Chuey Residence | Los Angeles Conservancy
Chuey Residence, as photographed by Julius Shulman. Courtesy of J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004.R.10)

Chuey Residence

In 2019, developers Eric Choi and Philippe Naouri purchased the Chuey Residence announcing plans to restore and expand the existing footprint of the house. The Conservancy has met with them and looks forward to learning more as details for the proposed rehabilitation and addition come together. To date, plans are not yet complete, and we believe the owners are working to create a preservation sensitive solution.

In April 2018, the Conservancy reached an agreement with the owners of the Chuey Residence that provides a path forward for its preservation. The agreement secured protection for the Richard Neutra-designed home, preventing its demolition and creating a process for both parties to work together on a near-term plan and attract a preservation-minded buyer.

 

Gallery: 
Adrian Scott Fine/L.A. Conservancy
House and views.

In August 2017, news that the Chuey House was being marketed as a teardown circulated widely through online articles by Curbed Los Angeles, Architectural Digest, The Architect's Newspaper, and others. This news prompted widespread concern about the future of this highly significant residence, designed in the International Style by master architect Richard Neutra.

The real estate listing was updated to include details of the property’s historical significance, while removing mention of any development opportunity. The sale of home is subject to bankruptcy court approval. 

In September 2017, the Conservancy submitted a disclosure letter to the listing agents for the property to help make prospective buyers fully aware of the home’s significance, as well as any requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in the case of future lot subdivision, demolition, and/or major alteration to the residence.

Believing that the Chuey Residence could be at risk, the Conservancy nominated the iconic house for Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM) designation the following month. The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission voted in November 2017 to take the nomination under consideration, which placed a hold on all permit activity while the nomination was pending.

In January 2018, the Conservancy withdrew the HCM nomination. We decided that the possibility for a preservation solution was greater if we withdrew the nomination and worked with the owners to consider a potential win-win outcome.

We still have the option to re-file the HCM nomination in the future.