The Marina Tower Cooperative Development, for which this house was built as a display home, was designed in 1958 by Killingsworth, Brady & Smith. The 12- story, $3,000,000 speculative project, was to reflect “modern living in a luxury seaside setting” and would have been the first mid-rise condo building in the area. This 2,700 SF model apartment unit was built adjacent to the proposed tower site in order to market the project and raise funds. The Marina Tower was later abandoned when the neighborhood, mostly made up of craftsman homes from the late 1800s, was rezoned as a historic district. The model home, however, originally intended for only 12-18 months, became a permanent residence.
A graduate of USC, Edward Killingsworth lived and worked in Long Beach his entire life. He designed several Case Study homes, and along with the development of the Marina Tower, Killingsworth worked at the forefront of designing midcentury masterpieces.
The renovation and restoration to the house and gardens was completed in 2016 by owners Ted and Kelly Hyman, who purchased the house in 2013. The design for the restoration was undertaken using the original drawings, historic 1958 Marvin Rand photographs, and the original marketing brochure. During their reconstruction, the extent of disrepair became clearer. The entire east side of the house, which was “hung” from a beam to give the house the feel of a structural slab floor and roof deck, was at risk of collapse due to termite damage to the beam. Plumbing and electrical systems had deteriorated, and sections of glass had to be replaced to match the original profiles.
Today, the house is a beautifully restored gem.
TOUR LEADERS:
Ted & Kelly Hyman
Building Credits:
ARCHITECT: Edward Killingsworth
BUILT IN 1958
RENOVATION & LANDSCAPE DESIGN 2016: Ted & Kelly Hyman
PARKING INFORMATION:
Street parking is available in the neighborhood.
