Wm. Jarvis Earl House to be restored

         The Jarvis Earl House, 1927, is currently undergoing a major restoration.  Originally built by William Jarvis Earl, son of Edwin Earl, founder of “Alta Canyada”, the house was designed by Everett Babcock, a one-time associate of Wallace Neff.  The Spanish Colonial Revival home was to serve as a model of what could be built in the new subdivision.  Located at the top of what is now Alta Canyada Road (then Canon Drive), the property encompassed just over 3 acres with almost 450 feet of frontage along Alta Canyada Road and 492 feet of frontage along Bonita Vista Drive.  The property was subdivided in 1954 and sold to Dr. Fremont Davis, whose family owned it for 50 years until it’s recent sale.

          Luckily for the new owners, architects Michael Burch and Diane Wilk, the house has survived virtually intact over the past 80 years with only minor alterations.  Burch and Wilk have extensive experience working on architecturally significant Period Revival homes, including ones designed by Wallace Neff, George Washington Smith, John Byers and Paul Williams.   Their award-winning firm, Michael Burch Architects, based in La Canada Flintridge, specializes in Traditional Design and Spanish and Mediterranean Style houses, and has been repeatedly featured in Architectural Digest and other leading journals.

         Michael and Diane were excited when the Jarvis Earl house came on the market, despite the fact that they had just spent 2-1/2 years restoring and expanding their 1925 Spanish house at 5237 Alta Canyada Road (featured on last year’s La Canada Annual Home Tour) and had vowed never to move again.  Work to bring the Jarvis Earl house back to its former glory began the day escrow closed December 1, 2006.  The Jarvis Earl house originally cost $30,000 to build and was completed in five months.  Michael and Diane wish they could complete the restoration for $30,000 but will be happy to complete their restoration in five months.  They hope to have their new home on next year’s La Canada Home Tour.