Pasadena

A pair of completely different properties long owned by the family of late collector Norman R. Blank are simultaneously up for sale. Consisting of two side-by-side residences resting in the Southern California city of Pasadena, the asking price for the entire compound is $9 million. The two homes are also listed separately as a “significant architectural restoration opportunity” by George Penner of Compass for $5.5 million and $3.5 million, respectively.

Tucked behind a lengthy gated driveway, the contrasting dwellings were acquired in two separate deals by Blank and his wife Jacqueline, both of whom have since passed away. The couple purchased a French Norman-style residence at 243 N. San Rafael Drive some five decades ago for an undetermined amount and subsequently picked up the midcentury next door at 241 N. San Rafael Drive in the early 1990s for $901,000. Together, the two-parcel spread encompasses nearly 3 acres of land.

243 N. San Rafael Drive features a main house and a garage topped by a chauffeur’s residence, for a total of nine bedrooms and 10 baths in roughly 10,000 square feet.

Cameron Carothers

Containing a little more than 10,700 square feet of living space with nine bedrooms and 10 baths, the three-story structure (above) was built and designed in 1930 by noted architects Marston & Maybury and still retains most of its original period details. Walled and gated, the striking castle-like abode is highlighted by a handsome wood-paneled living room centered around an artisan fireplace, a formal dining room, and a commercial-sized kitchen with an accompanying breakfast room.

Elsewhere is a primary suite flaunting a separate fireside seating area and a tiled bath that looks completely untouched. Other amenities include a solarium, a study, a library, a wine cellar, a workshop, and recreation and safe rooms, with the woodsy, 2-plus-acre grounds atop a promontory overlooking Annandale Golf Club hosting several terraces, an expansive great lawn for entertaining, and a swimmer’s pool. There’s also a four-story turret, a fountain-clad motorcourt, and an attached three-car garage topped by a chauffeur’s residence.

RELATED: Once Owned by the Barron Publishing Family, This New England Estate Is Listed for $15 Million

241 N. San Rafael Drive has five bedrooms and seven baths in just over 5,500 square feet.

Cameron Carothers

As for the smaller of the two houses (above), it’s perched amid a 0.68-acre parcel. Commissioned by Chandler School founders Thomas and Catherine Chandler and designed by architect Henry Eggers, the late 1960s structure features five bedrooms and six baths filtered across a little more than 5,560 square feet of two-level living space offering “Hollywood Regency cues.”

A sky-lit foyer with a curving staircase greets and leads to living and dining areas, plus an eat-in kitchen, on the main floor, while prominent upstairs features include a wraparound balcony and a primary suite decked out with a dressing room, closets, and a bath. An octagon-shaped terrace, a workshop, a two-car garage, and an additional carport for one vehicle can also be found on the premises.

Norman R. Blank was probably most known for his assemblage of museum-quality antique firearms crafted by the likes of Nicolas-Noël Boutet, Gastinne Renette, Durs Egg, Henry Nock, and Joseph and John Manton. He also was recognized for his extensive classic Ferrari and silver collections.

Click here for more photos of the Norman Blank estate in Pasadena.

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Veteran Hollywood producer Matt Wolpert has picked up the keys to a new Los Angeles residence. Records show the co-creator of Apple TV+’s Emmy-winning alt-universe space race drama For All Mankind—which not only was just renewed for a fifth season, but is expanding with the spinoff series Star City—has paid $4.6 million for a Spanish Colonial Revival-style home in a prime pocket of Pasadena that was last sold for a mere $815,000 nearly three decades ago, back in spring 1996.

Built in the early 1930s by Donald F. Harrison at a reported cost of $20,000, and designed by noted architects Sylvanus Martson and Edgar Maybury, the two-story solid concrete and terracotta-roof structure is nestled amid a heavily wooded parcel of walled and gated land spanning almost three-quarters of an acre. Inside, five bedrooms and six baths are filtered across a little more than 4,400 square feet of meticulously maintained living space adorned throughout with parquet wood floors, wood-beam ceilings, archways and Venetian plaster walls.

A living room in the home’s east wing is anchored by a regal Batchelder fireplace.

Cameron Carothers

Among the main-level highlights: a tiled central entry foyer that flows to a living area sporting a Batchelder fireplace and double-flanked doors spilling outside. A formal dining room bathed in a yellow shade rests beneath a coved ceiling and comes complete with French doors opening to an expansive front courtyard, while the adjacent kitchen is outfitted with newer stainless appliances, a butler’s pantry and an accompanying breakfast room. An office also can be found on this floor.

The upper level holds two separate wings—one containing a primary suite displaying a fireplace, private patio, “ample closets,” dual bathrooms and an additional bedroom that could easily serve as an office space, and another with a pair of bedrooms, full bathroom, fireplace and patio. Per the listing, a spacious basement allows for an extensive wine cellar or gym.

A side loggia abuts the fountain-clad swimming pool.

Cameron Carothers

Outdoors, the park-like grounds are laced with mature oak, acacia and palm trees, and host a loggia that flows out to a fountain-clad swimming pool, plus numerous spots ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining. There’s also a large motorcourt and detached three-car garage on the premises.

Wolpert previously worked with his writing and producing partner Ben Nedivi on the first three seasons of the FX anthology series Fargo, and the network’s limited series  American Crime Story:The People Vs. O.J. Simpson, as well as the Netflix show The Umbrella Academy. In addition to his newly acquired Pasadena home, he also maintains another 1930s-era residence in the Tujunga neighborhood north of L.A. that he paid $1.2 million for back in 2018.

