Home Shopping in Space

A Greene & Greene house on the market is news. These babies aren't available every day. And this one has added cachet, because since 1985 it's been the home of the Planetary Society. They're selling it now but they're not in a hurry. You know, time is relative.

This L.A. Times article sports a lovely photo of the facade and gives atmospheric descriptions of the interiors. It also tells a brief history of the house. When it was built in 1903 it had a Colorado Blvd. address. It was moved to its current location on Catalina Avenue in the 1930's. (It's generally worth it to move a Greene & Greene rather than tear it down, or so I've heard.)

The Georgiana Rodiger Center shares some of this space (and it's a whomping huge space). I suspect the site is zoned for offices, so the new owner may not get to live here. But hey, lately Pasadena real estate's been revolving around multi-use properties, so perhaps there's a chance.

The Planetary Society was founded in 1980 by, among others, astronomer Carl Sagan. (I can still hear his voice describing "billions and billions" of galaxies.) The Society is dedicated to "exploring the solar system and seeking life beyond Earth." An interesting cluster of folks, no doubt. Their website is fascinating. They even have a blog.

When I first saw the sign in front of the house I thought, "these are the guys who messed with Pluto." But they're not. These are the guys who messed with Pluto.

Update: Marie Taylor, the RE agent selling this lovely building, added a comment to let me know the advertised price was incorrect. The asking price is actually $2.1 million and, contrary to the article, the sellers are motivated! If anyone would like a tour or would like to know more about this historic Greene & Greene building, call 626.285.2532.