A La Jolla home designed by architect John Lloyd Wright, the inventor of Lincoln Logs, was recently listed for $4.5 million.
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Wright was the inventor of the popular toy set and the son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. He constructed the three-story home at 1641 Crespo Drive in 1959, which has been modified on the inside to look like a modern beach home.
Despite its history, real estate agents with the listing say it is “priced to sell.” Several homes nearby have sold for around the same price in the affluent hillside neighborhood. The Crespo Drive home went on sale for $5.2 million in October 2025, but was taken off the market and returned at the new price in early June.
The property is 2,839-square-feet with four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The majority of the value likely comes from unobstructed ocean views from balconies that rival even oceanfront mansions. It should be noted the home is not a log cabin, but an example of the midcentury modern style.
“It’s all about the view,” said real estate agent Drew Nelson, who recently got the listing with his brother Tim. “Crespo Drive is a hidden gem.”
The home is not eligible for historic designation because of alterations, although a determined owner could restore it to its original look. Several local John Lloyd Wright properties are covered under the Mills Act, a state law that lowers property taxes for the maintenance of historic structures, including 1700 Torrey Pines Road in La Jolla.
In the backyard of 1641 Crespo Drive is a barbecue grill, an outdoor dining table, and several patio deck seats. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Between two bedrooms is this common space that also serves as television room at 1641 Crespo Drive, which is listed for sale for $4.5 million. . (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The kitchen at a La Jolla home designed by John Lloyd Wright. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
A living area at 1641 Crespo Drive, which is listed for sale for $4.5 million. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
A bedroom in a La Jolla home designed by John Lloyd Wright, the inventor of Lincoln Logs. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
A kitchen at 1641 Crespo Drive. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The outside area of 1641 Crespo Drive. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The family dining space, living room, and kitchen are on the second level of the home at 1641 Crespo Drive. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
An outdoor shower at 1641 Crespo Drive in early June. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The entrance to 1641 Crespo Drive, on the market for $4.5 million. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
A bedroom has built-in bunk beds at 1641 Crespo Drive. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Next to the primary bedroom at 1641 Crespo Drive is a home office with French doors leading to a shared outdoor deck with an ocean view. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The living room at 1641 Crespo Drive on the second level of the home. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
An outdoor deck located on the second level of the home, adjacent to the living room and dining area, at 1641 Crespo Drive. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The outside of 1641 Crespo Drive, which is listed for sale for $4.5 million, in early June. (Phillip Molnar/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The Crespo Drive property underwent a large remodel in the 2000s, largely keeping the home the same but with alterations that sunk to the city’s Historic Resources Board: The main entry door was moved, the garage was modified when area used for storage was converted into a bedroom and bathroom, and original windows were replaced.
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Even if an owner isn’t looking for tax savings, the home has some other tangible benefits. It has two garage spaces in a place where parking is a major premium. It is a short walk to the La Jolla Heights Natural Park, and about 1,300 feet to the Coast Walk Trail, although it’s a steep climb back.
Other features of the property include a kitchen with high-end appliances, a separate studio apartment, floor-to-ceiling windows to maximize ocean views and a backyard that is hidden from onlookers and comes with an outdoor shower that looks toward La Jolla Shores Beach. Many of the rooms, like one used for an office, could be remade into a bedroom or large closet.
Nelson said the current owners decided to move to the East Coast to be closer to family. He said since getting the listing in early June he has seen several potential buyers, mostly local but also one couple from Seattle that flew in just to see it.
John Lloyd Wright is often overshadowed by his famous architect father, with whom he often feuded, but is well-known for his own home designs and his creation of Lincoln Logs around 1916. The construction toy set uses miniature lightweight logs to build log cabins, or larger structures, and has shown staying power over the decades. It was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1999.
A Lincoln Logs tin of 111 wood pieces today runs for about $50. The company that now owns the trademark, Hasbro, has branched out into individual sets (similar to Legos): Big Sky Ranch, Sawmill Express Train, and Two-tiered Tree House. Advertisements tell modern parents that Lincoln Logs “provide hours of fun while building a solid foundation in STEAM/STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics — and arts for STEAM) subjects.”
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