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HCM #1003. A 1921 Mediterranean Revival by Henry F. Withey, built for a Chandler on Hobart Boulevard, with a 1931 addition by Carleton M. Winslow.
What is the Ralph J. Chandler Residence?
The Ralph J. Chandler Residence is a two-story Mediterranean Revival house at 1926 N. Hobart Boulevard, Los Angeles 90027, and one of the Los Feliz historic homes the City of Los Angeles has designated a Historic-Cultural Monument. Henry F. Withey designed it in 1921; Carleton M. Winslow designed a major addition in 1931. Debbie Pisaro of Coastline 840 (DRE #01369110) explains what that history means for anyone buying or selling a landmark like it.
In Los Angeles, the name Chandler carries weight. Harry Chandler published the Los Angeles Times, and his family's holdings shaped much of Southern California. You can read about the family's Los Feliz presence in our story on the Chandler estate on Inverness. A few blocks away, on Hobart Boulevard, a nephew built a house of his own.
According to the Los Feliz Improvement Association's property record, which summarizes the City Planning recommendation report, the house at 1926 N. Hobart Boulevard dates to 1921 and was built for Ralph J. Chandler (1891 to 1966). He was a nephew of Harry Chandler, served as vice-president and general manager of the Los Angeles Steamship Company, and later became a vice-president of the Matson Navigation Company. The same record notes that the house was valued at $30,000 in the 1930 census and $12,000 in the 1940 census, a reminder of how the Depression years changed what a house like this could be worth.
The City of Los Angeles designated the property Historic-Cultural Monument 1003 in 2011, under case number CHC-2011-913. The City Council file for the designation is No. 11-1455, and it lists 1926 North Hobart Boulevard in Council District 4.
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The original architect was Henry F. Withey. Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1880, Withey practiced in Los Angeles in partnership, first as Withey and Davis, then with Walter S. Davis and F. Pierpont Davis. The Pacific Coast Architecture Database records that he served as vice-president of the Los Angeles Architectural Club in 1915 and was named a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 1959, for literature. He co-wrote the Biographical Dictionary of American Architects (Deceased) with his wife, Elsie Rathburn. The database cautions that the book contains factual errors.
In 1931, the house received a major addition designed by Carleton M. Winslow. If you know Los Feliz landmarks, you may recognize the name. Carleton Winslow, Sr., is the architect credited with St. Mary of the Angels Church at 4510 Finley Avenue, itself a Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM #136). That means a single Hobart Boulevard house carries the work of two architects, one of whom also shaped a Los Feliz institution.
For a landmark, a documented change history by a recognized architect is a feature of the record, not a flaw in it.
What the house looks like
The city classifies the house as Mediterranean Revival. It is a two-story, single-family home with an L-shaped plan and a slightly hipped roof covered in red clay tile. The front is symmetrical and three bays wide, with a projecting center bay that holds a recessed arched entrance. Look for scored stucco, a keystone with a decorative cartouche above the entry, and wood French doors.
The interior features named in the record include cathedral ceilings, wrought iron, woodwork, fireplaces, hardwood floors, and light fixtures. A garage sits on the site. The recorded alterations are the 1931 Winslow addition, some room additions, and a kitchen remodel.
The designation rests on the finding that the property “embodies the distinguishing characteristics of an architectural type specimen, inherently valuable for a study of a period style or method of construction.” In plain terms, the city sees this house as a clear example of how Los Angeles built Mediterranean Revival homes in the 1920s, the same style that shaped Santa Barbara, Pasadena and Palm Springs and ties California's historic neighborhoods together. If that style speaks to you, compare it with the Welfer House on nearby Cromwell Avenue and the Clifford Clinton Residence on Los Feliz Boulevard, which show how differently Los Feliz architects interpreted the Spanish and Mediterranean palette, or the Seyler House, a Spanish Colonial Revival from the same decade.
Why a Withey house is unusual in Los Feliz
Withey's best-known body of work lies outside Los Feliz. The Pacific Coast Architecture Database lists no other Los Feliz projects by him, and the other houses it records are in places such as Santa Monica, Santa Paula, and nearby Silver Lake. That makes 1926 N. Hobart Boulevard a rare local example of his residential work, and it is the kind of detail a thoughtful buyer or appraiser should know when judging scarcity.
Before it's public
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View off-market homesWhat designation means if you buy or sell 1926 N. Hobart Boulevard
Designation does not freeze a house. It adds a review layer. The Office of Historic Resources reviews both exterior and interior alterations before permits are issued, so the cathedral ceilings, the woodwork, and the fixtures are part of any remodel conversation, not only the tile roof and the arched entry. Designation also does not guarantee a monument can never be demolished. Los Angeles has no demolition-by-neglect ordinance, and demolition delay runs up to 180 days, with a possible additional 180 days on City Council approval. The City's own report on this house notes that designation alone has no fiscal impact, though later permit applications may bring minor administrative costs. For the bigger picture, read how HCM designation affects home value in Los Feliz.
The 1931 Winslow addition is part of the documented story. Treat it as part of the landmark's history, and expect review of any change to it.
The City of Los Angeles has not accepted new Mills Act applications since 2020, and the program remains on hold. Whether this house carries an existing contract is not verified here. If it does, the contract transfers to the buyer at sale, so ask for the recorded contract and the current tax bill. Our guide to selling a Mills Act or HCM home in Los Feliz covers how a contract travels with the house.
