You Won’t Believe How This $3.4M Swiss Chalet-Style Craftsman Survived the Wrecking Ball
MLS via Realtor.com
A 1913 Swiss chalet–style Craftsman in Long Beach, CA, comes with a heckuva story.
The 4,809-square-foot home with four bedrooms and four baths is on the market for $3,495,000 with Loree Scarborough of Compass.
That’s the storybook ending. How it got to that point is hard to believe. The tale involves saving the home from the wrecking ball, relocating it, and then renovating it.
Saved not razed
First, the seller snapped up this home at no cost—that’s right, free—in 1989. While “free” is certainly a deal, this home came with quite a catch—and a cost.
This included spending a hefty $150,000 to have it relocated from its locale at Ocean Boulevard across from the Long Beach Museum of Art. It was then transported to its current spot about a mile away.
This move, however harrowing, saved it from its planned demise. Then came the remodel.
“They wanted a Craftsman but not so angular, more of a softer look,” Scarborough says of the owners. “Usually Craftsman homes are dark, but this one is all open so you can see the ocean.”
During the renovation, original Arts and Crafts–era tile, stained-glass windows, oak wood, and built-in cabinets were discovered, hidden behind layers of paint and false walls.
Exterior features include wooden shingles and an offset gable at the front.
Staircase in entryRealtor.com
Living roomRealtor.com
KitchenRealtor.com
Dressing roomRealtor.com
One of the bathsRealtor.com
Backyard and outdoor oven
Kitchen in a separate unitRealtor.com
The home was originally commissioned by Dr. and Mrs. M. Huff and designed by Harry Metcalf and Hugh Davies. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Renovated residence
“Everyone they’ve worked with is of huge significance in their field,” Scarborough says of the renovation. “There isn’t anything in the house that isn’t done perfectly.”
The home boasts exquisite details, including the coffered ceiling and a curved staircase in the entry. The green-tiled fireplace in the living room is flanked by built-ins and stained-glass windows.
The kitchen has been modernized with new quartz countertops, an apron-front sink, an eat-in bar, Thermador appliances, and custom cabinetry.
Three en suite bedrooms are on the second floor. The primary suite comes with a dressing room that’s a veritable showpiece for any clotheshorse or shoe collector.
Plus, there are two one-bedroom units, with separate entrances, which could be used as short-term rentals.
Five garages on the lot might be a score for a hobbyist in woodworking or car repair. Or they could continue to be offices, as one was for the seller, an interior designer.
The home is located in the Bluff Park neighborhood, a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean. It’s surrounded by other vintage homes.
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