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Rock Row in Eagle Rock: townhouses that share no walls

By Chris Iovenko, Special to The Times From a distance, the 15 homes being built on half an acre in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of L.A. look like your typical small-scale condo development. You could call them townhomes, but look more closely and there's one key difference: a tiny gap of air between each unit. "The buildings don't share a common wall," says architect Kevin Wronske, who with brother Hardy also is the developer of the project, called Rock Row. "There is five inches of space between each of them that is totally open." The gaps allow each building to move independently of the others in an earthquake. Perhaps most important, the space serves as sound insulation, lessening how much noise transfers from one unit to the next. Tag along as writer Chris Iovenko peeks inside... Back to L.A. at Home

By Chris Iovenko, Special to The Times

From a distance, the 15 homes being built on half an acre in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of L.A. look like your typical small-scale condo development. You could call them townhomes, but look more closely and there’s one key difference: a tiny gap of air between each unit.

“The buildings don’t share a common wall,” says architect Kevin Wronske, who with brother Hardy also is the developer of the project, called Rock Row. “There is five inches of space between each of them that is totally open.”

The gaps allow each building to move independently of the others in an earthquake. Perhaps most important, the space serves as sound insulation, lessening how much noise transfers from one unit to the next.

Tag along as writer Chris Iovenko peeks inside...

Back to L.A. at Home  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Rock Row LEED-certified subdivision townhomes

As the region grows more dense, architects and developers continue to look for ways to create new types of living arrangements — in the case of Rock Row, something that’s more than a condo but less than a traditional single-family residence. It is one of several developments to take advantage of Los Angeles’ relatively new small-lot subdivision code that allows for multiple houses set close together on tiny lots.

The houses range from a two-bedroom, two-bath home with 1,310 square feet of living space in two stories to a three-story, three-bedroom, three-bath home with 1,605 square feet. Ten-foot ceilings and recessed cove lights achieve a sense of spaciousness and openness.

Here, a living room on the second floor of a three-story model unit.

Back to L.A. at Home  (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

Rock Row LEED-certified subdivision townhomes

The kitchen’s Caesarstone counter overlooks dining and living areas.

With prices running $482,000 to $569,000, Rock Row has the first homes in Los Angeles under $500,000 to be LEED certified, winning a U.S. Green Building Council rating for green design and sustainable construction methods.

Back to L.A. at Home  (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

Rock Row LEED-certified subdivision townhomes

The homes deliver a sense of spaciousness with an abundance of natural light and connection to the outdoors on every level.

Here on the second floor, a small deck opens to the kitchen and the living area.

Back to L.A. at Home  (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

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Rock Row LEED-certified subdivision townhomes

A floor-to-ceiling shelving unit anchors one end of the second floor. Behind the case are stairs leading to the third-floor master suite.

Back to L.A. at Home  (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

Rock Row LEED-certified subdivision townhomes

Floors and stairs are honey-colored strand-woven bamboo.

Back to L.A. at Home  (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

Rock Row LEED-certified subdivision townhomes

In a neighborhood where some homes date back 100 years, the modern finishes offer a completely different vibe.

Here, a classic Nelson pendant light.

Back to L.A. at Home  (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

Rock Row LEED-certified subdivision townhomes

Landscape windows carefully frame views of treetops and mountains, allowing in natural light while cropping out neighboring buildings and Yosemite Avenue traffic.

“Aluminum windows are the trend, but they’re terrible energy-wise,” Kevin Wronske says. “Vinyl windows are by far the most energy efficient, so I had to use vinyl for LEED, but they’re pretty ugly windows by themselves. So we dressed them up with a galvanized sheet metal fringe [on the exterior]. The metal also acts as a shade and keeps dirt off the windows. Everyone thinks they are custom windows.”

Back to L.A. at Home  (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

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Rock Row LEED-certified subdivision townhomes

The master bathroom: clean lines, porcelain tile, quartz counter.

Back to L.A. at Home  (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

Rock Row LEED-certified subdivision townhomes

A stool sits inside the shower. We’d call it Zen, but that would be cliche.

Back to L.A. at Home  (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

Rock Row LEED-certified subdivision townhomes

Because the houses don’t have yards, the design calls for rooftop gardens with low-water plants. Standard roofing material is covered with a 1-inch layer of fabric and an egg crate-like plastic honeycomb on top that allows the water to drain.

“Since it’s a small lot, you don’t have much yard,” Kevin Wronske says, “so it’s all about bringing the outdoors up.”

Back to L.A. at Home  (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

Rock Row LEED-certified subdivision townhomes

If anyone questions the demand for this kind of housing, the developers point to one fact: Despite the weakness in real estate, all of Rock Row’s 15 homes — most still under construction — sold after fewer than four weeks on the market.

For a peek inside more Southern California houses, condos and apartments, check out our Homes of The Times gallery, www.latimes.com/homesofthetimes.

To see our design and garden blog: www.latimes.com/home.  (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

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