O’Neil Ford Highland Park Masterpiece Goes to Auction with Heritage Auctions Luxury Real Estate

We have written about 3756 Armstrong Avenue, one of the most architecturally significant homes ever built in Dallas. Located on the delicious juncture of two magnificent Highland Park streets, Armstrong and Overhill, the home was a commissioned private residence for Jack and Nancy Penson, highly loved Dallas philanthropists. Mr. and Mrs. Penson’s names are on the Meyerson Symphony Center’s Endowment Wall of Honor, recognition to their longtime support of the orchestra, and an athletic complex is named after them at The Hockaday School. Mrs. Penson died in 2012, her husband in 2014.

Built in 1954, the 8900 square foot estate was the creation of O’Neil Ford, known as the grandfather of Texas Modernism and widely recognized as one of Texas’ most celebrated 20th-century architects. O’Neil Ford designed most of the University of Dallas campus in Irving; Braniff Memorial Tower, the Braniff Graduate Center, the Gorman Lecture Center, parts of the art village, the Haggar University Center, and the Haggerty Science Building. San Antonio, his home base, is covered in his work: the renovation of La Villita, the campus of Trinity University, the campus of Saint Mary’s Hall, the University of Texas at San Antonio Main Campus, and the Tower of the Americas.

He also created buildings for Skidmore College in upstate New York and for Texas Instruments. O’Neil Ford completed the design of the building of the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville in the Texas Hill Country, shortly before his death in 1982. His sturdy structures always utilized brick, glass, and wood, and were brilliantly attuned to their physical settings.

I have been in this home. The attention to detail and craftsmanship will simply blow your mind.

If you are a mid-century aficionado, this home is your Mothership.

Built for extreme privacy on one of Highland Park’s most exclusive streets, almost hidden by trees, mature landscaping surrounds the property. And the lot is a whopping .85 acres, which itself appraised for $6.1 million back in February.

The home has also been listed in the past for $5.9 million, but come September 27, our very own Heritage Auction Luxury Real Estate will auction the Penson estate to the highest bidder.

Thinking of picking up a historical Highland Park bargain? Then get thee to the auction. If you have never been, here is my primer on Real Estate Auctions. Like most auction houses, Heritage Auctions Luxury Real Estate bidders are required to pre-qualify for a property auction by submitting proof of guaranteed funds. Bids are only accepted in person or by phone. For more information on Heritage Auctions please call 855-261-0573 or email [email protected]. Auctioneer is Mike Sadler.

Dallas-based Heritage Auctions is the largest auction house founded in the United States and the world’s third largest, with annual sales of more than $800 million, and 950,000+ online bidder members. For more information about Heritage Auctions, and to join and receive access to a complete record of prices realized, with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit HA.com.

And stay tuned: we have a lot more to tell you about 3756 Armstrong Avenue…