Court at 638-650 North Mar Vista Avenue
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Why it's listed
Built in 1927, this bungalow court on North Mar Vista Avenue in Pasadena is arranged in a U shape around a landscaped central courtyard. Four one-story bungalows face each other in pairs, and a rear duplex closes the end of the court. The buildings are wood-framed with clapboard siding, gabled roofs and small entry porticos supported by paired wood posts. Their simplified Colonial Revival design mixes classical touches with Craftsman details such as exposed rafters and wide eaves. Karl Valentine designed and built the court as its owner; the bungalows cost $1,500 each and the duplex $3,000. The court is significant for its site planning. Its 100-foot-wide lot allowed a spacious layout of detached houses, at a time when builders were turning to narrower courts that fit more units on a 50-foot lot. It also retains a high degree of integrity and fits well into a neighborhood of small single-family homes. It is recognized as a fine example of its type in Pasadena.
Significance in brief: The court is argued to be one of the best examples of the bungalow court form in Pasadena, specifically the detached wide enclosed court type. It is noted for its spacious site planning on a 100-foot-wide lot, unusual for the late 1920s, and for its high degree of integrity. It is part of the Bungalow Courts in Pasadena multiple property listing.
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 94001319, listed November 15, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 638--650 N. Mar Vista Ave., Pasadena |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | November 15, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94001319 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1927 |
| Architect / builder | Karl Valentine (Architect, Builder) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in multiple dwelling use; the rear garage and storage buildings are now used as carports and are counted as non-contributing because of alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.15519, -118.12626 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 94001319.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16890736
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.