For Sale: Buena Park Mansion Built in 1917

Theland surrounding 800 W. Buena Ave. was once owned by a family that holds historical significance inthe 'hood. View Full Caption

Dana Galowich/Jameson Sotheby's International Realty

BUENA PARK -- A historic mansion that currently houses children's programming is now on themarket in Buena Park for $3.6 million.

Nonprofit organization The Menomonee Club, which offers services for school-aged children, hasdecided to put their property at 800 W. Buena Ave. up for sale.

Built in 1917, the building housed the Day School from 1943 to 2009, which is when TheMenomonee Club acquired it, intending to host its own programming there.

(Dana Galowich/Jameson Sotheby's International Realty)

"As it turns out, we just didn't end up doing any programming there," said Neal Batter, executivedirector for the organization. "It was all of our nonprofit partners in there. And our mission isn't toown real estate, it's to do programming."

While the lease isn't up for a little more than two years, Batter said listing it now not only givesdevelopers or other potential buyers "lead time," but it also gives the nonprofit partners currentlyhoused in the building time to find a new location.

According to the one of the listing agents, Dana Galowich with Jameson Sotheby's International

Realty, the masonry building has a full basement, a coach house and is situated on a corner lot. Itoffers nine bedrooms and six bathrooms.

Despite the building's age, it's in "magnificent shape," Batter said.

The land was once owned by the Wallers, a family that holds historical significance in theneighborhood.

In the late 1880s, James B. Waller owned 53 acres of lakefront property -- one of which he called theBuena House. The area surrounding the house was later dubbed Buena Park.

The Waller family subdivided the land to build mansions. It was not until 1910 that the architectDoerr Brothers built the home for C. Zimmerman, Galowich said.

Many of the original interior architectural elements have been preserved and the exterior looksexactly as it did when it was originally constructed, she said.

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