Venice landmark goes on the block
By Jim
Smith
Two of the homes once occupied by
Venice’s founder, Abbot Kinney, are in danger of suffering many
changes.
Kinney’s home at 16 Park Avenue was
recently purchased. The new owner reportedly plans extensive
remodeling.
The home pictured below, at
1310 6th Avenue, is for sale. It’s also known as the Tabor Home, after
Kinney’s chauffeur, Irving Tabor.
Tabor was given the house in 1925 by
Kinney’s second wife, Winifred Harwell Kinney, when she became ill and
moved to St. Mark’s Hotel (which stood at the corner of Ocean Front Walk
and Windward Avenue).
Tabor, who was Black,
had to move the home from near the Venice Circle to 6th Avenue because of racist
housing laws.
The home, built prior to
1906, had originally been a bunk house for canal construction workers. Kinney
moved into it in 1914 and enlarged it. The home is not eligible for city
historical status because of Kinney’s remodeling work 90 years ago,
according to Elayne Alexander of the Venice Historical Society.
The Society would appreciate someone
buying the home for the $800,000-plus asking price, and donating it for a
museum. Volunteers can contact the Society at 310-967-5170.
Posted: Mon - September 1, 2003 at 04:04 PM