"It's called 'express yourself,' said Tony Wells, who with partner Brittany Stevenson bought the 5,000-square foot house at 20 Westminster Ave. - which had been expanded in the 1940s to seven units, all with baths and kitchens - as an investment in 2001 for $680,000. Since then they've spent an additional $1 million on renovations, Wells said."
"The outré home, its roof staged with towering metal sculptures, belongs in a genre-bending sci-fi fantasy novel. The highlights: a 12-foot-tall charging centaur, Poseidon with diving dolphins, medieval guards, an archangel, gargoyles, a pirate and an owl."
"At night, the property smolders in crimson and gold light. A dragon built from vintage Harley-Davidson parts, its eyes functional red taillights, claws onto the building's west side below a winged, horned creature that steps into the air. Lighted star ornaments and filigree awnings shaped like tiaras line the west side."
El Bordello Alexandra is a seven-unit apartment building one block from Venice Beach boardwalk, originally constructed in 1906 and expanded to its current form in the 1940s. Owners Tony Wells and Brittany Stevenson purchased the property in 2001 for $680,000 and invested an additional $1 million in renovations. The building's exterior features towering metal sculptures including a 12-foot charging centaur, Poseidon, medieval guards, gargoyles, and a dragon constructed from vintage Harley-Davidson parts. The interior showcases maximalist design with an 1880 pump organ, gothic chandeliers, surfboards, and a bathroom styled as a confessional. The name derives from historical ledgers suggesting the building's former use as a bordello, with "Alexandra" honoring a late friend. Rents range from $1,900 to $2,500 monthly.
#venice-beach-architecture #maximalist-design #eclectic-art-installation #residential-property-investment
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