The owner who demolished the famous San Francisco house must build a replica

A buyer who illegally demolished a famous house in San Francisco was ordered to rebuild an exact replica – and to install a plaque on the outside, explaining what 's going on. has passed.

Largent House, located in the Twin Peaks district, was built in 1936 by prominent modernist designer Richard Neutra.

Its owner, Ross Johnston, bought the property last year for $ 1.7 million (£ 1.3 million) and got permission to renovate it.

This does not include demolition.

Cheryl Traverce, a neighbor, told local television channel KPIX 5 that she had filed a complaint after returning home to find the house demolished.

"I went to New York for about a week and a half and I came back, the house was gone, totally gone," she said.

million. Johnston told the San Francisco Planning Commission that he had purchased the property "as a family home that would allow my family of six to return to San Francisco" and had been "stuck in limbo for longer." from one year ". His lawyer also argued that the former owners had already altered the historic home.

Nevertheless, the commission decided last week that a replica was to be built – not the largest house the owner had planned for him.

the property is sold, the new buyer will also be required to honor the decision.

Traverce described the decision as "victory for neighbors and the common people".

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Before being shot, Largent House was a two-story white building with an indoor pool – and one of five designed homes by Neutra in San Francisco.

SF Curbed described it in 2010, writing: "We do not know anything about Mr./Ms/Ms., But it was a drastic case in the middle of the Great Depression."

Planning Commissioner Dennis Richards said he hoped this story would be a warning.

"If a developer even thinks to demolish a house illegally, I'd like it to go up to 49 Hopkins and that he's looking at the plaque, because that's what will happen in the future, "he said.