The listing was held by George Penner of Compass; Juan Longfellow and Louise Leach of Compass repped the buyer.

Click here for more photos of Matt Wolpert’s Pasadena house.

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Though he already owns a 25-acre ranch in his home state of Texas, John Marcus “Scoot” McNairy has now settled into another residence in the South Pasadena city of Los Angeles. Records reveal the ever-busy TV and film actor—probably best known for his roles in Argo, 12 Years a Slave, Gone Girl, True Detective, Godless and Narcos—acquired the whimsical French chateau-inspired home back in June 2023 from husband-and-wife real estate team George Sokolow and Matty Hurtado-Sokolow, paying just over $3.2 million.

Reportedly built way back in the mid-1920s for Dr. Elwood Webb at a cost of around $20,000—and previously occupied by L.A.-based fashion designer Cesar De La Parra, who sold the place to the Sokolows for $1.9 million in 2006—the updated home features five bedrooms and six baths filtered across nearly 5,800 square feet of multi-level living space adorned with white oak hardwood floors, coved ceilings, built-ins, ornate millwork and eight fireplaces.

Resting on a gated and ivy-covered parcel of land spanning almost a half-acre, the stately red brick and mansard-roof structure is fronted by a two-car garage topped by a slate-floored guesthouse with its own bedroom, bath, kitchen and pot belly gas stove. There’s also an artist’s studio equipped with a bath.

An arched entryway leads into a soaring atrium-like foyer topped by a glass ceiling and displaying a wrought iron-railed staircase and statued water fountain. From there, a fireside living room has picture windows and a private balcony overlooking sweeping views of the Colorado Street Bridge and San Gabriel Mountains. Other highlights include a study embellished with vintage built-ins, formal dining room boasting parquet floors and French doors spilling out to a Juliette balcony, and remodeled yet old-world kitchen outfitted with custom cabinetry, marble countertops, a center island, high-end appliances and access to a wood deck ideal for al fresco dining alongside a waterfall.

Upstairs is an office/sitting room, along with two en-suite bedrooms separated by a sky-lit mezzanine balcony; and all the way down on the lower level is an entertainment space that comes complete with a restored ballroom sporting eight sets of original French doors leading out to a large balcony, plus a family room, wet bar and cedar-lined wine cellar. Rounding it all out: lushly landscaped grounds hosting meandering pathways and an additional waterfall that empties into into a spa.

In addition to his newly acquired South Pasadena getaway, McNairy—who has appeared in ads for TX Whiskey and also works as a producer—has long maintained a primary residence in Brenham, Texas, about 100 miles east of Austin, which he picked up back in 2010 after he relocated from Los Angeles. More

When you run across a place that’s billed as “the largest single-family residence in Pasadena,” and has the added cache of having been altogether fashioned by not just one but at least three noted architects, you have an inkling that it’s going to showcase some fairly creative living space paired with one-of-a-kind details. And this sprawling structure resting just steps from the ultra-posh Langham Huntington hotel is not one to disappoint.

To boot, almost three years after the so-called “Knoll House” first hit the market with an ambitious $48 million price tag, the trophy estate best known as the longtime home of the famed pastor and televangelist Gene Scott also has popped up for sale again, this time with updated listing photos, a new top listing agent and substantially reduced $36.5 million ask.

A soaring atrium in the entertainment center is an ideal spot to showcase art.

Paul Barnaby

Originally built by Peter Hall in the early 1900s for heiress, art collector and philanthropist Virginia Steele Scott in collaboration with esteemed architect Myron Hunt, the dwelling was later expanded by equally prominent architect Gordon Kaufmann. It was purchased in the mid-’80s by Scott; upon his death from prostate cancer in 2005, his third wife pastor Melissa Scott inherited the lot. After sitting vacant for some years, the whole kit and caboodle was sold in 2011 for $7.2 million to philanthropist John Vidalakis, who spent seven years renovating and restoring the premises.

Tucked away behind walls and gates, amid a secluded cul-de-sac, the property includes a 12,300-square-foot main house and separate 21,000-square-foot entertainment center spread across nearly 2.5 acres of land—for a total of seven bedrooms and some 21 baths in a little more than 32,600 square feet, all of it boasting glitzy amenities ranging from an authentic Tiki bar and 46-seat movie theater, to an art gallery and a 2,500-bottle wine cellar.

The home’s Tiki bar comes complete with a lounge area.

Paul Barnaby

Inside the primary Colonial Revival residence, a grand foyer adorned with custom black-and-white marble floors flows to multi-level living space highlighted by formal living and dining rooms, along with an English pub, and wood-paneled library sporting a fireplace and wet bar. A family room connects to a gourmet kitchen outfitted with two islands, top-tier Miele and Wolf appliances, a butler’s pantry and an accompanying breakfast room, while a luxe master retreat boasts dual walk-in closets and baths.

Connected to the main house via commercial-grade elevators and a “secret” underground tunnel is the three-story entertainment space, which was designed by architects Ladd & Kelsey in the ’70s, and includes conference rooms, lounges, a catering kitchen, an arcade, card room, gym and guest apartment, as well as the aforementioned movie theater, Tiki bar and art gallery space holding court in a two-story atrium.

The backyard includes a pool and spa nestled alongside a covered pavilion.

Paul Barnaby

Rounding it all out: resort-inspired grounds showcased by a Zen garden designed by Kohei Owatari, pool and spa, bocce court and fire-pit, along with numerous spots perfectly suited to al fresco lounging and entertaining.

The listing is held by Josh Flagg of Douglas Elliman.

Click here for more photos of the Knoll House.

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