Derby House by Lloyd Wright – A Mayan Revival Gem Above Los Feliz

Debbie Pisaro November 23, 2025

Historic Homes · Los Feliz, Los Angeles

Lloyd Wright's 1926 Mayan Revival above Los Feliz, the work of a son who became his own architect.

What is the Derby House?

The Derby House at 2535 East Chevy Chase Drive is a 1926 Mayan Revival home designed by Lloyd Wright, born Frank Lloyd Wright Jr. Built from custom patterned concrete textile blocks, it is a Glendale Historical Landmark, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and Mills Act designated. Though it sits in Glendale rather than Los Feliz proper, it shares direct architectural lineage with the Wright family textile-block homes of Los Feliz, including the Ennis House and the Sowden House.

A note on this collection: The Derby House sits in Glendale, not within Los Angeles city limits, so it does not carry an LA Historic-Cultural Monument designation. It is included here for its direct architectural lineage to the Lloyd Wright and Frank Lloyd Wright textile-block homes in Los Feliz proper, and because it carries equivalent landmark protections at the Glendale, federal, and Mills Act levels.

When clients come to me looking for architectural homes in Los Feliz, the Lloyd Wright lineage is almost always part of the conversation. The Ennis House, the Sowden House, the Hollyhock just above us. And then, fifteen minutes away in Chevy Chase Canyon, the Derby House. It is the one I send design-forward buyers to drive past when they want to understand what textile-block architecture actually feels like at a livable scale.

Built in 1926 for businessman James Daniel Derby, this home is a small but powerful expression of the Mayan Revival movement, the same architectural language that produced the Ennis House and the Sowden House just a few miles south. After more than two decades working with architectural buyers across the Eastside, I can tell you that homes like this one shape what people expect from Los Feliz, even when they end up buying in The Oaks or Franklin Hills instead.

At a glance

ArchitectLloyd Wright

Built1926

StyleMayan Revival

Location2535 East Chevy Chase Drive, Glendale

Lloyd Wright, in his own voice

Lloyd Wright, born Frank Lloyd Wright Jr., spent the early 1920s working as construction supervisor on his father's most ambitious Los Angeles projects. The Hollyhock House, alongside Rudolf Schindler. The Ennis House. The Storer House. The Freeman House. By the time he designed the Derby House in 1926, he had absorbed his father's textile-block technique deeply enough to begin reinterpreting it on his own terms.

Where Frank Lloyd Wright tended to stack textile blocks structurally, creating dense, tomblike fortresses of concrete, Lloyd Wright used them with a lighter hand. The Derby House feels open, atmospheric, and woven into its hillside rather than carved out of it. This is one of the clearest demonstrations that Lloyd Wright was a master designer in his own right, not simply a deputy in his father's practice.

His own voice

"Lloyd Wright spent a career beside a famous father. The Derby House is the sound of him speaking for himself."

Design features of the Derby House

The home is built from custom patterned concrete textile blocks, hand-cast on site using sand drawn directly from the surrounding Chevy Chase Canyon. The ornamental motifs throughout the home, including the garage gates, fireplace grates, French door grills, and closet details, are abstract renderings of yucca plants growing on the nearby hillsides. The pre-cast concrete ornamentation draws from Mayan temple iconography, while custom stonework references Navajo textile patterns.

Key features include:

Hand-cast textile-block construction with geometric ornament inspired by Mayan and Navajo design traditions
A double-height living room anchored by a towering fireplace with eight-foot wrought iron grates
Wood-framed cathedral-style windows throughout, emphasizing height and natural light
Original wrought iron railings echoing the form of the agave plant
Richly crafted wood mouldings that frame interior spaces with warmth
Stepped massing that follows the slope of Chevy Chase Canyon
Deep overhangs and recessed windows that create dramatic shadow play across the facade
Approximately 3,281 square feet on a 1.53-acre lot of undulating canyon terrain

The result is a home that feels both ancient and modern, exactly the tension Lloyd Wright was chasing throughout his career.

