The Jardinette is BACK, baby!
Regular readers, East Hollywood residents, and modernism enthusiasts already know that Richard Neutra’s 1928 masterpiece Jardinette Apartments fell into serious disrepair years ago. Previous owners’ plans to restore the building fell through.
The LA Times reports (paywalled, sorry) that the restoration is complete and that developer Cameron Hassid is looking for a buyer. (Buyers should keep in mind that the building is subject to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, so it may not be a good fit for potential owners who are only interested in market-rate properties.)
Hassid invested over $5 million to painstakingly restore the Jardinette and add modern features like fire sprinklers and air conditioning. From my conversations with Neutra authority Dr. Barbara Lamprecht and Etan of Etan Does LA (who has visited the building a few times), it sounds as though Hassid put about as much work into the restoration as Neutra put into designing the building.
Hassid says he’s looking for another historic building. I’ll look forward to seeing what he restores next.
Appreciate these occasional glimpses of positivity!