He Designed Beverly Hills’ Most Expensive Estate—Now His Personal $4.2 Million South Pasadena Sanctuary Is for Sale

A legacy compound in South Pasadena, CA, built in 1978 and designed by architect Bob Ray Offenhauser as his family’s private sanctuary, has just hit the market for the first time in nearly 50 years.Offenhauser, who died in 2016, is best known for having designed some of the most opulent estates, including Palazzo di Amore in Beverly Hills, which was America’s most expensive listing when it hit the market for $195 million in 2014.Despite his grandiose designs, Offenhauser opted for a more intimate residence for his family home. The three-bedroom sanctuary listed for $4.199 million sits on a nearly half-acre lot that was once part of the grounds associated with Villa Arno, the historic Tanner-Behr estate.Bob’s son, Madison Offenhauser, said his parents built the residence with the intention of it being an empty-nest retreat after he and his sister went off to college.“My parents lived here for 40 years happily,” he says. “They loved to entertain and for two decades had sit-down dinners in the garden room the last Sunday of every month for 40 people. My parents were exceptional hosts and entertained in the finest style. My husband and I, having attended many of these dinners, remember...