How the Derby House connects to Los Feliz architecture

While the Derby House sits in Glendale, its architectural lineage is pure Los Feliz Eastside. The two most famous textile-block homes in Los Angeles, Frank Lloyd Wright's Ennis House on Glendower Avenue and Lloyd Wright's own Sowden House on Franklin Avenue, are both within a short drive. Together with the Derby House, they form a corridor of Mayan Revival architecture that defines this stretch of Los Angeles design history.

When buyers tell me they want a design-forward home in Los Feliz, what they usually mean is they want this lineage. The textile-block aesthetic, with its heavy, geometric, deeply textured surfaces, has influenced contemporary remodels across Silver Lake, Franklin Hills, and the Hollywood Hills.

What buyers of architectural homes need to know

This is the part I wish more architectural buyers heard before they fell in love with a Wright family home or any historic textile-block property.

Landmark designations create protections and obligations. The Derby House carries three layers of designation: Glendale Historical Landmark, listed in 1977; National Register of Historic Places, listed in 1978; and Mills Act, more recently. The Mills Act in particular is worth understanding. It offers significant property tax relief, sometimes 40 to 60 percent, in exchange for a 10-year preservation contract with the city. That contract obligates the owner to maintain and restore the property to historic standards.

Lenders treat historic homes differently. Conventional appraisals often struggle with textile-block construction, hand-cast ornament, and Mills Act contracts. Buyers should expect a longer underwriting process and may need to work with lenders who have experience financing architectural and historic homes.

Insurance is its own conversation. Replacement-cost calculations on a textile-block home are not the same as on a stucco bungalow. Some carriers will not write these homes at all. Others write them at significantly higher premiums. Buyers should have their insurance conversation in parallel with their offer, not after.

Restoration costs are real. The blocks themselves require specialized restoration. The deep ornament makes weather sealing complex. Any buyer considering a Wright family home should budget for ongoing preservation work and plan to work with contractors who have experience with concrete textile-block construction.

Resale takes the right buyer, not the right price. Architectural homes do not sell to everyone. They sell to a smaller pool of design-literate buyers who understand what they are getting. This is where positioning, marketing, and the right network of architectural buyers matter more than aggressive pricing strategies.

Landmark designations and preservation history

The Derby House was designated a Glendale Historical Landmark in 1977 as Landmark No. 22, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, and more recently received Mills Act designation. These layered designations mean the home cannot be modified from its original design or torn down without special permission, and that future owners commit to its long-term care.

The home has changed hands rarely over the past century. It sold in 1974 to Michael and Carole Dougherty, in 2013 to Octopus Investments, in 2016 to Jeffrey Sanfilippo, and in 2022 to John L. Gray. It sold most recently in late 2025.

Nearby architectural landmarks worth exploring

If you are tracing the Mayan Revival lineage through Los Angeles, these are the homes I send clients to see:

Ennis House by Frank Lloyd Wright (Los Feliz, 1924)
Sowden House by Lloyd Wright (Los Feliz, 1926)
Hollyhock House by Frank Lloyd Wright with Lloyd Wright and Rudolf Schindler (Los Feliz, 1921)
Millard House, also known as La Miniatura, by Frank Lloyd Wright (Pasadena, 1923)
Storer House by Frank Lloyd Wright (Hollywood Hills, 1923)
Freeman House by Frank Lloyd Wright (Hollywood Hills, 1923)

Together with the Derby House, these homes represent the body of textile-block residential work the Wright family produced in Southern California in the 1920s. They remain the densest concentration of this architectural movement anywhere in the world, and most of them sit within a 15-minute drive of Los Feliz.

Buying or selling a historic home in Los Feliz?

Historic-Cultural Monuments reward representation that understands the architecture, the Mills Act math, and the specific buyer pool. If you are buying a home in Los Feliz or selling a Mills Act or HCM property, it pays to work with a Los Feliz architectural homes specialist. You can start with a no-pressure valuation or get in touch.

Frequently asked questions

Who designed the Derby House?

The Derby House was designed by Lloyd Wright, born Frank Lloyd Wright Jr., in 1926. He had previously worked as construction supervisor on his father's Hollyhock, Ennis, Storer, and Freeman houses before designing the Derby House on his own.

Where is the Derby House located?

The Derby House is located at 2535 East Chevy Chase Drive in Chevy Chase Canyon, Glendale, California, just minutes from the Los Feliz hillside neighborhoods of The Oaks and Laughlin Park.

