Landmark Highland Park Craftsman Boasts Designer-Done Interiors

As numerous studies and surveys have shown, moving house is one of the most stressful situations that most people will have to contend with in life, up there with divorce, death of a loved one, and loss of a job. Just packing alone is enough to fray one’s nerves. But imagine how much more nerve-wracking it would be if, on top of the packing and all the other onerous chores that moving typically entails, you were literally moving your actual house from one spot to another. And not just a one-bedroom bungalow, but a two-story, 2,731-square-foot house! That is just what transpired with this Highland Park residence over a century ago.

Designated in 1988 as Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 374, the home was built in 1903 for George Washington Ewing Griffith, a native of Indiana who came to Los Angeles in the early 1900s and founded several banks, including the Highland Park Bank and the South Pasadena Bank. It’s not clear why Griffith decided to relocate the house, or from where, but in 1914, it was plucked from its original setting and replanted in its current locale, Highland Park’s historic Garvanza District.

Set behind a white picket fence and encircled by a wide covered porch anchored by Corinthian columns, the home is an eclectic mixture of Craftsman, Neoclassical and Colonial Revival styles with a dash of Moorish influence. On its entry level are the living room, family room, dining room, and kitchen, which has been updated with hand-cut tile floors, marble countertops, custom cabinetry, and period-style light fixtures. A tiled laundry room with handy built-in dog wash and a powder room are adjacent to the kitchen.

A handsome wood staircase with elaborately carved railings and banisters zig-zags up to the second floor where the home’s four bedrooms are located, with the primary suite enjoying the added benefit of a private balcony framed by striking Islamic archways. Other notable architectural attributes include restored original hardwood floors and moldings, numerous fireplaces with hand-carved mantels, double-hung windows, pocket doors, new dual-zoned central HVAC, and new plumbing and electrical systems. Outside, there’s a brand-new pool and spa and drip irrigation system.

On a 0.22-acre lot, the historic property is asking $2.8 million. Compass agent Liz Cappola holds the listing.