In the hills above Berkeley, California, a property with classical architecture, local history and dramatic views is on the market for the first time in 30 years.
The real estate agents selling the nearly 4,000-square-foot home — originally designed by Bernard Maybeck in 1911 at 2800 Buena Vista Way — are touting its classical Roman architecture and views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island, saying the property could be well-suited for those who collect art or like to entertain.
The property’s current owner is businessman and composer Gordon Getty, a son of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty. Getty and his wife, Ann, significantly restored the residence after buying it in 1994.
Called the Temple of Wings, the house has enclosed north and south wings with 16 Corinthian stone columns fronting an exterior pavilion connecting the two. Spiral staircases, also made of stone, lead to entrances for the second-floor rooms. The house, priced at $5 million, has three bedrooms and four baths.
“We could see it going to an art collector who would like a wonderful backdrop for an art or sculpture collection. Or potentially a tech buyer would like a very cool space,” Joel Goodrich of Coldwell Banker Realty, told CoStar News.
Goodrich is co-listing the property with The Grubb Co.'s Adrienne Krumins and Anian Pettit Tunney.
Legendary architect Maybeck built the house for Charles and Florence Boynton. Florence was a friend and admirer of contemporary dancer Isadora Duncan, and parts of the home served as a dance studio.
Maybeck went on to design the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, which has a similar Roman-columned style and other prominent public buildings in the Bay Area. The house, rebuilt in 1924 after a fire, remained in the Boynton family until the Gettys purchased it.
The Gettys were initially drawn to the property by its association with Maybeck, and wanted to protect the Roman structure, Goodrich said, citing a Getty family spokesperson. Their restoration included installing interior stairways and restoring the stone and interior woodwork furnishings.
The property was a “personal oasis” for the Gettys, according to Goodrich. Family members sometimes lived in the house, as did visiting professors at the nearby University of California, Berkeley, campus.
The city of Berkeley designated the Temple of Wings as one of its landmarks in 1992, reflecting its historical significance. It is listed in the California State Historic Resources Inventory.
Goodrich said his team reached out to “25,000 high-profile contacts around the world” to generate interest in the property.
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