Pike, Robert and Barbara, House
Also known as: 512 Glen Court
Why it's listed
Set on a short, steep cul-de-sac in Pasadena, this 1958 house at 512 Glen Court is a one-story, flat-roofed, T-shaped residence of about 1,700 square feet. It was designed by the architectural firm Buff, Straub and Hensman for Robert and Barbara Pike, who acted as their own contractor. Built of post-and-beam construction with stucco, wood and glass, it features exposed beams, tongue-and-groove ceilings, a long shaded entry path and a wall of glass in the living room. Unlike many of the firm's houses, it shows little Craftsman or Japanese influence, emphasizing spare, crisp horizontal lines. It was nominated as an excellent, well-preserved example of the firm's classic Mid-Century work and of Pasadena's Recent Past modernism, qualifying for architecture at the local level. A detached 1989 studio is noncontributing, and later changes such as added roof insulation, a replaced front door and new driveway pavers did not harm the house's overall integrity.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be a fine, intact example of the firm's "classic" Mid-Century Modern work, with spare horizontal lines and a flat roof. It reflects the firm's contribution to Pasadena's regional residential Modernism and meets the registration requirements of the Pasadena Recent Past multiple property listing. It qualifies under Criterion C for architecture at the local level.
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 09000181, listed April 10, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 512 Glen Ct., Pasadena |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | April 10, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000181 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1958 |
| Architect / builder | Buff, Smith & Hensman; Straub, Calvin |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; a 1989 studio addition is noncontributing, and minor alterations (roof insulation, front door, driveway pavers, some windows) are described as not affecting integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 34.15419, -118.17572 (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 09000181.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q133289538
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.