Fortune Of Once Grand Dame Hangs In The Balance

LOS ANGELES, CA — It's no secret. This grand 'ol dame has fallen on some hard times, but she's a historic landmark whose history is part of the LA story.

Mount Washington's Nickel-Leong Mansion sits boarded up and empty after a string of foreclosures left it vacant, but beneath the state of disrepair, she's still a beauty. The Greek revival mansion was built in 1905 for restaurateur Max Nickelby John C. Austin, the architect of the Griffith Observatory. It's listed as a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument. After Nickelby, the home was sold to Jeung Leong in 1936. Leong's son, Gilbert Leong, is the architect behind much of LA's Chinatown.

Despite is disrepair, the home is listed on realtor.com for almost double what it was listed for in 2012. It still boasts crown moldings, multiple fireplaces, and a formal dining room. It's sellers hoped a bidding war and an August deadline for best and final offers would drum up interest in the home. Now it remains to be seen what will happen to the old girl.

• Address: 901 Isabel St, Los Angeles, California
• Price: $1,040,000
• Square Feet: 4392
• Bedrooms: 5
• Bathrooms: 3 Baths
• Built: 1905
• Features: MULTIPLE OFFER SITUATION - HIGHEST, BEST AND FINAL OFFERS DUE BY 8/29 AT THE END OF BUSINESS. OFFERS WILL NOT BE COUNTERED! Historic estate property designed by John C. Austin, the architect of the Griffith Observatory also known as the Nickel-Leong Mansion. This home is Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument #849. Please check with City as restrictions and prior approvals will be necessary when rehabbing/restoring this property. Property is situated on an oversized lot comprised of multiple parcels measuring nearly 1/2 acre. The property is oversized, and closer to 5,000 square feet or possibly larger when you add in the completely finished attic. The property is essentially three stories plus a large basement area that's accessible from both the inside and outside of the property. Permits are unknown, there is no covered parking and the seller has no reports on the condition of the property.

This listing originally appeared on realtor.com. For more information and photos, click here.