An Architecturally Significant University Park Spanish Revival Historic Home

Finding a luxurious, architecturally significant historic home that is also move-in ready is often akin to the proverbial needle in the haystack.

This is especially true in the Park Cities, where historic preservation ordinances do not exist. Of course, we’ve found you one and it’s a marvelous University Park Spanish Revival.

Fortunately, there have been homeowners throughout the years who have prioritized preservation, restoration, and appropriate updating. This University Park Spanish Revival historic home was written up in the Dallas Morning News in 1929 as one that “represents the inspiring Mission-Spanish type of architecture for which Southern California has become proverbial.”

Spanish Revival Architecture Was an Integral Influence in The Park Cities

It is a splendid example of the architecture that has defined the Park Cities. When the Highland Park and University Park neighborhoods were being developed, they attracted the most talented architects of the era. Fonzie Robertson designed this home, and while he may be less well known than David R. Williams or Charles S. Dilbeck, he was prolific, and his talent for style and detail made him highly sought after.

That detail is evident throughout this 4,433-square-foot University Park Spanish Revival, from the unique tile embellishments on the fireplaces and the Spanish Revival-influenced draped arches to the hand-painted wood ceiling in the family room. 

The care that has been put into keeping this home is not only unique but also meets the standards of a 2023 home buyer. It’s inspirational because you simply cannot build homes like this any longer. Even if you could find craftsmen to replicate the work of those in the 1920s and ‘30s, the cost would be prohibitive. To keep those identifying characteristics and still make sensitive updates is quite an accomplishment.

“I knew someone that grew up here in the early 1980s,” Allie Beth Allman listing agent Lucinda Buford said. “Her family did a large renovation in 1983 and walked me through the changes. She also said her brother delighted in jumping off the deck into the pool, which I don’t recommend. This home has been so lovingly restored over generations. I love the uniqueness of it, and of course, the location is phenomenal.”

The Top 100

This Spanish Revival in University Park is a hard-to-find combination so extraordinary that it has made the Park Cities Top 100 list.

Historic preservation has always been a challenge in the Park Cities, but slowly, it seems, things are changing. That’s due to the efforts of members of Preservation Park Cities, who spent a great deal of time creating an inventory of the most historic and architecturally significant homes.

When the neighborhood grapevine began buzzing over what seemed like a tsunami of new construction over the past few years, preservationists knew something must be done.  

The next best defense is always awareness. So, they set up an Endangered Significant Homes committee and started walking. They came up with a list known as The Top 100 and created enough awareness that the tide seems to be shifting.

Preservation was even included in The University Park Centennial Master Plan, so we have high hopes for preservation in the Park Cities and that the right buyer finds their way down the garden path and into this unique University Park Spanish Revival. 

Buford has 4200 Windsor Parkway offered for $3.4 million. And no you cannot swan dive off the upper deck into the pool when you check it out!