Vine Street sits four blocks above College Avenue, in the part of Elmwood where the trees were planted in 1916 and the sidewalks still buckle around them. The house, built in 1908 by the Wallace-Hendricks firm, has had three owners. The current family has been here since 1964.
What you notice walking in is the woodwork: original Douglas fir floors throughout, the staircase paneling intact, a built-in dining-room sideboard with the original leaded glass. The kitchen was renovated in 2018 by Studio Vue (Oakland), keeping the back stair and pantry but opening the south wall to a small breakfast nook with a built-in banquette.
The garden is the surprise. South-facing, walled, terraced — a pair of olive trees and a Meyer lemon. There is a 240-square-foot studio at the back, fully insulated, currently used as an office. It is permitted but not counted in the interior square footage.
The roof was replaced in 2021 (composition shingle, 30-year). The foundation was bolted in 2019. Sewer lateral is compliant. Reports are available; we encourage a thorough inspection.
The full photo set has twenty-four plates; these are the rooms that matter most. The rest are in the print packet and on the property's MLS page.
The front room is the original parlor — twelve-foot ceilings, picture rail, leaded transom over the bay window. A working brick fireplace with the original tile surround (Batchelder, Pasadena, c. 1909).
The kitchen was the only major change the family made — Studio Vue (Oakland) opened the south wall to a small breakfast nook with a custom banquette. The original pantry and back staircase were kept. Counters are honed Calacatta; the range is a Wolf 36" dual-fuel.
The upstairs primary takes the southeast corner — three windows, a deep window seat, a dressing room added by the previous owner in 2008. The en suite has the original cast-iron tub, re-glazed in 2019.
South-facing, terraced in three levels by the family in the 1980s. A pair of olive trees, a Meyer lemon, a small lawn with a brick path. The studio at the back is 240 square feet, fully insulated, with a half-bath.
The dining room runs the depth of the house — original picture rail, original sideboard with leaded glass, a north-facing window onto the side garden. The light is soft and even, all day.
Vine Street is in the upper third of Elmwood — quiet, mostly Craftsman, on a slight slope. College Avenue is a four-block walk for groceries, bookstores, and coffee. The Sunday farmers' market on Hillegass is six blocks. Tilden Park and the Claremont trails are an easy walk or a short drive.
Offers reviewed beginning Wednesday, June 4 at 10:00 AM. Sellers reserve the right to accept early. Inspection reports and disclosures are available on request.