John C. Austin was part of a prominent architecture firm that was responsible for the design of some of the most iconic public post-war buildings in Los Angeles, the Griffith Observatory, Shrine Auditorium, and City Hall among them. He’s also known for crafting several area residences during his 50-year career, including a stately Greek Revival mansion in northeast L.A.’s Mount Washington neighborhood.

Built in 1905 for restaurateur Max Nickel and later owned by the family of pioneering Chinese-American architect Gilbert L. Leong from the 1930s to 1990s, the aptly named Nickel-Leong Mansion was last sold to Oscar-winning Whiplash editor Tom Cross in 2020 for around $2 million. Now the place, which was designated as an L.A. Historic-Cultural Monument in 2006, has returned to the market for a dash under $2.5 million. Lorraine Getz of Compass holds the listing.

Set high above the street on three separate parcels spanning nearly half an acre, the stately columned and porticoed property offers four bedrooms and five bathrooms in roughly 4,400 square feet. Extensively restored interiors on two levels boast hardwood floors, ornate crown moldings, carved oak millwork, stained-glass windows, and custom built-in benches and bookcases.

Classically symmetric, the floor plan is introduced by a foyer flowing to formal living and dining rooms anchored by fireplaces. A butler’s pantry leads to a vintage-inspired kitchen featuring updated stainless appliances, a white subway tile backsplash, shaker-style cabinetry, an apron-front sink, and a walk-in pantry with the original freezer, while other main-floor highlights include a study, a penny-tile bath with a clawfoot tub, a laundry room, and access to a basement and detached two-car garage.

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All the upstairs bedrooms wrap around a central stairwell, including a spacious primary suite with a windowed sitting area, a walk-in closet, and a bath sporting dual vanities and a glass-encased rain shower. A winding staircase leads to a finished attic that could easily be converted into a creative studio, gym, or play space, and multiple alfresco lounging and entertaining decks and patios on the terraced grounds are laced with rare Bunya pine trees native to Australia.

Click here for more photos of the Mount Washington residence.