Glass-Block House in Newport Beach Is Giving ‘Miami Vice’ Vibes for $5M
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A two-story, glass-block building is a real throwback on the sedate streets of Newport Beach, CA.
“It was designed as a commercial building in the 1990s, in what is now a residential, equestrian neighborhood,” explains listing agent and owner Richard Moriarty, with Moriarty and Associates. He is asking $4,999,999 for the home
“So some friends of mine bought it and converted it to a residence,” he says. And, charmingly, the retro glass-block facade survived the conversion.
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In 2021, Moriarty purchased the place from his friends for $3,120,000, according to Realtor.com®. Since then, he has used the 5,463-square-foot space to entertain friends.
“My buddies and I smoke cigars there every Wednesday,” Moriarty says. “It has a big cigar patio with a fireplace, and we have big propane heaters out there. My friends are sad to see the cigar lounge go. They don’t want me to sell, but we’ll figure something out.”
Moriarty relandscaped the grounds recently, adding more palm trees and a putting green.
In addition to its use as a party pad, the property can still function as a workplace.
“Because it was built as a seven-office [commercial] building, it is all steel-frame construction,” Moriarty explains. “It’s not showing any wear and tear, because it’s commercially built.”
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‘Miami Vice’ house
The glass-block aesthetic continues in the four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and most of the living spaces. The living room has a full wet bar, refrigerator, dishwasher, and seating area, with built-in sound and lighting.
“The previous owners were wealthy, so everything was expensive,” Moriarty says.
Even though the place was built in the 1990s, there seems to be an influence from before that: Think Phil Collins and pastel suits.
“We kind of call it the ‘Miami Vice’ house, because when you go inside, it’s kind of like an ’80s vibe,” Moriarty says. “It’s not a cookie-cutter home at all, because it was an office building that has been retrofitted and is on a really great piece of property.”
The home is on a half-acre lot, which Moriarty says is worth about $3 million without anything on it. He estimates building another similar-sized home would take years and about $15 million.
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Moriarty says he has no idea how many glass blocks are part of the structure.
“You can count them,” he says with a laugh.
You can also count the cars that can fit in the garage. In addition to office space with a separate entrance and two bathrooms, there is plenty of space for 30 cars.
“For a single guy with a big car collection, this would be perfect for this house,” he says. “I just haven’t found that guy yet.”
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