Karasik House
Why it's listed
Built in 1960 at 436 Spalding Drive in Beverly Hills, this two-story house was designed by Lloyd Wright, son of Frank Lloyd Wright. A long, narrow lot with a steep drop toward Roxbury Memorial Park shaped its elongated form, which ends in a prow-like upper floor and balcony overlooking a pool deck. The street side is closed and sculptural, with canted stucco parapets, cast reinforced-concrete screens and stone-clad columns. The rear opens to the view through continuous glazing. Inside, living spaces surround a central open atrium with a staircase and a curving stone wall set with Pyrex glass inserts. The lower level held an office for the original owner, a builder, along with service rooms. Wood framing, stucco, stone, concrete screens and a pumice-covered built-up roof remain, along with many custom interior elements. The house, pool and deck are counted as contributing, while the detached guest house, attributed to a different designer, is noncontributing. The house is listed as an example of Lloyd Wright's mature residential work.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the house as a characteristic example of Lloyd Wright's Expressionist residential work of the 1950s and 1960s. It shows his hallmark canted parapets, cast concrete screens, stonework and close integration of building and landscape. The house retains its original materials, interior finishes and custom-designed elements.
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 11000933, listed December 22, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 436 Spalding Dr., Beverly Hills |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | December 22, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000933 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Lloyd Wright (Frank Lloyd Wright Jr.) |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement: Wrightian |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition, needing only a few minor repairs. The pool has settled out of level and the owner is repairing the guest house retaining wall. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.05777, -118.40853 (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 11000933.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q133271524
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.