Colonial House
Why it's listed
Colonial House is a seven-story brick apartment building at 1416 N. Havenhurst Drive, now in West Hollywood. Begun in 1930 and designed by Leland Bryant, it is built in a French Colonial style, with a symmetrical facade, small-paned casement windows, green shutters with shamrock cutouts, ceramic medallions and brick grilles. A brick terrace with a fountain of two cherubs and a wrought iron balcony overlook the courtyard garden. Inside, a wrought iron circular staircase rises to the seventh floor, and the twenty units share brass fixtures, carved moldings, beamed ceilings and French fireplaces. The building was among the last of its kind finished before the Depression and was one of the luxury apartment hotels created for film-industry figures who moved between New York and California. Early residents included Clark Gable, Joan Blondell and Eddie Cantor. It was listed for its period architecture, its place in Hollywood's image during the era of talking pictures, and its continuing use as a residence.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a surviving example of the luxury apartment hotels built for Hollywood's film industry in the 1920s and 1930s. It is valued for its period architecture, its detailing, and its association with film-industry residents. It is also seen as a visual symbol of Hollywood's heyday and a lifestyle that has largely disappeared.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 82002190, listed April 15, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1416 N. Havenhurst Dr., West Hollywood |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | April 15, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002190 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific date 1930) |
| Architect / builder | Leland Bryant |
| Architectural style | French Colonial |
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rated excellent condition, occupied, and used as a private residence; it is now a condominium with twenty units, and the interior has been altered very little. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 34.09574, -118.36070 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 82002190.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q26955576
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.