Enhanced Views and a Charming Home-in-process Presents a World of Creative Options for 3100 The Strand a Rare Corner Lot on the Manhattan Beach Strand
Nearly 100 years ago Calvin Coolidge was in the White House and Bessie Smith’s St Louis Blues was at the top of the charts. It was 1925, and in Manhattan Beach, California, construction had just been completed on a new Spanish villa overlooking the sea.
The location was one of the best on the Strand, a gorgeous miles-long swath of land curving along the Pacific Ocean that had begun attracting newcomers in earnest with its bejeweled coastline—where sun danced along white-capped waves and the blazing hues of sunset, counting purple, blue and orange streaked across the skies each evening.
Fast forward to 2023. The coastal beauty—and views—of this coveted corner property at 3100 The Strand still remain, along with the origins of the 1925-era residence, which is about halfway through the process of a 21st-century rebuild.
It’s a 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom Spanish Revival home, a classic architectural style that’s a mainstay in this climate with its red-clay roof, creamy white stucco and graceful arches, which strike a charmed contrast next to the steely blue waters, light-hued sands and pale skies of the Pacific.
Inside, the approximately 2,399-square-foot floorplan has been updated with generous open spaces and plenty of large-scale windows and sliding glass to beam in these spectacular scenes.
The property is currently on the market, the result of a court-ordered sale, and presents two flexible options for potential buyers.
“You don’t usually get court-ordered sales of this quality,” says Brynn Stroyke of the Stroyke Properties Group, noting that this is a premier, Strand corner lot that’s also very buildable. One option is to finish out the existing project for “a small, less-is-more residence,” he describes: “Or you can build a world-class new property with views that will never be replicated by another corner lot.”
No matter one’s choice, the one-off Strand address is the real treasure. The lot is situated on a rare corner walk street lot that faces south, giving it wide-angle sea vistas.
“Walk-street lots are wonderful for three reasons,” points out Brynn Stroyke.
First, he explains, you can build a wider house, due to there being only a one-foot setback along the walk street, instead of the usual three-foot setback. Enhanced views are another and finally, there are extended outdoor areas, so such properties can contain a yard and patio.
An added bonus at this address: The neighboring property to the south is a double-sized one with a single house that’s set back significantly from the Strand. Pulled back from the start of the lot, with a big pool across the frontage, the result is that at 3100 The Strand, any residence will be significantly more open to golden light and uninterrupted water views.
“The property on the opposite corner is set back halfway on the lot,” says Brynn Stroyke, “so your corner views from the south are extraordinarily enhanced.”
The generous use of glass along the front balcony and sides of 3100 The Strand captures everything. From broad scenes across the Pacific Ocean to the Palos Verdes Peninsula, which juts scenically out to sea, along with the picturesque Manhattan Beach Pier (completed in 1920, the popular site was only 5 years old when 3100 The Strand was first constructed).
Speaking of, you can coast to the Pier and points Downtown in 5 minutes on a bicycle. Located in North Manhattan Beach, the property is steps from the 30th Street lifeguard tower and boasts a peaceful, uncluttered atmosphere. One that’s nicely walkable to the lively energy of the town’s center, with its upmarket dining and shopping.
Directly outside 3100 The Strand, there’s a dedicated bike path—plus a separate path for walking and jogging—that will get you there along the ocean. Or you can stroll to the relaxed North End of Manhattan Beach, with its neighborhood eateries and yoga studios, in about 5 minutes.
As is, much of the property is reserved as a private fresh-air retreat. There are approved plans for an oceanfront pool and cabana, and plenty of room for green landscaping. Such a configuration enables you to enjoy the property as a private sun-and-sea hideaway or as the setting for luxurious oceanfront gatherings.
Guests can stroll easily back and forth across the Strand—nicely wide and flat at this point—then head across the beach for a swim, a surf session or to play beach volleyball. Back at 3100 The Strand, there are large, graceful arches connecting the yard with a covered patio where guests can lounge and mingle before stepping into one of the home’s sun-splashed spaces.
It’s an address where, no matter the design, you are immersed in such rare scenes of striking beauty. You step onto the balcony of the uppermost level of this house. Take in the ocean breezes and vast panorama of the Pacific Ocean—and see exactly what first drew the original homeowners to this captivating slice of California coastline nearly a century ago.
Bryn Stroyke | 310.880.3436 | DRE# 00855690
Stroyke Properties Group
List Price: $13,800,000
Photography Courtesy of Stroyke Properties Group