What architectural style is the Derby House?

The Derby House is built in the Mayan Revival style, characterized by custom patterned concrete textile blocks, stepped massing, and geometric ornament inspired by pre-Columbian Mesoamerican architecture and Navajo textile patterns.

Is the Derby House a designated landmark?

Yes. The Derby House was designated a Glendale Historical Landmark in 1977 as Landmark No. 22, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, and has more recently received Mills Act designation for property tax relief in exchange for ongoing preservation.

What is the Mills Act and how does it affect the Derby House?

The Mills Act is a California state program that offers property tax relief to owners of historic properties in exchange for a 10-year contract to maintain and restore the property to historic standards. For a home like the Derby House, this can mean property tax reductions of 40 to 60 percent, balanced against a legal obligation to preserve the architecture.

How does the Derby House compare to the Ennis House and Sowden House?

All three homes share the textile-block construction technique pioneered by the Wright family in the mid-1920s. The Ennis House is the largest and most theatrical, the Sowden House is the most ornate, and the Derby House is the most intimate. Lloyd Wright designed both the Sowden and Derby houses in 1926, while his father Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Ennis House in 1924.

The Los Feliz Historic-Cultural Monument series

An ongoing series documenting every Historic-Cultural Monument in Los Feliz. You can also explore the full HCM guide or the architectural map.

About the author

Debbie Pisaro is a Los Feliz real estate specialist with 24 years of experience and founder of Coastline 840, an independent California real estate brokerage. She specializes in architectural and historic homes across Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and the Eastside, and lives in a 1907 Craftsman in Silver Lake with her Doberman, Lennon.

California DRE #01369110

Lloyd Wright's Derby House sits just over the ridge in Glendale, one chapter in the eastside's textile-block story. It is one of the architect-designed landmarks that ring Los Feliz and the eastside. For the full overview, see the Los Feliz HCM guide, browse the complete collection of Los Feliz monuments, and if you are weighing designation for your own home, here is how to get a home designated.

The Los Feliz Heights Steps: Hidden Pedestrian Paths Between Bonvue & Cromwell

Debbie Pisaro November 4, 2024

Historic Homes · Los Feliz, Los Angeles

A 1920s public stairway in the Los Feliz hills, built back when a neighborhood was meant to be climbed on foot.

What are the Los Feliz Heights Steps?

The Los Feliz Heights Steps are a public stairway in the Los Feliz hills, designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #657 on October 14, 1998. Built in the 1920s, the steps climb the hillside between Bonvue Avenue and Cromwell Avenue and are a surviving example of the pedestrian infrastructure that once connected hillside neighborhoods to streetcar lines below.

Tucked into the hills above the neighborhood, the Los Feliz Heights Steps are easy to walk past without noticing. There is no grand facade, no famous architect's name attached, no plaque visible from the street. What there is, instead, is a long public stairway built into the slope, a piece of everyday infrastructure that has quietly served the neighborhood for roughly a century.

That ordinariness is exactly what makes the steps worth protecting. They are one of the clearest physical records of how the Los Feliz hills were meant to be lived in when they were first developed, and they earned a place on the city's roster of designated landmarks for it.

At a glance

MonumentHCM #657

DesignatedOctober 14, 1998

Built1920s

TypePublic stairway

LocationBonvue Avenue to Cromwell Avenue

The architectural significance

The Los Feliz Heights Steps were built in the 1920s, during the decade when the surrounding hillside tracts were being subdivided and sold. Developers of that era laid out hillside neighborhoods with the understanding that many residents would not drive everywhere. Public stairways were threaded between the curving streets so that people could move directly up and down the slope on foot, often to reach a streetcar stop on the flatter ground below.

The construction is modest and practical: concrete treads set into the grade of the hill, landings spaced to break the climb, and a route that takes the most direct line up a slope too steep for a comfortable street. There is no ornament to speak of. The significance is in the form itself, a surviving example of the pedestrian planning that shaped Los Angeles before the car became the default way to cross even a single block.

Built for walking

"The steps outlived the streetcars they once led to. What remains is a neighborhood you can still climb on foot."

