Listed in the beginning of July, and re-listed three days ago, the Spring Mansion in Berkeley has been reduced to $4.95M from $6.495. You've saved over a $1.5M on this eight-bedroom, six-and-a-half-bath replica of a palace on Corfu. Although they're more like second-cousins-once-removed than twins. It was designed forJohn Hopkins Spring and built in 1912 from designs by John Hudson Thomas. We have no idea if anyone involved had actually been to Corfu, or whether both houses were made of poured concrete, but the Berkeley version apparently has a concrete roof.
The house later became a private progressive school renowned for its interpretive dance classes, and then a private residence again. It's unclear if the pricechop is an actual reduction or if the property has been subdivided and the new price is a reflection of that.
Spring's best known for his life as a early, local Donald Trump-like character. He began the development of the Thousand Oaks and laid out Albany, was involved early on with the Claremont Hotel and owned property in San Francisco. His career and fortune really took off after the earthquake in 1906 when his holdings in the East Bay became more valuable overnight. Amazingly, Spring is believed to have built another version of this house in Los Gatos for his second wife.
· 1960 San Antonio Avenue, Berkeley [Redfin]
· John Hopkins Spring Estate [BAHA]
· John Hopkins Spring: splendor, strife & shenanigans [BAHA]
· So Green: Berkeley Cottage with a Sod-roofed Garage [Curbed SF Archives]
· Achllion Palace [Galen Fry Singer]
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