By Jackie Connor | LB Indy
Villa Rockledge, a Laguna Beach historical landmark, is showing signs of deterioration and vandalism, according to a letter to the city council from Anne Caenn, president of Village Laguna.
The letter surmises the destruction saying the estate’s interiors have been stripped, historic windows are broken or boarded up and people are tagging the property causing architectural damage.
“It’s rather shocking what’s transpired over there,” said Councilmember Bob Whalen. “I would like to ask staff to look into…what the whole range of remedies would be for the city to exercise, including criminal…federal [laws] involved.”
Matt Schneider, assistant director of Community Development, said they have been working with the owner and have had an active case for several weeks to determine illegal construction. Villa Rockledge’s owner has boarded up the windows and placed “No Trespassing” signs.
“We went out late last week and weren’t able to access the site because the gates to the walkway and driveway are locked, but we’re working to schedule an appointment to walk the site with both code and building staff and make an assessment if there was any illegal construction and vandalism,” said Scheider.
Sitting on more than half an acre, the ocean-front Mediterranean mission-style property sits perched on a cliff between Moss Point and Victoria Beach and includes a five-bedroom home and four guest villas.
Riverside’s historic hotel Mission Inn architect Arthur Benton and Frank Miller, real estate developer of the Mission Inn and a major influence on California’s architectural character, worked together to develop this unique estate. Miller purchased the property in 1887 and built the estate for his second wife, Marion, between 1918 and 1922, which includes rustic stone towers, ocean-front balconies with curved walkways and lush landscaping.
Villa Rockledge, once known as “Mariona,” was approved by California’s Mills Act to be sold sale for $27 million through Compass and was listed in early 2020.
The city is asking residents who have security cameras in the area to share footage with the police department to find out who is vandalizing the property.