A walk through time

Climbing the steps today is a small act of time travel. They connect Bonvue Avenue and Cromwell Avenue, two of the quiet residential streets that wind through this part of the hills, and they pass the backs and sides of homes that have looked out over the same stairway for generations.

In the 1920s and 1930s, a stairway like this one would have been part of a daily routine, the shortcut a resident took to catch a ride downtown or to reach a neighbor a street away. As car ownership spread and the streetcar network was dismantled, many of these public stairways fell out of regular use, and a number across Los Angeles were lost entirely to neglect or new construction. The ones that survive, including the Los Feliz Heights Steps, are now valued less as transportation and more as living history.

Los Feliz Heights Steps today

On October 14, 1998, the City of Los Angeles designated the Los Feliz Heights Steps as Historic-Cultural Monument #657. The designation recognizes the stairway as a cultural and historical resource and gives the city a formal review role over changes that would affect it, helping ensure the steps are maintained rather than removed.

For the neighborhood, the steps now serve a different purpose than the one they were built for. They are a walking route for residents, a quiet bit of exercise with a view, and a reminder that the Los Feliz hills were designed as a place to walk. They sit comfortably alongside the area's better-known landmarks, the architectural houses and the historic Shakespeare Bridge, as part of the same story of how this neighborhood was planned and built.

How to find the steps

The Los Feliz Heights Steps run between Bonvue Avenue and Cromwell Avenue in the hills above the neighborhood. Like most of the city's public stairways, they are not marked with prominent signage, so they reward a little patience and a willingness to explore the quieter streets on foot. Comfortable shoes and a relaxed pace are the only real requirements.

Exploring the surrounding area

The steps are best experienced as part of a longer wander through the Los Feliz hills. The same streets hold a remarkable concentration of designated historic homes, from Frank Lloyd Wright's Ennis House to Richard Neutra's Lovell Health House, and Griffith Park sits just beyond. A walk that strings together the stairway, the bridge, and a few of the architectural landmarks is one of the best ways to understand why this neighborhood draws the people it does.

Conclusion

The Los Feliz Heights Steps will never be the headline attraction of the neighborhood, and that is the point. They are a piece of working infrastructure that outlived its original purpose and became something else: a record of how people once moved through these hills, preserved because the city decided it was worth keeping. For anyone who loves Los Feliz, the steps are a quiet invitation to slow down and read the neighborhood the way it was meant to be read, one landing at a time.

Buying or selling a historic home in Los Feliz?

Frequently asked questions

When were the Los Feliz Heights Steps designated a Historic-Cultural Monument?

The City of Los Angeles designated the Los Feliz Heights Steps as Historic-Cultural Monument #657 on October 14, 1998.

Where are the Los Feliz Heights Steps?

The steps climb the hillside between Bonvue Avenue and Cromwell Avenue in the Los Feliz hills. Like most of the city's public stairways, they are not marked with prominent signage.

When were the steps built?

The Los Feliz Heights Steps were built in the 1920s, when hillside neighborhoods were laid out with public stairways connecting homes to the streetcar lines below.

The Los Feliz Historic-Cultural Monument series

An ongoing series documenting every Historic-Cultural Monument in Los Feliz. You can also explore the full HCM guide or the architectural map.

About the author

California DRE #01369110

The Los Feliz Heights Steps are one of the hidden monuments in the hills. It is one of more than fifty Historic-Cultural Monuments in Los Feliz. For the full overview, see the Los Feliz HCM guide, browse the complete collection of Los Feliz monuments, and if you are weighing designation for your own home, here is how to get a home designated.

Part of the Series · UPDATED

The Los Feliz Historic-Cultural Monument Series

An ongoing series documenting every Historic-Cultural Monument in Los Feliz — the architects, the homes, the stories, and what it means to own a designated landmark. Written by Debbie Pisaro, 24-year Los Feliz real estate specialist.

Read the HCM Guide → Explore the Architectural Map →

Browse every post in the series ↓

Blackburn Residence 4791 Cromwell Avenue Los Feliz, Paul R Williams architect HCM 913 Spanish Colonial Revival

The Blackburn Residence: A Spanish Colonial Revival Gem in Los Feliz

Debbie Pisaro September 18, 2024

Historic Homes · Los Feliz, Los Angeles

A 1927 Spanish Colonial Revival by Paul R. Williams, the architect who designed Los Angeles for nearly everyone but himself.

