Elite Luxury Home Builder Sensitive to Historic Preservation
(Another in an occasional series of conversations with L.A’s leading architects and designers)
Gary Drake has risen to the ranks of the elite in luxury home building and renovation in the Los Angeles area. He has made his mark in many ways, but primarily for his understanding of the pedigree of a classic home and his sensitivity to bringing back to life the best of the design and iconic historical details while making it fresh and livable for contemporary homeowners.
Gary Drake, master builder and renovator of classic and luxury homes, and I share a passion for historic preservation
In the 30 years he has been in the business, operating through his company Gary Drake Construction, he has worked on some of the most beautiful homes and luxury condos in the Los Angeles area, but has also done renovations on modern residences.
His bio reads like a Horatio Alger story – spending years as a child in and out of juvenile detention centers for minor offenses; learning construction skills at a private group home for troubled youths; starting his own company at the age of 24; doing work for such celebrity clients as Madonna, Sting, Rod Stewart and Jim Carrey.
It is such a joy to find a fellow native Angeleno that shares my passion for historic preservation. We are both members of such organizations as the Institute for Classical Architecture & Art and the Los Angeles Conservancy.
What I particularly admire about him is the major role he has played in the sensitive renovation and conservation of elegant homes designed by the great Los Angeles architect, Paul R. Williams. In all, he has restored about 10 of Williams’ homes.
Gary shared with me his love of working on a Williams house, recognizing that the architect (1894-1980) was ahead of his time as he included large open plans, easy flow and good-sized rooms. The classic beauty of
One of the classic Paul R. Williams-designed homes that Gary Drake renovated
the homes is also found in many of the details and such features as sweeping staircases, Gary said.
I had the pleasure of visiting one of the Paul Williams homes that Gary worked on with architect Perry Hill, who was conscientious in his desire to restore the details, such as moldings, in a historically accurate way. Gary did a complete renovation of the 5,500-square-foot Brentwood residence that included a new master suite, office, kitchen, baths, glass-covered atrium, and new exterior retaining walls to create usable space for improvements to the exterior hardscape, including outdoor kitchen with pizza oven and wood-burning fireplace.
Williams was famous for his graceful staircases; this is in a home that Drake renovated
Gary tells me this was his favorite Paul Williams project, partly because he developed a playful, though professional, relationship with the owner, prominent businessman Peter Mullin and his wife Merle.
A couple of the anecdotes Gary told me are illustrative of the tricky relationship between the builder and homeowner, but how good listening skills and creative negotiation can resolve difficulties.
For example, when construction change orders added up to an additional cost, Peter Mullin wanted to negotiate. So in the process of negotiating the final payment Gary convinced Peter to donate $5,000 to Hillsides Foster Care Charity in Pasadena, whose
The atrium in an elegant Paul R. Williams home that Gary Drake worked on
board he has served on for many years. That way, Peter Mullin got a tax write-off, and Gary helped out the organization.
It turns out that Hillsides was where Gary had spent time as a child, and where Peter’s brother had once worked. Peter even joked with Gary, calling him a “juvenile delinquent.”
Gary said he has learned over time to be a better listener with his clients. “When things just don’t fit right between the architect and owner, a good builder like myself finds a way to make it fit in a timely and cost-effective way,” Gary said.
In fact, he said, he got more projects and made more money during the recession than any other point in his career. And he attributes that success to improving his listening and renegotiation skills and to his being very detailed oriented, time oriented and budget conscious.
Good advice for any field of endeavor!
Gary Drake understands the pedigree of a classic home and his sensitivity to bringing back to life the best of the design and iconic historical details while making it fresh and livable for contemporary homeowners
