An original City of Los Angeles building permit identifies the little-documented San Fernando Valley architect behind this courtyard-centered residence in Encino’s Royal Oaks neighborhood.
Hidden behind gates and mature landscaping at the end of a quiet Encino cul-de-sac, a 1962 Mid-Century residence has returned to the market with something its listing does not fully explain: a documented connection to architect Harold S. Slutzky.
The house at 4173 Regal Oak Drive was listed on September 11, 2026, for $3,249,000. It contains four bedrooms and four bathrooms within approximately 3,451 square feet and occupies a roughly 0.93-acre hillside parcel. Its low, single-story plan wraps around a private courtyard, while walls of glass and multiple doors connect the interior to the pool, terraces and panoramic views across the Valley.
The Original Permit Identifies the Architect
The original City of Los Angeles application to construct the residence provides unusually strong documentation of its authorship. In the line reserved for the “Cert. Arch.,” the permit names Harold S. Slutzky and records his California state license as No. 11285. The separate line for a licensed engineer reads “None,” confirming that Slutzky was serving as the certified architect of record rather than merely as the project’s engineer.
The permit also identifies Nathan Gillim as the original owner and Robert F. Townsend, state contractor license No. 70674, as the contractor. The property is listed as Lot 36 of Tract 14701, with its location described between High Knoll and Valley Vista Boulevard.
The original City of Los Angeles building permit names Harold S. Slutzky as the certified architect and records license No. 11285. Courtesy of the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety.
Who Was Harold S. Slutzky?
Slutzky remains an elusive figure in the architectural history of the San Fernando Valley. Unlike better-published Southern California modernists, he does not appear to have left behind a readily accessible archive or a widely documented portfolio. Available records nevertheless establish that he was a working local design professional with deep ties to the Valley.
A 1980 San Fernando Valley telephone directory lists “Harold S. Slutzky” as a civil engineer with an office at 15442 Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks. California records also associate his name with a civil-engineering license. The Regal Oak permit is especially important because it separately and unambiguously identifies him as the home’s certified architect under architectural license No. 11285.
Slutzky was born in 1923 and died in Los Angeles in 2023 at the age of 100. Beyond those fragments, relatively little biographical material appears to have been published. That scarcity makes surviving permits and buildings valuable evidence for reconstructing his professional career.
Why the permit matters: Real-estate listings sometimes repeat architectural attributions that are difficult to verify. Here, the original municipal record directly names Slutzky in the certified-architect field, making the attribution considerably stronger than a marketing claim alone.
A Courtyard Plan Shaped Around Indoor-Outdoor Living
The residence displays several ideas associated with postwar Southern California design. Instead of presenting all of its living spaces toward the street, the house turns inward around a protected courtyard. That open-air center brings daylight into the plan and creates a private transition between rooms and the surrounding landscape.
Glass walls and French doors extend the principal living areas toward the courtyard and rear terraces. Pass-through windows connect an interior bar with the outdoor entertaining spaces, while the pool and covered dining areas face the broad Valley view. Although the interiors have been substantially modernized, the underlying organization—the horizontal profile, one-story circulation and close relationship between house and landscape—continues to express the original mid-century concept.
The updated kitchen features a waterfall-edge island, custom cabinetry and stainless-steel appliances. The primary suite opens directly outdoors and includes a walk-in closet and remodeled bath. A two-car attached garage and additional uncovered parking complete the property.
From $1.64 Million to a New 2026 Listing
Public listing records show that the property sold for $1.64 million in March 2012. It returned to the market in April 2026 at $3.995 million, followed by reductions to $3.595 million and $3.395 million. A new listing was entered on September 11 at $3.249 million, or approximately $941 per square foot.
The changing price is part of the current real-estate story, but the more lasting significance of 4173 Regal Oak Drive may be historical. Its original permit adds a documented work to the known record of an architect whose contributions to the Valley have largely escaped public attention.
Explore more: Browse the SFV Blog’s Development & Architecture / Real Estate archive for additional Valley development projects, significant buildings and distinctive homes.
Sources and Listing Information
The property was listed by Gina Michelle and Joey Parsi of The Agency under CRMLS No. SR26200013. Property information and listing status are subject to change. This article is editorial coverage and is not affiliated with the seller or listing brokerage.
- City of Los Angeles, Department of Building and Safety, original application to construct a new building at 4173 Regal Oak Drive.
- Redfin property listing and sales history.
- Official property website.
- May 1980 San Fernando Valley telephone directory, Library of Congress.
Photo Gallery
Click any photograph to open the full-size image and continue through the listing gallery.
Post a Comment