A nice find

This quirky 1926 storybook house (but aren't all 1926 L.A. storybook houses quirky?) just south of Hancock Park sold for $1.4 in May, according to Trulia.com, and is now being thoroughly renovated, with new trenches dug for garden walls and a thorough refurbishing of the turrets, among other sensitive preservations.

It's hardly the most beautiful house in this neighborhood of lovely, undertstated manses, but I was certainly struck by the commitment the new owners are showing to preserving the movieland ethos of this only-in-L.A. original.

846 S. Longwood Ave. under renovation

846 S. Longwood Ave. before (from Realtor.com)

A handful of workmen were still there on Saturday when I drove by just at quitting time (and witnessed a bit of after-work wagering going on in the driveway). They generously let me take a peek inside.

The best features of the interior are being preserved.

The detached garage and its upstairs unit are utterly charming. I think I could be quite happy living up there.

Garage and second-story unit

Due to the curvature of the street at this point, the house faces a stretch of Longwood just north of Olympic, one of the most beautiful residential blocks in Los Angeles.

If anyone knows more about the history of this house, please post in the comments.