Second Rare Palmer & Krisel ‘Tampa Home’ Hits the Market – Reseda, CA

In desperate need of a modernist restoration is this rare early 1953 Palmer & Krisel-designed ‘Tampa Homes’ home new to the market in Reseda, CA. With four bedrooms and two bathrooms, a two-car rear-yard detached garage and a may-or-may-not-be-permitted two-bedroom apartment addition, the asking price of this home is $549,980.

Front of home

Entry walkway

One of only 12 Tampa Homes built, this property sits elevated above Tampa Avenue, with garage access via a rear-yard alley. A small flight of steps leads past the sloped front yard to the traditionally-styled entry gate. Random plantings sits along the base of the home, leaving the front yard an excellent blank slate for a water-conserving makeover. Behind the entry gate lies a walkway to the front door, which sits on the center of the north side of the home.

The only living room pic provided is of the tiled fireplace - under the tile is hopefully well-preserved red brick

The entry hall leads into the south-facing living and dining rooms. Both rooms show cluttered and dark, as the large-scaled furniture coupled with windows which have been shortened or reduced in size over time create a darker living space. The original fireplace is still intact in the living room, but unfortunately, due to a 2009 flip, has seen its original modernist red-brick form covered in shiny floor tiles.

Kitchen 

The kitchen sits along the west side of the home, and sports is 2009 flipper makeover, with granite countertops, overly ornate raised-panel cherry cabinetry with leaded glass fronts and crown molding. On a positive note, the open-beamed celotex ceilings are still in place as are the west-facing clerestory windows.

Secondary bedroom 

Master bedroom  

Guest bath

The bedrooms show dark and small, as like the living room the windows have been reduced in height and size, and the east facing clerestories on the two front bedrooms are long gone. Both bathrooms have been traditionally early 2000’s renovated, apparently when the trend of converting old dressers into vanities was popular.

Guest house living/kitchen 

Backyard and back of home

Back of home 

North side yard

The backyard is generally swallowed up by the detached two-car garage and guest house/apartment. The guest house contains two bedrooms, a bathroom and a small kitchenette, but its legality is questionable and may be better off being removed. A small patio with fire pit lies along the south side of the home, while the remainder of the yard is hardscape.

Just about everything done to this house over the years has taken it away from its modernist midcentury roots, front the chunky lace stucco and mullioned vinyl replacement windows on the outside, to the granite covered kitchen and tiled over fireplace on the inside. But the home presents a great restoration opportunity, one that hopefully a new owner will take advantage of.

Check out the full listing on Redfin.com here: 6533 Tampa Avenue

Or Realto.com here: 6533 Tampa Avenue