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Is This Neutra House Beyond Repair? Listing Describes Just the Lot

The famed Chuey House, built by Mid-Century Modern master Richard Neutra, might be destined for the wrecking ball, from the looks of its listing. There’s plenty of information about the sweet spot it sits on, but there’s only the briefest mention of a two-bedroom, one-bathroom house built in1956 by the renowned architect. Uh-oh.

The lot the Chuey House sits on is described in some detail, and it’s quite tempting on its own. The $10.5 million listing actually consists of two lots totaling 2.5 acres, perched atop the prestigious Doheny Estates with views of the Hollywood sign, the Griffith Park Observatory, downtown Los Angeles, Century City, and Santa Monica.

“These contiguous lots are collectively ideal for a compound, providing a truly unique development opportunity,” states the listing, which does not mention a house. It further states, “Property sold ‘as is’ with no representatives and warranties. All sales subject to approval of bankruptcy court. Buyer to verify all information.” It sounds ominous, doesn’t it?

Architectural Digest magazine agrees: “The latest in devastating blows to modernist architectural preservation appears to be nigh.” The magazine notes that the listing does not include “a single reference to [the home’s] architectural significance.”

Although the listing agent couldn’t be reached, Curbed Los Angeles did a little digging into the property history and found that the home’s original owner, poet Josephine Ain Chuey, who died in 2004, deeded the house to her niece and nephew, Gigi and Paul Shepherd. The Shepherds filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy just a couple of months ago, according to court records.

The glass-and-steel home was designed in 1956 for the poet and her third husband, contemporary painter Robert Chuey. Architectuul.com reports that Chuey had lived in a Neutra house when she was younger, and wrote to the architect, “You are an alchemist who has transmuted earth, house, and sky into a single enchantment.”

However, 60 years and a bankruptcy can take a toll on a structure. Notably, this is the first time the house has been on the market since it was built.

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Source: Real Estate News and Advice – realtor.com » Real Estate News