Baby Del, Coronado’s 134-year-old Victorian, seeks $24 million
One of San Diego County’s finest examples of Victorian architecture is up for grabs on the resort peninsula of Coronado, where the 134-year-old Baby Del just hit the market for $24 million.
The 19th-century residence is built in the same style as, and sits a few blocks away from, the famous Hotel del Coronado, a historic beach resort that claims the title of the second-largest wooden structure in the country.
The Queen Anne Victorian was built by Harriett Livingston in 1887, a year before the Hotel del Coronado was erected. It was located in San Diego’s Sherman Heights neighborhood until 1983, when architect Christopher Mortenson scooped it up and moved it by truck and barge to its current spot near the beach in Coronado.
One of the largest private properties on the peninsula, it has been declared a historic landmark in San Diego and enjoys property tax reductions through the Mills Act. The estate combines two parcels on a half-acre lot and includes a 5,200-square-foot main house and three guesthouses that combine for a total of eight bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms.
Turrets, stained glass and vibrant shades of red, white and blue give the architectural gem some curb appeal. Inside, living spaces are outfitted with 12-foot ceilings, leaded glass windows and wrought ironwork.
An architectural staircase of steel and wood navigates the four-story floor plan, spiraling to a dining room with antique cabinetry, basement lined with Iranian tile, chef’s kitchen and a “Crown Room,” which is named after a similar room in the Hotel del Coronado and includes 19 doors that open to a wraparound deck.
There’s also a wine cellar, art studio, zen room and a chandelier-topped study tucked into the turret with a built-in desk. Outside, entertaining spaces are dotted with fountains and citrus trees.
Carri Fernandez of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties holds the listing.