Troubled Neutra-designed Chuey house relists at discount

The owners of a Richard Neutra-designed home in the Hollywood Hills are taking another swing at selling the historic property — only this time it comes with a caveat.

Sellers Paul and Gigi Shepherd have dropped the asking price even further from $8.3 million to $6.3 million, on the condition that the new owner does not demolish the architecturally significant site, Curbed reported. It first hit the market in August 2017 seeking $10.5 million.

When the property originally listed, marketing materials advertised it as a “a truly unique development opportunity,” spurring concerns among preservationists. The Los Angeles Conservancy ultimately decided to hold off on landmarking the property after striking a deal with the owners that would prohibit the demolition of the 1,900-square-foot home.

Instead, the new owner will either have to preserve the house or relocate it to a new location.

The two-bedroom home — which Neutra designed for poet Josephine Ain Chuey in 1956 — sits on 1.2 acres at 2460 Sunset Plaza Drive and features a modern glass and steel framework.

The Shepherds aren’t only facing issues with the preservationists, however. In April 2018, they fired off a lawsuit against Josh Altman, a top-producing agent at Douglas Elliman, for allegedly duping them into a deal. In the lawsuit, the sellers claimed that Altman conspired with a friend and interested buyer to sell the home at a steep discount. Altman has denied the allegations.

As of last fall, the suit was still ongoing.

While Neutra designed numerous homes in Southern California, his presence in Northern California is substantially less evident. So much so that a developer in San Francisco was recently ordered to rebuild an exact replica of a Neutra-designed home in Twin Peaks after he illegally tore it down. As a form of punishment, he must also construct a plaque outside the home, commemorating the famous architect. [Curbed] – Natalie Hoberman