tom Heffernan

The perfect cottage for this weekend – is a cottage with a pool!  Not too many cottages have a pool but 512 Larkspur, which was built in 1928, had a pool added in 1959. ​

The house – which you may have never appreciated from the street where you can just see the garage doors – had several renovations in the 1960s, adding that garage, a bedroom, bathroom, and a new kitchen, but there still look to be some interesting original or at least older details.
Posted on

Cottage Profile: 709 Larkspur

Picture of Tom Heffernan

Tom Heffernan

709 Larkspur (1979; Photo: Sherman Library)

The 1979 photo of this week’s cottage is courtesy of the Sherman Library. The Sherman Library is partnering with CdMRA and CdM Historical Society to collect information and photos on the cottages of CdM for an upcoming exhibit.

709 Larkspur (Photo: MLS)

This week’s cottage was built in 1948 and retains many great original details inside and out. The outside features a unique original trim around the windows and tall, steeply pitched dormers for each of the upstairs bedrooms.

This week’s cottage was built in 1948 and retains many great original details inside and out. The outside features a unique original trim around the windows and tall, steeply pitched dormers for each of the upstairs bedrooms.

The inside features exposed beam ceilings and bricks.  The front house has 3 beds and 2 baths in 1,700 sq ft.  ​

From permit records, it looks like the first owner of the house was Voss Herrington, a surfing pal of famed surfer and surf equipment innovator ‘Whitey’ Harrison.

Full Gallery of 709 Larkspur:
Posted on

Cottage Profile: 619 Iris

Picture of Tom Heffernan

Tom Heffernan

619 Iris Ave., Corona del Mar, CA

619 was sold in December 2019 and an earlier 2017 listing for the house suggests that there are city approved plans to put in condos.  Hopefully this 72 year old front house is around for at least a few more years. 

View from the street of 619 Iris Ave., Corona del Mar, CA

Despite its diminutive size, it manages to have 2 fireplaces.  It was built in the same year as several other survivors on the 600 block of Iris.   604 & 606 across the street were both built the same year and each have their own privacy from the street.  611 & 621 were also built in 1948 and are set up a bit from the street.

​619 was sold in December 2019 and an earlier 2017 listing for the house suggests that there are city approved plans to put in condos.  Hopefully this 72 year old front house is around for at least a few more years.  
Posted on

Cottage Profile: 3210 Seaview

Picture of Tom Heffernan

Tom Heffernan

3210 Seaview Ave., Corona del Mar, CA (Photo: MLS)

This 1951 Spanish style cottage was renovated in the early 2000s but maintains a great updated, original look. Wood floors, exposed beams, curved doorways, and vintage-looking doors maintain the great character of this cottage that features great indoor and outdoor space. 

Living Room of 3210 Seaview Ave (Photo: MLS)

Despite being on a half lot, this house has an amazing patio off the side with an outdoor fireplace and heat lamps.

Side Patio at 3210 Seaview Ave (Photo: MLS)

When it was sold in 2010, it came with plans and a rendering (see photo) for a second story addition that would have doubled its size but the cottage is very charming in its current 800 sq ft, 2 bed, 1.5 bath configuration.
Posted on

Cottage Profile: 426 Dahlia

Picture of Tom Heffernan

Tom Heffernan

426 Dahlia Ave., Corona Del Mar, CA (Credit: CRMLS; 2020)

This 1939 cottage is a great example of retaining an original look from the street and interesting interior details like exposed beams while expanding to address modern needs (open floor plan, larger closets, ensuite bathrooms, etc) and make for a great living experience. With the recent amendment to the city’s Cottage Preservation Code, more cottage owners should take advantage of the opportunity to improve the livability of their space and ensure the long-term viability of their home.

Additional photos of 426 Dahlia Ave., Corona Del Mar, CA  (Credit: CRMLS; 2020)

Looking back through the photos from when it was sold in 2009 and then 2017, you can see the house in 2009 that sold for $1.2M looks very much like the type of house that developers are bulldozing all over CDM and replacing with lot line homes. In this case, the buyer invested in a beautiful update to this house, while keeping an original look from the street, and was able to sell it for $3.7M in 2017 and ensure that this house is much too nice to ever meet a developer’s bulldozer. That former owner profited and our community wins because we get to walk past this charming 1939 cottage for many years to come.

Photos of 426 Dahlia Ave. from 2009 (Photos: SoCal MLS; 2009)

Th 4 Bed/3Ba/2800sq ft house is on the market now, listed by The Thomas Group at Surterre Properties. After a recent price move it is priced similarly to what it sold for in 2017.

Photo Gallery of 426 Dahlia Ave., Corona Del Mar, CA in 2020 (Photo: CRMLS)