A Dana Point mansion, originally built by Capistrano Beach developer Ned Doheny, the son of oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny, is on the market for $5.5 million.
The Spanish colonial revival-style house, dubbed Casa Hermosa, is a registered Dana Point historic landmark with Mills Act property tax benefits to ensure it continues to represent the architecture of the period. Completed in 1929, and thoughtfully restored by the current owner, it spans 4,900 square feet and features four bedrooms, six bathrooms and a speakeasy-style lounge in the detached casita featuring original prescriptions for a glass of whisky from the prohibition era.
There’s also a wine cellar with a courtyard entry.
Records show Steven M. Abraham has owned the property since August 2012, when he bought it for $1.125 million, and now holds it in a trust.
Sited behind a fence on a quarter-acre double lot close to the beach, the house presents a striking two-story facade of white stucco with a red clay tile roof, arched entry tower, Palladian windows, balconies and ironwork.
Inside, it boasts arched corridors, rustic finishes, wall niches and wood beamed ceilings.
A fireplace with tiled accents serves as a centerpiece in the family room, while the library flows into a poker room.
Professional-grade appliances outfit the gourmet kitchen, near the formal dining area.
The layout includes two primary suites, one on the main level, and an original staircase leading to the primary suite on the second floor.
Other features include a hand-stained terracotta motor court, two courtyards, a built-in barbecue area, an outdoor fireplace and a small saltwater pool with a waterfall and spa. The property also includes a two-car garage and, pending city approval, potential for ADU and junior ADU development.
Phil Immel of Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty and Terry Harner of GreenTree Properties are the listing agents.
According to the Dana Point Historical Society, Capistrano Beach experienced its first substantial growth during the 1920s and 30s, thanks to Ned Doheny, who was in the midst of developing the area- in the Spanish colonial revival style.
Casa Hermosa and other Doheny houses, including the Spanish colonial-style cottage, one of two homes separated by a lush garden on a half-acre estate that recently listed for just under $7 million, were part of the original development.
Growth abruptly halted when Ned Doheny and his friend, Hugh Plunkett, were found dead in a guest room at the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills in February 1929. The circumstances of their deaths remain unsolved. In 1931, the Doheny family donated more than 40 acres of ocean-front property to the state and became Doheny State Beach.
Capistrano Beach became a part of Dana Point in 1989.