What is the Blackburn Residence?

The Blackburn Residence at 4791 Cromwell Avenue is a 1927 Spanish Colonial Revival home in Los Feliz designed by Paul R. Williams, the celebrated architect known as the Architect to the Stars. Built for Bruce Blackburn, inventor of the roll-up window screen, it was designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #913 in 2008.

Nestled in the picturesque hills of Los Feliz, the Blackburn Residence at 4791 Cromwell Avenue stands as a testament to the elegance and craftsmanship of renowned architect Paul R. Williams. Built in 1927 for Bruce Blackburn, inventor of the roll-up window screen, this home is a striking example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, a style that epitomizes Southern California's romanticized past.

At a glance

MonumentHCM #913

ArchitectPaul R. Williams

Built1927

StyleSpanish Colonial Revival

Location4791 Cromwell Avenue

An architectural masterpiece by Paul R. Williams

Designed by Paul R. Williams, known as the Architect to the Stars, the Blackburn Residence boasts hallmark features of the Spanish Colonial Revival style. The home's red clay tile roof, arched doorways, and two-story turreted tower are quintessential elements of this design. Inside, the home showcases vaulted ceilings, intricate tile work, wood paneling, and a distinctive triple fireplace, all crafted to reflect the refined yet functional ethos that Williams was famous for.

One of the most fascinating aspects of this house is its blend of indoor-outdoor living, with courtyards and patios designed to extend the interior space seamlessly into the lush landscape. Bruce Blackburn, as a nod to his invention, had roll-up window screens installed in the home, an innovation that Williams himself would incorporate into many of his future projects.

The architect to the stars

"Paul R. Williams designed homes in neighborhoods he was barred from buying into. The work outlived the prejudice."

Historic significance and preservation

In 2008, the Blackburn Residence was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM #913), cementing its status as one of Los Feliz's architectural treasures. Despite some minor updates, such as the installation of an elevator and a bathroom redesign in 1962, the home remains largely as it was when the Blackburn family lived there until 1978.

Spanish Colonial Revival in Los Feliz

The Spanish Colonial Revival style flourished in Los Angeles in the early 20th century, particularly in neighborhoods like Los Feliz. This architectural style, influenced by the early Spanish missions, features elements such as smooth stucco walls, ornate wrought ironwork, and expansive outdoor spaces, all of which are found in abundance at the Blackburn Residence.

The home is not just a landmark for its architecture but also for its place in Los Angeles history. Bruce and Lula Blackburn were active in the city's cultural circles, often hosting social gatherings that were chronicled in the local society pages. For another Williams-influenced Spanish Colonial Revival landmark nearby, see the Abraham Gore Residence.

A historic gem with timeless appeal

For those interested in the rich architectural history of Los Feliz, the Blackburn Residence is a must-see. This Spanish Colonial Revival masterpiece encapsulates the grandeur and allure of the 1920s Los Angeles elite, while also standing as a testament to Paul R. Williams' enduring legacy as one of America's most celebrated architects. As a designated landmark, it may also qualify for the Mills Act, the preservation program that can significantly reduce property taxes for historic homes.

Buying or selling a historic home in Los Feliz?

Frequently asked questions

Who was Paul R. Williams?

Paul R. Williams was a pioneering African American architect, the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects, known as the Architect to the Stars for his many celebrity clients across Los Angeles.

When was the Blackburn Residence built?

The Blackburn Residence at 4791 Cromwell Avenue was built in 1927 in the Spanish Colonial Revival style.

Is the Blackburn Residence open to the public?

No. It is a private residence and is not open for tours. It is designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #913.

The Los Feliz Historic-Cultural Monument series

An ongoing series documenting every Historic-Cultural Monument in Los Feliz. You can also explore the full HCM guide or the architectural map.

About the author

California DRE #01369110

Paul R. Williams's Blackburn Residence is one of many designated homes here. It is one of more than fifty Historic-Cultural Monuments in Los Feliz. For the full overview, see the Los Feliz HCM guide, browse the complete collection of Los Feliz monuments, and if you are weighing designation for your own home, here is how to get a home designated.