The Street Seen: Castle For Sale
2103 3rd Street @ Bicknell
The architecturally unique Santa Monica building, the “Baron's Castle,” is for sale for $7.00MM. The property was originally a 3-story, single family residence built in 1905. It was converted to rental apartments with additions in 1955 and in 1960.
The property is Santa Monica zoned Ocean Park Low Density Residential (OP2) and has 15 legal units plus 1 nonconforming studio unit. There are 3 structures – (i) the 1905 Badia building with 6 units, (ii) a 1955 addition with 4 units. and (iii) a 1960 addition with 5 units. The property last sold in 2021 for $6.20 MM.
The 3-story, cupola-capped, Moorish-style single family residence was designed and erected in 1905 by Nicolas Baida (1861 - 1941)1 as his home.
After World War I, the building served as a convalescent home for veterans and as an annex to the now defunct St Catherine’s Hospital (previously Santa Monica Bay Hospital) at 4th and Pacific.
The property was acquired in 1950 by “Baron” Michel Leone,2 a professional wrestler who severely altered the original building with added modern structures across the front, and who gave the building the name “Baron's Castle.”
Bonus image (courtesy of Roger Genser). Photo by HF Rile who was principle photographer in Santa Monica from 1887-1912 when his studio also burned down in the Fraser's Million-Dollar-Pier fire. Note the unpaved 3rd Street
Updates
Nicolas Baida (1861 - 1941). Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Baida came to America in 1890 and almost immediately to Los Angeles. Nicholas Baida, along with his sibling, created Baida Brothers, dealers of fine Persian carpets and accessories. In addition to their downtown Los Angeles store, in 1902 they opened a branch store on Ocean Front Promenade at Pier Avenue. The store was destroyed in the 1912 Fraser's Million-Dollar-Pier fire.
Michele Leone (1909 – 1988). Born in Italy, Leone began wrestling at a young age. In 1938, Leone came to New York City and almost immediately resumed his wrestling career. He moved to Santa Monica in 1949. Leone was a master showman, sporting long hair and a colorful cape into the ring for his matches. With the advent of television, Leone become one of pro-wrestling’s most famous personalities. Leone retired from wrestling in 1955, and settled in the “Baron’s Castle” apartment building he owned. In 1988, he was hit by a car while crossing the street in a crosswalk near his building, and died 2 weeks later.