7843 Santa Elena Street Designated As Historic Landmark

A 1956 ranch house in Glenbrook Valley has been listed as a historic landmark, the first to be granted that designation in this southeast Houston neighborhood of mid- century-modern homes. The house spans 5,924 square feet but has only three bedrooms. “The rooms are just absolutely unbelievably huge,” said Robert Searcy, a real estate broker who represented the couple who bought the house in 2008 from its original owners, Salvatore and Lily Ann Muscanere. It was listed for $309,000.

The house at 7843 Santa Elena was built in a “U shape” around a courtyard with large oak trees, he said. It has a large sunken den with a flagstone fireplace and a study with custom paneling exported from England. The house sits on 13,800 square feet of land and is “very private from the street,” said Searcy, a Glenbrook Valley resident.

The Houston Chronicle excerpt can be found here

The Salvatore and Lily Ann Muscanere House is located at 7843 Santa Elena Street within the Glenbrook Valley Historic District. The house was constructed in 1956 and Norman Edwards is credited with preparing the construction drawings. The ranch house is located on an interior lot and is of the Mid-Century Modern architectural style. In addition, specific design elements were incorporated indicative of the owners’ Sicilian family heritage.

The family owned the property continuously until 2008, and the family was well-known and friendly neighbors of the community. The Muscaneres operated many small businesses in Houston and had extensive real estate holdings throughout the city. In October 2009, the house was one of six homes featured on the Modern & Historic Home Tour sponsored by Houston Mod in conjunction with the annual Docomomo Tour Day, a national celebration of Mid-Century Modern architecture.

The complete Your Houston News article can be found here