The Mike Bell Team

One of the oldest Greene and Greene homes in Pasadena, the Conrad Covelle House (1895) is the 5th designed by the brothers and has significant importance in Pasadena’s history. Built in the Colonial Revival style, this Victorian-era house pre-dates Charles and Henry Greene’s venture into the Craftsman style that contributed to their eventual place in architectural history as icons. Restored to its original use in a painstaking 27 year labor of love project that started as a surprising discovery that it is a Greene and Greene, and saved by a local preservationist, it is now ready for its close-up. This is a unique opportunity to own a Greene and Greene, one that affords its chance perhaps once a year.

Construction started almost one year after brothers Charles Sumner Greene (1868-1957) and Henry Mather Greene (1870-1954) established their architectural firm of Greene & Greene. Known to most Pasadenans and architects, the Greene Brothers’ creations are all treated as cultural landmarks, and practically as museum pieces. Fewer than 100 of their homes remain. Bought for $1 in 1982 by William and Rosemary Barbus, it was at about that time that the discovery was made that this home is a Greene and Greene. Also, this home was once owned and occupied by Isabella Coleman (1892-1982) who gained her fame as the “first lady” of the Tournament of Roses, designing and building floats from 1910 to 1971 and winning over 300 major trophies in the process. In her honor, the Isabella Coleman Award is given each year to the float that most effectively incorporates color harmony. More information about the Covelle House and the Greene Brothers can be downloaded in the Building Biography by historian Tim Gregory (see below).

This home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms on a huge lot, a wonderful front porch, entry hall, parlor, refinished fir floors, a built-in dining room cabinet with pass through to the kitchen, and original hardware on the interior doors. It also has enormous amounts of storage with a 1,334 square foot basement that would be perfect for a home theater, band rehearsal, or arts and crafts. The current owners have built a newer garage. This property is being sold with certificates of appropriateness, city occupancy clearance, and their 2009 City of Pasadena Historic Preservation Award.

The Covelle House has been given a 5S1 significance code by the City of Pasadena. In 1980 this home was listed in Pasadena’s Architectural and Historical Inventory. This property is certainly eligible for Mills Act consideration.