RESTORATION OF MANOLA COURT
In 2013, Woodbury University (Burbank, CA) and David Dahlston, then co-owners of Manola Court, listed it for sale. The sellers had inherited the property from two couples, the Woodburys and the Dahlstons, former Manola Court tenants who had purchased the complex together in the 1950s: all four were centenarians before the property changed hands. The property was purchased by Paul Finegold, a lifelong resident of Los Angeles specializing in the rehabilitation of residential properties, and his wife, Gitu Bhavnani.
Paul Finegold is a Los Angeles native. A graduate of UCLA, he later became a certified public accountant. In his early thirties, Paul met and married Gitu Bhavnani, an occupational therapist who was born and raised in Mumbai, India. After working many years in the family business, selling clothes in multiple southern California swap meets, in 2001, Paul began buying distressed residential rental properties in the Angelino Heights Historical Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ) near the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. After twelve successful years of property renovation in Angelino Heights, Paul was notified of the upcoming sale of the Sachs Apartments. For Paul and Gitu, the opportunity to acquire the property represented an exciting new challenge: at sixteen units, it would be the most expensive purchase and project they had undertaken. If successful, the restoration of the property would allow them to improve their hometown of Los Angeles by restoring an architecturally significant property. Sadly, Gitu passed away in 2017, before she was able to live on the property and see their vision realized. She remains the animating spirit of the work.
Restoration of Manola Court began in Spring of 2015. Finegold selected his long-time architects and friends, Scott Strumwasser A.I.A. and Tash Rahbar A.I.A., a husband and wife team and founders of Enclosures Architects, to handle the architectural design. The goal of the restoration was to honor Schindler’s original design and intent while updating each space for how we live today. The question that the team asked was, “what would Schindler have done with the resources and materials we have now?” The team was confident that Schindler would have welcomed the modern plumbing, appliances, HVAC, and network cabling; at the same time, the original cabinetry, finishes, and Schindler-designed furniture were carefully researched and, wherever possible, restored or re-created. Since the beginning of the restoration, Diane Estelle Vicari, a multi award-winning filmmaker, has captured moving image footage in preparation for a future documentary film
The architects, contractors, and designers discovered quickly that each apartment presented its own set of unique challenges. The units, some built more than a decade apart, had different floorplans, square footages, and Schindler design elements. Every attempt was made to maintain architectural integrity while qualifying for the necessary permits and complying with building code, all of which was complicated by the complex’s Historic-Cultural Monument status.
The restoration of the first five units was completed in 2018. Phase One consisted of three apartments in the 1926 building originally occupied by Sachs (the Penthouse, the Music Room, and the Maid’s Room), and two units in a building from the 1930s expansion. The apartments are all fully furnished in a style appropriate to Schindler’s vision. Two serve as the personal residences of Paul Finegold and his niece Hannah, the project manager; two house rental tenants. The fifth apartment is rented to overnight guests for the benefit of a charity foundation (see LIVE TO GIVE LA). Sarah Brady, founder and creative director of Platform Home, Inc., and her partner, Becky Golino, designed the interiors and decor for these five apartments and in doing so created impeccable spaces that would have made Schindler proud.The second phase, currently scheduled to begin in June 2019, will consist of the restoration of three apartments (two one-bedroom units and one two-bedroom apartment); the schedule for restoration of the remaining eight apartments is uncertain.
A priority for Finegold and the restoration team was making design choices to emphasize the idea of community throughout the property. It is said that Schindler likened this hillside residential complexe to European hillside communities as might be found in Greece. The landscape design, developed and carried out by the California landscape architecture firm Terremoto, was one important aspect of the effort. Though Schindler was keenly interested in the relationship of the outdoor spaces to the interior design of his buildings, the archival photos do not suggest that the Manola Court property was graced with a purposeful plan for the outdoor landscaping. As a consequence, the team from Terremoto was asked to conceptualize a space based on what is known of Schindler’s philosophy of gardens and the outdoors. The courtyard plantings are lush, and native and drought-resistant plants are maximized. Herman Sach’s dream for the property to be a gathering place for arts and entertainment is accomplished by placing discreet seating areas in each courtyard.
A final key to making the complex a hub for the creative community has been the design of the soaring studio loft (the Music Room), originally Sach’s workspace. Once used as a gathering space for the community’s artistic minds, it was—by the time Finegold and his wife, Gitu, visited as prospective buyers—a poorly maintained, overcrowded studio. But Paul and Gitu saw the potential of the space to be reinvented as a contemporary event space. Today, the Music Room has been fully equipped with a 7.1 surround-sound speaker system, a high-end projector, a hanging art installation system, and professional-grade kitchen to be used for events such as concerts and performances, dinner parties, exhibitions, pop up events, and test kitchens. The furniture in the space—tables, couch, hexagon seater, and stools—has been selected for easy breakdown or reconfiguration, making the room an ideal setting for a multitude of events.
Archival photo of the central building at Manola Court, taken by Julius Shulman in 1938. Photo courtesy of the Getty Research Institute.
The central building at Manola Court, post restoration, in 2019.
Archival of the marque in the Music Room at Manola Court.
Archival photo of the living room of the Penthouse at Manola Court, facing towards the fireplace and bedroom. The Batik wall hanging, area rug and decorative objects were made by Herman Sachs, the furniture by Schindler. Photo courtesy of Stephen Clauser, handler of the Pasquale Giovanni Napolitano estate.
Architects’ rendering of the five Manola Court buildings from Lucile Avenue. The penthouse (originally the living quarters of Herman Sachs) is in the building at the top center.
Architects’ rendering of the five Manola Court buildings from above.
The Music Room at Manola Court, post restoration, in 2019.
The living room in the Penthouse, post restoration, in 2019.
Architects’ rendering of the three Manola Court buildings with Edgecliffe Drive frontage.
Architects’ rendering of the five Manola Court buildings from Lucile Avenue, demonstrating how the property is situated on a street to street lot.