IRVINE : ‘Castle’ Owner Given One Year to Remodel

A Superior Court judge approved an agreement Thursday that will save the castle-like home of Haym and Fern Ganish from demolition by the city, and requires that they complete renovations within a year.

The Ganishes have battled city officials for 12 years over the start-and-stop remodeling of their three-story, stone-covered house into what neighbors have called the “Kron Street Castle.”

Last week, Fern Ganish pleaded no contest to criminal charges filed against her by the city for safety code violations. The plea came after two days of negotiations with a deputy city attorney and a municipal judge.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Nancy Wieben Stock approved an agreement Thursday that ends civil and criminal court actions and requires the Ganishes to post a $50,000 bond or deposit $10,000 with the court as a guarantee that work will be done within a year. Haym Ganish had filed a civil suit against the city to block demolition.

“Whether or not the house fits in with the neighborhood is not the issue,” said City Manager Paul O. Brady Jr. “The issue was a safety issue.”

The Ganishes are prohibited from living in areas of the house found to be in violation of safety codes, and they will be subject to a $21,000 fine and demolition of the house if the work is not completed by Nov. 9, 1995.

“I feel that this accomplishes what my client was willing to compromise to in order to settle,” said attorney John Barthrop, representing Fern Ganish. “The real problem was money. Mr. Ganish was doing it himself out of his small monthly income.”