Former Soviet Stronghold In Los Angeles Sells For $7.33 Million

The Cold War is finally over for music revivalist Michael Feinstein.

The Grammy-nominated singer and pop conductor this week sold his longtime home in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles for a little over $7.33 million.

The sale comes more than two years after Feinstein first listed the Tudor Revival-style mansion with his husband, Terrance Flannery. Originally priced at $26 million, the handsome brick-faced mansion that once served as a Russian consulate saw six price cuts before finding a buyer.

Multiple real estate agents attempted to sell the property, but it was Brett Lawyer and Jonah Wilson of Beverly Hills-based Hilton & Hyland who completed the deal following a roughly one-month escrow.

The three-story residence became the center of political intrigue in the late 1940s when it was used as the USSR Vice-Consulate. During that time period, Southern California had become a target for Soviet espionage, according to the book Enemy Amongst Trojans: A Soviet Spy at USC. 

During Feinstein and Flannery’s ownership, the 1926-built mansion was extensively renovated and restored. Showcasing craftsmanship of a bygone era, the house features a grand gallery entry, inlaid wood floors, and pseudo four-centered archways.

Oversized fireplaces with hand-carved mantles draw the eyes in the living and family rooms.

Also within more than 15,000 square feet of space are six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a gym, a temperature-controlled wine cellar and an upgraded kitchen. A makeover of the third floor, previously unfinished, added an office, home theater and wet bar.

Walled and gated from the street, the home sits on a half-acre lot with grassy fields, gardens and a swimming pool. Front and rear terraces extend the living space further outdoors. There’s also a guesthouse with a separate entrance.

As for Feinstein and Flannery, the couple has already moved on to another brick beauty in Pasadena. According to the Los Angeles Times, the pair bought the historic John S. Cravens estate in the city’s so-called Millionaire’s Row section two years ago for $7 million.