Foreclosure Notice on Storied Altadena Landmark Stokes Preservationists’ Fears

When a foreclosure auction sale notice appeared posted on the front door of the Woodbury House in Altadena on April 24, the news spread throughout the membership of Altadena Heritage and the Altadena Historical Society as quickly as a brush fire in the foothills.

Woodbury House is a magnificent wooden home built in 1882 for Capt. Frederick Woodbury, one of Altadena’s founders, and his wife, Martha. It sits hemmed in by much newer tract homes at the end of a cul-de-sac on Madison Avenue just south of the Altadena Community Center.

Its interior is such a brilliant example of Italianate and Colonial Revival architecture styles that the home was accepted and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

Over the decades, the residence has served as the sheriff’s station, a coffee shop, a fire engine house, an office building and a tea house. Most recently, the property has been rented out as a movie and television location. Its vaulted music room has appeared in many films and television programs.

When the foreclosure notice was posted, the preservationists were worried. If the property were sold at auction, an outsider could buy it up and tear it down. (Being listed on the National Register doesn’t prevent a private homeowner from making changes to a property, unless the site is enrolled in a federal program.)

The two organizations banded together and formed a “joint watch” committee — although should the sale occur as scheduled, their only hopes for a favorable outcome lay with the owner, Peter S. Leissos, or if a friendly buyer with at least the minimum bid of $863,097.03 could be found.

The groups struggled to connect with Leissos and on their own, began to put out feelers to locate a buyer who might be interested in attending the auction.

“Our aim is to alert prospective buyers to the auction, in the hope that new owners will treasure and refresh this landmark, and take advantage of new County legislation that offers substantial property-tax reductions for architectural restoration,” wrote Rob Hallwachs of Altadenma Historical Society.

Across Los Angeles in Woodland Hills, owner Leissos was hard at work, too.

Leissos said that on Monday, May 4 he convinced an attorney representing the mortgage servicer, Nation Star, to take a hard look at the property’s files before proceeding with the auction.

Leissos said the Trustee agreed, and promised to withdraw the historic property from the May 14 auction. But Leissos has nothing in writing to that effect. And as of this writing, the property remains listed as going to auction May 14.

It is not known how long this review of the property’s files will require, however, or what resulting decisions may be made by Nation Star. It is possible the property may wind up on the auction block again.

With a reprieve promised, Leissos and the local preservationists seem relieved, at least for now.

 

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