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Building History

At one time, millionaire businessman Norton Simon and his second wife, Jennifer Jones, lived in the Kronish Residence.

Demolition

Los Angeles Developers Soda Partners purchased the Kronish House in 01/2011 for $5.8 million, and sought to demolish it, rather than restore the rundown residence design by Richard Neutra. Significant pressure came from the Los Angeles Conservancy and other organizations to halt the demolition. At a Beverly Hills City Council meeting on 08/03/2011, a lawyer for Soda Partners announced its plans to postpone razing the 1955 residence. At this same city council meeting, according to the Los Angeles Times, "In a related and groundbreaking action, the Beverly Hills City Council early Wednesday asked the community's Planning Commission to devise a historic-preservation ordinance. It would be the first such ordinance for a city that has seen many culturally or architecturally significant structures fall to the wrecking ball." (See Martha Groves, "L.A. Now: Richard Neutra's Kronish House gets a reprieve," Los Angeles Times, Accessed 08/16/2011.) In 09/2011, the owners set an asking price of $13.995 million, nearly two and a half times what they paid for it.

The Los Angeles Conservancy has said of the near-demolition of the Kronish House: "The Kronish House was rescued from imminent demolition in late 2011, when an owner came forward to purchase the house — at the suggestion of the architects who ultimately renovated the home. Despite the rampant teardown trend sweeping the nation, the owner committed to keeping the original design intact. After several years of vacancy, the house suffered from neglect and deferred maintenance. The project team removed insensitive alterations, seismically upgraded the house, and brought it back to life." (See Los Angeles Conservancy, "Kronish House," accessed 02/14/2017.) Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos III purchased the residence for $12.8 million, saving it from destruction.

PCAD id: 14120