This 1930s Pied-à-Terre in L.A. Was Designed by a Pioneering Architect. Now It’s up for Grabs.
She’s probably best known as an opera singer who reportedly toured with none other than John Philip Sousa, as well as a founder of the Krotona Colony of the American Theosophical Society. But California native Marie “Helios” Russak Hotchener also made a name for herself as a self-trained female architect, designing a small number of Hollywood Hills residences that include the 1920s Moorcrest estate. (The property has been occupied through the years by silent film stars Charlie Chaplin and Mary Astor and, most recently, Saturday Night Live alum Andy Samberg and his musician wife Joanna Newsom.)
Hotchener also created the alluring Andalusian-style Torre del Moro building in the Beachwood Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles. And one of the five units within the intimate complex, built way back in the early 1930s and then restored and converted into a condominium in 2005 by design firm Howell & Padget, has just popped up for sale with a relatively affordable $865,000 price tag.
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A secure gated entrance opens to a curving mosaic-tiled staircase, which ascends to charming living quarters that offer one bedroom and a single bath in 630 square feet of meticulously restored living space punctuated throughout with the original dark hardwood floors and casement windows. Other highlights include a living room hosting French doors spilling out to a Juliette balcony and an adjacent kitchen outfitted with Carrara marble countertops, custom glass-front cabinetry, high-end appliances, and an accompanying breakfast bar.
A primary bedroom has windows overlooking the woodsy surroundings, dual closets, and a tiled bath equipped with a tub/shower combo, while a nearby nook makes for an excellent work-from-home spot and another closet holds a stackable washer and dryer. Rounding it all out is an enclosed, vine-covered terrace that’s ideal for alfresco lounging and dining, along with a garage that can accommodate one vehicle and a $387-per-month HOA fee.
Last sold in spring 2017 for $700,000, the listing is held by Ali Wood Moser and Levi Freeman of Nourmand & Associates.
Click here for more photos of 2270 Helios Drive.
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