Nearly Slated For Destruction, a Restored Neutra in West Covina Asks $1.8M

The last time the J.M. Roberts Residence, designed by Richard Neutra in 1955, was on the market, things were looking grim. In 2014, the property description suggested that the new owner should raze the home and build subdivisions on the lot—and indeed, most of its nine bidders intended to tear down the midcentury modern. Thankfully, the dwelling did not meet its demise. Instead, the new owners brought in architectural historian Barbara Lamprecht and master craftsman Eric Lamers to conduct a thoughtful restoration that stayed faithful to Neutra’s original design. Today, the four-bedroom, three-bath house is shaded by eucalyptus, pine, and oak trees on 3.5 acres in West Covina, California. With its own kidney-shaped pool and floor-to-ceiling windows that frame views of the San Gabriel Mountains, the rescued gem is a genuine expression of California living.