MUSICIANS JOAN AND GARY GAND were house hunting when they learned about a Mid-Century Modern home hidden away in La Jolla from their agent and San Diego Modern architecture historian Keith York. They had competition, including a bidder who wanted to tear it down and another who would have gutted it. Indignant over these disastrous possibilities, the Gands wrote to the seller pledging to restore the 1961 redwood and glass house inside and out if they bought it. Up front, they also asked for original photographs of the house and other information to work from. They were confident of their promise as they had already restored four Mid-Century Modern houses, one in the Chicago area and three in Palm Springs.
The couple succeeded in their preservation campaign to buy this split-level house, which is strikingly unusual in its cantilevered design that extends 58 feet over a canyon. Robert Liebner, an aerospace engineer, designed it as a post and beam structure with yards of glass. His novel design relies on three 3,000-pound tapered steel beams and tall steel columns that support the cantilevered expanse. After Liebner and his wife Rebecca divorced, she arranged for her new husband, the internationally renowned glider pilot William S. Ivans, to buy the soaring, hillside house from Robert. Ivans, notably, expanded the carport to cover his glider.
A daughter who had grown up in the house was thrilled that the new owners would restore it and provided original blueprints and a stack of photos. The Gands then plunged into what would be a two-year restoration project.
The home’s exterior was mostly intact, but weathered and peeling from 60 years of being battered by sun and coastal conditions. The interior had been remodeled in the 1980s and ‘90s, and all the original wood cabinetry had been removed and replaced with lighter wood cabinets. Master carpenter John Vugrin rebuilt the cabinetry, using the same wood chosen in 1961: a warm mahogany. A Florida company matched the walnut parquet flooring for any future replacement or expansion. Rebecca Liebner had designed a unique sculptural fireplace suspended from the living room ceiling and Vugrin repainted it black with paint meant for ship boilers.
Peek Brothers Painting handled the exterior restoration, first removing old paint and varnish from all the redwood walls, beams, and fascia, and from the iron railings. They repainted or stained these elements in their original colors and finishes, including the 1960s signature bright-orange front doors. Another expert took care of extensive termite damage and prevention without a trace.
SOHO salutes Joan and Gary Gand for their exacting and thoughtful restoration of their outstanding Mid-Century Modern home, which was designated a City of San Diego historical resource in 2021. Over two years, they more than fulfilled their goal to restore the exterior and carefully renovate the interior to reflect its 1961 origins. With artistry and best preservation practices, the Gands have returned the Robert and Rebecca Liebner/William Ivans House to its original glory.
