Splash at the beach
Wes Jones remembers visiting his grandmother’s house as a child in the ‘60s. She lived in a one-bedroom bungalow built about 1927 in Redondo Beach. When she died in 1996, she left the property to Jones and his two brothers.
“It’s a usual story for the area,” Jones said. “A bunch of the houses were zoned R-2 years ago [meaning a second residential unit is permitted on the lot], and they are rolling over as the original homeowners pass away.”
As ownership changes, homes are being razed and two-to-a-lot condos and town houses are being constructed. But that’s where the usual story ends.
“Since we inherited the property from our grandmother, we felt we could be free in doing what we wanted with it,” said Jones, a principal in El Segundo-based Jones, Partners: Architecture. “We took our shot at being different from our neighbors.”
On the block, Mediterraneans rule. The brothers chose a design that “revives the spirit of California’s distinctive Modernism,” according to the flier for their project. Both units have flow-through living areas, glass walls and splashes of color -- apple green and soft orange. The floors are concrete.
The industrial look, unusual in the South Bay, is more likely to be seen in Venice, Santa Monica and West Hollywood.
About this property: The loft-style town house development was designed and built by Jones’ firm. His partner is Doug Jackson. Jones’ brothers are Cliff, a day trader, and Sandy, a house painter and landscaper.
As a result of this project, the brothers have formed a team “to invest in architecture,” said Wes’ wife, Dora Epstein Jones, an architectural historian and professor at the Southern California Institute of Architecture. “They’re going to do this again.”
Asking price: Unit A, in front, is listed for $945,000; unit B, in back, is listed for $985,000. They may be purchased separately or together.
Size: Unit A has three bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms in 1,985 square feet. Unit B has the same number of bedrooms and bathrooms in 2,100 square feet. The lot size is 5,280 square feet.
Features: Each unit has high ceilings, lofts overlooking the living and dining rooms, hydronic heating, a fireplace, a library or office and a two-car garage. Unit A has an ocean view, while unit B features a backyard garden and patio. They are several blocks from the beach and the Redondo Beach Pier. Both units have large, white walls with a few accented by color.
Where: 806 N. Juanita Ave., Redondo Beach. Open today from 1 to 4 p.m.
Listing agent: Gloria Godet, Century 21, (310) 373-5252, Ext. 1113, or (310) 962-4453.
To submit a candidate for Home of the Week, send color interior and exterior photographs with caption information on a CD and a description of the house, including what makes the property unusual, to Ruth Ryon, Real Estate section, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A., CA 90012. Questions can be sent to homeoftheweek@latimes.com.
