The historic mansion perched high above a private cove in Laguna Beach at 2592 Coast Highway is reminiscent of an old-time movie setting with its dramatic location overlooking the ocean.
It was at one time the playground of acting royalty, according to listing agent Azita Sadeghi of Teles Properties. She said Charlie Chaplin, Bette Davis and Errol Flynn spent time as guests in the home.
It is listed at $30 million for more than 8,000 square feet, including 12 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms and a 120-foot staircase leading to the private cove below, and because of its age, it could present challenges to its sellers.
The mansion’s kitchen and bathrooms—unlike those in modern luxury homes that have great rooms, spacious bathroom suites, and expansive kitchens—are compact, and the rooms are closed off from each other in the style of the day. But Sadeghi said she doesn’t see those aspects as obstacles for a potential buyer.
“The person who buys this home will have a love of history,” Sadeghi said. “They’ll want to experience the art of the building and the beauty of architecture.”
The gated Mediterranean home was built between 1918 and 1921 for hotelier Frank Augustus Miller, who developed the Mission Inn in Riverside. He tapped Arthur Benton, the architect who designed the Mission Inn in 1902, to design the home, Sadeghi said.
Benton was famed for incorporating into his designs artistic elements derived from Spanish culture. Miller christened the mansion “Mariona” in honor of his second wife, Marion.
Its fifth owner, electronics industry executive Roger W. Jones, petitioned the National Register of Historic Places to put it on the registry. The status was granted in 1984, the first in Laguna Beach, Sadeghi said.
It also qualified for the state Mills Act, effective this December, which gives owners a property tax break in exchange for agreeing to maintain the home in accordance with historic preservation standards.
With its designation as a National Register historic home, any proposed renovations must undergo a rigorous review process through the city of Laguna Beach. Sadeghi said the current owners painted walls, refreshed the landscaping, refinished floors, and made other nonstructural upgrades, such as a surround-sound system, alarm system, and automated lighting.
Sadeghi said the home has functionalities suitable for corporations and large companies to use it as a meeting location or executive retreat.
The new owners may even recall Mariona’s days as a destination for Hollywood’s elites, Sadeghi said.
“The home is so private that it is perfect for a celebrity and their entourage!”
Newport Beach Landmark
The waterfront estate at 43 Linda Isle is one of the most recognized properties in Newport Beach, according to listing agent Jim Kline of Surterre Properties Inc. The residence graces a 10,400-square-foot lot with 133 feet of Newport Harbor frontage, along with a dock for a 130-foot yacht.
The home sold on Sept. 29 for $16 million, under its February asking price of $18.5 million.
The 8,088-square-foot, five-bedroom, seven-bath home commands views of the Turning Basin and Main Channel. Inside, there’s extensive use of stone, mosaics, tile, paint, wood, plaster, iron, bronze and textiles, all handcrafted by artisans to create an authentic European feel.
Jacqueline Thompson of Surterre Properties represented the buyer.
Italian Inspiration
The oceanfront estate at 11 La Senda Place in Laguna Beach is an authentic replica of a home on Amalfi Drive in Italy. It’s situated on more than a quarter of an acre in Lower Three Arch Bay and was built in 1932 as one of the first homes in the area.
It sold on Oct. 1 for $10 million, meeting its September list price. Doug Dunlap of Surterre Properties represented the buyer.
Views from the four-bedroom, 3 ½-bath home encompass the ocean, white water, and the sands of its own private beach.
The 4,000-square-foot home, originally remodeled in 1984, hasn’t been on the market since 1991 and is, as listing agent Spyro Kemble of Surterre Properties describes, “ready for a major remodel or addition.”
