A slice of San Antonio's past is up for grabs as a 1927 house designed by noted architect Nathan Straus Nayfach, the creative mind behind the iconic Alameda Theater, hits the market for $450,000. The historical residence, located at 435 W. Kings Highway in the Alta Vista neighborhood, showcases the distinct Art Deco style that Nayfach is celebrated for, particularly in the Alameda Theater, a cultural landmark in the city.
The property spans 3,660 square feet and rests on roughly a fifth of an acre, which includes a spacious fenced backyard and a two-car garage the unique interior features arched windows, decorative metal screens, and artistic tiling, which echo the design aesthetics that charmed theater-goers in downtown San Antonio. Despite years of change, the house maintains several original fixtures, including cabinetry and windows, a nod to its storied past and craftsmanship.
According to a report by the San Antonio Express-News, the home's design elements are as intricate as its peach-hued exterior, boasting a 20-foot-tall gallery observed from a second-floor hallway and romantic Juliet balconies. Modern conveniences in the kitchen stand alongside relics of the property’s origins, presenting prospective buyers with the opportunity to blend the old with the new.
Gina Candelario, the listing agent was quoted by Axios emphasizing the architectural wonder expressed in the cathedral ceilings, "I've never seen a home like this. It feels like a perfect setting for a ballroom, a stage or even a lobby of a hotel." The home also embraces a warm master bedroom, complete with a fireplace and a covered patio that is ideal for enjoying San Antonio’s gentler seasons, and the offering includes three additional bedrooms and a total of five bathrooms catering to both family living and expansive entertainment needs.
Now nearly a century old, the 'Pink Lady,' as it has been affectionately called, has witnessed various chapters in its history outlined by the sellers, Robert and Megan Brandl-Blake, in a love letter to the residence. Once serving as a fraternity house for Trinity University, the home harbors countless memories and dreams for those who have passed through its doors, about which the Brandl-Blakes stated, 'Though we were the Pink Lady's stewards for only a short time, we will never forget our dreams and memories here. May she bring her new owners as much magic and beauty as she brought us.'
In a look back at the historical context of its neighborhood, it was found that Alta Vista was deemed 'best' or 'desirable' during the era of redlining—a discriminatory practice used by the federal government in the 1930s to restrict neighborhoods by race. Although some areas in Alta Vista had been subject to discriminatory covenants, the property at 435 W. Kings Highway fortunately was not included. This offers buyers a chance to own not just a home but a piece of San Antonio heritage untainted by such injustices of the past.
