Coronado Castle, the historic Spanish-revival residence sitting on a palm-lined promenade just 100 feet from the shore, has hit the market for $39 million.
Originally built in 1925 for business magnate W.A. Gunn, the 14,000-square-foot main house in Coronado, California, comes with four bedrooms, four full bathrooms, a private Moorish garden with fountains, and a guest house.
Designed by architect Richard Requa, the previous owner preserved “priceless historical heritage while meticulously updating the home to modern-day standards,” according to the official property listing.
If the mansion is sold for the asking price, it will set a record for the area, according to Mansion Global.
“When 1127 F Avenue was originally constructed in 1925, the cost was $57,000,” listing agent Chris Clements of Compass told The Bee via email. “While in today’s market it’s hard to comprehend, in 1925 that was more than 10 times the average cost of homes being built in Coronado. For almost a century this property has maintained being 10 times the value of the average home on the island. It’s an incredible historic landmark.”
Jan and Lennie Clements of Compass are also representing the property.
“Timeless, iconic in heritage and exquisite in stature and style, this magnificent Requa estate is truly one of Southern California’s most sought after masterpieces,” according to the property description.
An impressive basement features a movie theater decorated with full-sized Star Wars figures and seating for 26 people. There is 1,300-square-feet gym, a golf simulator, a great room and a full spa and sauna.
Materials used in the renovations, such as stonework from Portugal and roof tiles from England, were sourced from around the world.
A stunning pool deck is outfitted with an incredible outdoor kitchen. The lot has 100-year-old olive trees, fountains and 18-hole chipping and putting greens.
The historic home is a part of the Mills Act, which allows for reduced property taxes.
Architect Kim Grant of Kim Grant Design said she set out to continue what the original builder had in mind when she was hired for the re-design. She calls Requa “one of my heroes in architecture” in a documentary video about the home.
“He is a master architect, and he really started the popularity of Spanish Revival architecture in San Diego,” Grant said. “I have actually worked on a couple other Requa homes, and I’ve always fantasized about this house because in my opinion, 1127 F Avenue, is the crown jewel of Richard Requa’s career.”
Hand-made tile flooring, ironwork and stained-glass added during the renovation matches Requa’s style.
“The design goal on this house was not to create something new and different, but to pick up where Richard Requa left off,” Grant added. “The integrity of the original home was timeless, and our goal was to continue that idea that in another 100 years, this house will look timeless, and current yet historic. The new and the old should feel like it’s coming from the same hand, or at least the same mindset.”
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article misstated the number of bedrooms and bathrooms. It was corrected March 28, 2022.
This story was originally published March 28, 2022 3:47 PM.
David Caraccio is a video producer for The Sacramento Bee who was born and raised in Sacramento. He is a graduate of San Diego State University and longtime journalist who has worked for newspapers as a reporter, editor, page designer and digital content producer.