Making its first appearance on the market in 40 years is one of the gems of the “Jewel City,” a.k.a. Glendale. Located a few blocks south of the idyllic Brand Park and library, the grand Mediterranean Revival was designed in 1923 by Alfred F. Priest.
One of the town’s most significant architects, Priest played a major role in shaping Glendale’s built environment in a relatively short period of time, designing theaters, churches, schools, banks, municipal buildings, and private residences. No doubt he would have made an even greater impact had he not sustained a minor scratch while inspecting a job in 1931. The scratch became infected, the infection spread, and Priest died at the age of 42.
Priest’s legacy lives on in a number of local landmarks, including the Glendale Theatre, the Security Trust and Savings Bank, Herbert Hoover High School, and the fortunate handful of private dwellings that have managed to evade the bulldozer, such as this elegant specimen in the Cumberland Heights district.
The former residence of Glendale mayor John M. Lawson, the century-old home sits way up high on its lot where the air is rarified, at the end of a circular drive and two sets of concrete stairs that are flanked by meticulously clipped lawns and shrubbery. Measuring just under 5,000 square feet, it features five bedrooms, five and a half baths, a voluminous kitchen, and various other rooms suitable for entertaining gatherings large or small.
While the home’s kitchen and bathrooms have been updated, the rest of it appears to have been kept in near-original condition. Period details include oak floors, leaded glass windows, French doors, elaborate moldings and plaster-work, two grand fireplaces, vintage chandeliers and sconces, and wrought-iron balconies.
As for exterior amenities, the rambling grounds feature a sizable swimming pool, a detached guest house, a bocce court, a pergola, and a flat expanse of lawn.
The 1.3-acre property is listed with Jordan Nedeff and Marcie Sabatella of The Agency for an asking price of $5.3 million.
