Here's a convenient truth: Dr. Roger Revelle's La Jolla oceanfront home is listed for sale for the first time in 80 years. Revelle, who warned us about global warming way back in 1957, was the mentor to and inspiration for former Vice President Al Gore's long-time campaign to cut down on CO2 emissions.
The 4,165-square-foot home, listed at $14 million, was originally built in 1922 by Rex Clark and Grace Scripps Clark as their summer house. Grace was the daughter of James Edmund Scripps, founder of the Detroit Evening News and one of the key newspapers in the Scripps newspaper chain. In 1947, the home passed to the Clarks' daughter and her husband, the renowned scientist and scholar, Roger Revelle. Because of Revelle's prominence, the home was the venue for frequent entertaining of guests including Eleanor Roosevelt, Jonas Salk and many Nobel laureates from around the world. Revelle was also credited with bringing world-class scientists to UCSD and, as a result of that, making San Diego the home to so many science and research laboratories.
The 5-bedroom estate, which sits on an 18,900-square-foot walled lot, has stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and the Whispering Sands Beach. There is a lush garden, fishpond and pool. The property has a 350-square-foot lanai, a detached one-bedroom guesthouse and a large living room with a fireplace, a formal dining room, breakfast room and sun room/office. The main house and guest house border 115 feet of sandy beach.
Dr. Revelle won numerous awards for his scientific research, including a presidential appointment by President John F. Kennedy Jr. and the National Medal of Science from President George W. Bush. Gore became enamored of his work in the 1960s and took on the challenge of climate change as his personal mission. Revelle died in 1991.
La Jolla Beachfront Estate Returns to the Market
The La Jolla, Calif., estate of the late scientist Roger Revelle's family has come back on the market for $12.5 million. It originally listed last year for $14 million, then was taken off the home several months ago for remodeling.
Dr. Revelle, who died in 1991, was among the earliest to study global warming and one of the founders of the University of California, San Diego. The property has been in the Revelle family since 1920; the house was built in 1922. It has 115 feet of beachfront and a 4,100-square-foot, five-bedroom, five-bathroom house, as well as a guest house. There's also a fish pond and a swimming pool.
Dr. Revelle's widow died in 2009. The home is owned by their four grown children. Linda Marrone of Coldwell Banker Previews in La Jolla has the listing.
