addison mizner

La Ronda Razed

Filed under: Estates

Oh this one just breaks my old-house-loving heart. La Ronda, an Addison Mizner designed home in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania has been razed following a long debate over whether or not the house should be saved. The current owners decided they wanted to tear down the 80-year-old mansion in order to build a new home on the property. They bought the home for $6 million in March but ran afoul of historic preservation groups who wanted to buy back the home in order to save it. Even the possibility of moving the mansion was discussed but no one seemed to have enough money to convince the owners to change their minds and since the home did not have federal designation as a historic site there were no legal reasons to protect it. There are many Mizner homes in Florida and other places but this was the only surviving Mizner-designed home north of the Mason-Dixon line. Fox 29 was on the scene and has video of a front loader smashing the wall of the estate. The mansion had already been gutted.

[Thanks, Spectacular Bid]

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Tags: addison mizner, AddisonMizner, bryn mawr, BrynMawr, la ronda, LaRonda

Should A Historic Mansion Meet The Wrecking Ball?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

How much responsibility does a new owner have when taking over an architectural treasure? Bright and Spacious points to a Bloomberg story on the owners of La Ronda, an Addison Mizner designed home in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. The Mediterranean Revival-style villa may be razed by its current owners who want to build a new home on the property. The owners of the 80-year-old mansion bought the home for $6 million in March. The township's board will decide today whether La Ronda will be immediately razed or if the destruction will be delayed by 90 days allowing time for other actions.

The home does not have federal designation as a historic site. Many Mizner-designed buildings in south Florida, where Mizner designed many homes and buildings, have this designation. The home is the only surviving Mizner-designed home north of the Mason-Dixon line. The township and historic preservation groups want to set up a foundation to buy back La Ronda but that could cost as much as $7 million. Check out the a gallery of Addison Mizner designs and vote in the Save It or Raze It poll on Bright and Spacious.

UPDATE: La Ronda has been given a 90-day reprieve.

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Tags: addison mizner, AddisonMizner, architecture, bryn mawr, BrynMawr, la ronda, LaRonda

Boca Raton Resort & Club Unveils $220 Million Revamp

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

The Boca Raton Resort & Club (above), designed by legendary architect Addison Mizner in 1926, has just unveiled a stunning $220 million dollar refurbishment. Upgrades include a revamp of the hotel's Palm Court and lobby by famed interior designer Thierry Despont, who has created a "return to casual life in an elegant environment drawing on Mizner's DNA"; the re-opening of the 212-room Beach Club designed by Fiona Thompson of Richmond International; the new Boca Bungalows, designed by Alexandra Champalimaud; the opening of Serendipity, known for its famous frozen hot chocolate, the first of its kind located outside of NYC; and the first Southeast outpost of Morimoto, from Masaharu Morimoto of Iron Chef fame, also designed by Thierry Despont.

The BRR&C's amenities include a half-mile stretch of private beach, the acclaimed Spa Palazzo, two 18-hole championship golf courses, 30 tennis courts and a full-service marina. The property, which is set to join the Waldorf=Astoria Collection in 2009, "embodies the modernity, elegance, and the sophistication of one of the most historically significant resorts in the United States, and is poised to redefine that guest experience for the 21st century." See the gallery for images.

Gallery: Boca Raton Resort & Club