322 Escalona Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 US Santa Cruz Home

www.322Escalona.com

322 Escalona Drive, Santa Cruz, is a circa 1905 Colonial Revival home on a large 12,981 foot parcel.  According to the city Historic registry, the house is  “An almost symmetrical façade creating an air of formality in this residence.The flat porch roof is supported by columns and is topped with a balustrade.”

The Historic registry dates the home as 1910, but the assessor’s office dates the home as being built in 1905.  The home is listed as having 2,622 feet of living space.  The original framing is full dimensioned lumber, not the smaller nominal sized lumber milled in recent times.  All the interior trim is redwood, although it has been painted over the years.  The grand staircase is served by redwood newel posts, banister and balustrades.  The baseboard is tall, the picture molding remains in place, and the built in sideboard in the formal dining room is ready to assist in hosting grand dinners.  Coved high ceilings top the lath and plaster walls, although the plaster has suffered some cracking and peeling over time.

The kitchen is quite generous, with a large breakfast / eat in area.  The living room is massive, measuring 26.5 X 16+ feet with a bay window and a fireplace.

The large parcel offers many options, from a pool to a sport court, to a large car barn, even a second unit or an additional duplex.  The zoning is R-1-5, meaning that each 5,000 feet of ground can support a residence. Unfortunately, even though the size of the parcel suggests that it can be split into two parcels, a new parcel would require a 20 foot “flag” access easement, with an additional 5 foot setback to the existing home from that easement.  The house is about 7 feet too close to the property line to accommodate this 20 foot access and 5 foot setback.  The historic designation carries with it some benefits, however.  The city will sometimes grant zoning concessions to historic properties.  This might allow a new duplex to be built in the back behind the existing house, with a shared driveway and no parcel split required.  You could almost certainly build an accessory dwelling on the rear portion of the property.

Must be seen to be appreciated! The property is in need of repair and refurbishment to return it to its former splendor. If you or your clients are looking for a special project, this could be it!