Novato's 1963 Rotating Round House Lists for $3.3 Million for First Time

Q: What will happen to this 1963 rotating spaceship home if a developer buys the prime two-acre property?

If a developer buys the two-acre Novato property, the future of the 1963 rotating “Round House” is uncertain. The listing is explicitly aimed in part at developers because of the amount of land and the seven dwellings on site, which means redevelopment is a real possibility. Nothing in the sale materials indicates the Round House is legally protected from alteration or demolition. Its local fame and unusual history — including surviving a near-demolition during Highway 101 construction by being relocated — may make preservation attractive, but that does not guarantee it. A developer could choose to keep it as a signature feature, repurpose it, relocate it again, or seek approvals to remove or substantially change it, depending on zoning, permits and any local preservation review that might apply. There are also economic reasons a buyer might preserve it. The home is one of the North Bay’s best-known architectural curiosities, and the property includes income-producing dwellings, which could support an investment strategy that keeps the landmark in place. Its rotating mechanism, spaceship-like design and visibility from Highway 101 give it branding value that standard redevelopment would lose. So the most likely answer is that the house’s fate will depend on the buyer’s business plan and local land-use rules. For now, there is no announced plan to demolish or preserve it; the sale simply opens both possibilities.

1 articles · Updated · KGO-TV · Aug 18

$3.3 million is the asking price for Novato's landmark Round House, a three-bedroom home listed for the first time since it was built in 1963.
The hilltop house rotates up to 320 degrees on an old railroad-track base, using two washing-machine motors and a swivel-centered utility core to stay fully connected.
Owner Harold Pozzi said upkeep on the two-acre property has become too difficult with age; the sale also includes six other dwellings, including the nearby 'Potato Chip House.'
Built for about $17,000 by local builder Sam Harkleroad, the home was moved rather than demolished during Highway 101 construction and has since become a North Bay landmark.