He built the extra floor without a permit. The neighbors complained and he lost the ability to build out the floor. The county, which governed the area at the time, accused Ashkenazy of exceeding the height limit of the original plan and prevented him from developing the floor for occupancy.
The 30,000-square-foot property has housed numerous notable individuals over the centuries, including Albert Clemens, the nephew of author Mark Twain, and architect Edmund Dreyfuss, who eventually passed the home down to his son, sculptor John Dreyfuss. Philanthropist Dr. Sachiko Kunō bought the mansion for $11 million in 2011 to serve as the headquarters for Halcyon, a nonprofit organization that helps to fund early-stage businesses across climate, health, and equity technology.