Comparable sales for a landmark house of this type are thin, so originality, condition, and permit history carry the price. Start with what a Los Feliz home is worth, and see the Los Feliz historic homes for sale page for how designated houses come to market.
Before you write an offer on a landmark like this one, ask four things. Which finishes and fixtures are original to 1921 or to the 1931 addition, and which came later? Are the room additions and the kitchen remodel permitted, and were they reviewed as part of the designation? What is the condition of the clay tile roof, the wrought iron, and the wood French doors? And is there a Mills Act contract, and what are its terms?
If you are the seller of a landmark like this, think carefully before updating it. Our post on renovating before you sell in Los Feliz explains why pre-listing work on a designated property should be planned around review timelines.
Under California rules you will also receive the usual disclosures, including the Transfer Disclosure Statement, the Seller Property Questionnaire, and the Natural Hazard Disclosure, which addresses very high fire hazard severity zones. Ask your escrow company early about the transfer taxes that apply at your price point, including the City of LA transfer tax and Measure ULA where it applies. For a wider view of how designation fits together, see the Los Feliz HCM guide, and browse every house in the series in the Los Feliz historic homes collection.
Debbie Pisaro is a 24-year veteran, founder of Coastline 840, and an Inman Luxury Leader, representing buyers and sellers across Los Feliz and the surrounding neighborhoods. Many of the homes she sells never reach the open market. Coastline 840 is a boutique California practice (why we built Coastline 840), and why boutique teams outperform big-box brokerages explains the model. If you own a landmark in Los Feliz, or you are weighing one, start with a conversation about what the house is, what it carries, and what it is worth, or read her guide to the best real estate agent in Los Feliz. For everything else about the neighborhood, start at Los Feliz Living.
See every Los Feliz HCMdebbie@coastline840.com
DRE #01369110 · 160 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
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The Ralph J. Chandler Residence, answered
Who designed the Ralph J. Chandler Residence?
Henry F. Withey designed the original Ralph J. Chandler Residence, built in 1921 for steamship executive Ralph J. Chandler. Carleton M. Winslow designed a major addition in 1931. Carleton Winslow, Sr., is also credited with St. Mary of the Angels Church on Finley Avenue, so this one Hobart Boulevard house carries two recognized architects.
What is the HCM number of the Ralph J. Chandler Residence?
The Ralph J. Chandler Residence is Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument 1003. The City designated it in 2011 under case number CHC-2011-913, and the City Council file is No. 11-1455. The designation rests on the house being a clear example of a period style, the Mediterranean Revival of 1920s Los Angeles.
Where is the Ralph J. Chandler Residence?
The Ralph J. Chandler Residence is at 1926 N. Hobart Boulevard, Los Angeles 90027, in Los Feliz and in Council District 4. It sits a few blocks from the Chandler family estate on Inverness Avenue, and near the Welfer House on Cromwell Avenue and the Clifford Clinton Residence on Los Feliz Boulevard.
Who was Ralph J. Chandler?
Ralph J. Chandler (1891 to 1966) was a nephew of Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler. He served as vice-president and general manager of the Los Angeles Steamship Company and later became a vice-president of the Matson Navigation Company. The Mediterranean Revival house on Hobart Boulevard in Los Feliz was built for him in 1921.
What style is the Chandler Residence?
The City classifies the Ralph J. Chandler Residence as Mediterranean Revival. It is a two-story house with an L-shaped plan, a slightly hipped red clay tile roof, scored stucco, and a symmetrical three-bay front whose projecting center bay holds a recessed arched entrance with a keystone and decorative cartouche above it.
Does the Ralph J. Chandler Residence have a Mills Act contract?
Not verified. The City of Los Angeles has not accepted new Mills Act applications since 2020, so any property tax benefit would come from an existing contract, which transfers to the buyer at sale. A buyer should ask for the recorded contract and the current tax bill before writing an offer on the house.
Can you remodel a Historic-Cultural Monument in Los Angeles?
Yes, with review. The Office of Historic Resources reviews both exterior and interior alterations to a Historic-Cultural Monument before permits are issued. At the Ralph J. Chandler Residence that review covers the cathedral ceilings, woodwork, wrought iron and light fixtures named in the record, not only the tile roof and the arched entry.
Where else did Henry Withey build?
The Pacific Coast Architecture Database lists no other Los Feliz projects by Henry F. Withey. The other houses it records are in places such as Santa Monica, Santa Paula and nearby Silver Lake, which makes the Ralph J. Chandler Residence on Hobart Boulevard a rare local example of his residential work.
Who is a good real estate agent for historic homes in Los Feliz?
Look for a real estate agent who knows the designation record as well as the market. Debbie Pisaro is a 24-year veteran, founder of Coastline 840, and an Inman Luxury Leader who works with architectural and historic homes across Los Feliz and California. Many of the homes she sells never reach the open market.
Sources: Los Feliz Improvement Association property record for 1926 N. Hobart Boulevard and its HCM list; City of Los Angeles Council File 11-1455 and case CHC-2011-913; the Pacific Coast Architecture Database. Program details change, so confirm current figures before you act.
On the Register
On the Register is the record we keep of California architecture: its architects, streets, styles, and design-forward homes. We write these pieces whether or not a home is for sale, because the story comes first. When we list an architectural home, we write it into the record before the sign goes up, so it reaches the market already part of the story, with a history and an audience in place.
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