PRANA THE "GUASTI VILLA"

The gracious mansion that is now Prana was built between 1910 and 1913 for Secondo Guasti, who owned the world's largest winery at the time. He hired a local architectural firm and also brought in Italian artisans to fashion the beautiful Italian Renaissance interior. In 1937, Busby Berkeley, a Hollywood director and choreographer, bought the Guasti Villa and lived in it, adding an additional touch of glamor to the property's history. Then it changed hands several times until 1949, when the Los Angeles County Physicians Aid Association bought the villa and subsequently added two wings of rooms for retired physicians or their widows to live in. PTS bought the villa in 1974, and it became the headquarters for MSIA as well as home to many MSIA students over the years.

The Guasti Villa is described in the West Adams Heritage Association tour guide: "The imposing, nearly symmetrical main house dominates the neighborhood. Its graceful facade and European elegance connote affluence, power, and the aspirations of those who have lived there. The breath-taking entry hall has an inlaid marble floor, oak paneling with pilasters and garlands, and a carved cornice. The ceiling features a large allegorical painting above a wood chandelier. The (former) dining room features dark paneling with seven-foot pilasters and inlaid hardwood floors. Appropriately, the cellar was originally well-stocked with Guasti wines but is now used for offices."

The spacious rear gardens have four different levels and include a flower-rimmed courtyard with a fish pond, lawns (one of which can also serve as a volleyball court), a beautiful rose garden, and an orchard with bountiful fruit and avocado trees that provide organic produce for Prana residents.

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