One of L.A.’s Only Surviving Bunker Hill Homes Lists in Angelino Heights

A vintage home from L.A.’s storied Bunker Hill — best known known for its Angel Flight funicular that connected the hilltop neighborhood to the greater downtown area below, as well as streets lined with striking Victorian residences — has popped up on the market, asking a speck under $3 million.

Though the neighborhood has been gone for more than 50 years, with most of the houses meeting the wrecking ball in the 1960s, making way for glitzy high-rises and art venues, a centuries-old survivor remains. But it’s since been relocated, not once but twice, and now resides in the historic Angelino Heights neighborhood.

Known as the “John Wesley Ellis Residence” — after the Presbyterian minister who commissioned architect William R. Norton to build the place way back in the early 1800s — the stick-style Victorian structure’s exterior is painted an olive hue, with the interiors boasting six bedrooms and four baths in just over 3,200 square feet of living space.

Extensively customized and restored by its current owner Brooke Safford, a historic preservation-minded developer who works in L.A. and New York City, the two-story home is rife with original elements — think hardwood floors, carved mantles, pocket doors and stained-glass windows, just to name a few — paired with a wealth of modern-day updates.

“With so many of L.A.’s historic homes being wiped away with gray paint and cheap tiles by misguided investors, the restoration of Edgeware is a breath of fresh air,” says listing agent Ben Kahle of DPP Real Estate. “It is not only incredibly intact, but 100-percent turnkey with upgrades that complement the original vision and perfectly marry the modern with the memorable.”

A light-filled entry foyer adorned with Farrow & Ball wallpaper steps down into a spacious living room sporting an original fireplace with a wood and black marble mantle, while a formal dining room adjoins a gourmet kitchen outfitted with maple cabinetry, porcelain countertops and high-end stainless appliances. A primary ensuite bedroom suite with a walk in-closet can also be found on the main level.

The striking curved staircase heads upstairs, where a trio of bedrooms and kitchenette open to a large deck ideal for al fresco entertaining. On the other side of the deck is an attached three-car garage topped by a separate one-bedroom guest unit resting beneath a vaulted bowstring truss ceiling, and holding a living room, kitchen and bath.

And since Angelino Heights is the city’s first historic preservation overlay zone, the property is also eligible for the Mills Act, which means homeowners can receive reduced property taxes in exchange for restoring and preserving historic structures.