161 N Garden St

Richard Orne, Architect | Garden Street Studios | Live/Work Art Compound (Dual Zoning) Escape the pressures of big-city life at this unique live/work art compound less than a mile from the beach in downtown Ventura. Near the junction of Main Street and Ventura Avenue, the property sits close to restaurants, boutiques, parks, and trails that define the city’s easygoing charm. Bike paths run along the coast and inland toward Ojai and Pine Mountain. It’s a place where parking is simple, the pace slows, and friendly greetings are part of daily life. On a quiet two-block street with no through traffic—surrounded by residential, commercial, studios, and light industry—this is an inviting setting for creative living and working. Zoned for both commercial and residential use, four separate structures allow wide flexibility. The compound can act as a distinctive single-family alternative with four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and three additional studios with powder rooms, or operate as an income property with individual utility metering and potential for up to seven tenants. All units will be delivered vacant. As a commercial asset, the spaces can serve storefront, office, creative, fabrication, or retail purposes. Architecturally, the environment is striking: a renovated 1920s bungalow anchors the rear, while three newer stand-alone buildings front the site, each pairing an upper one-bedroom with a ground-floor studio. Landscaped courtyards connect the structures. Cantilevered forms, exposed steel, corrugated metal, and ribbon windows echo Case Study inspirations. Inside, a restrained palette includes sliding polycarbonate panels, polished concrete and Marmoleum floors, and operable windows framing views of nearby hills and winter snowcaps. The bungalow features board-and-batten siding, cork floors, new finishes, covered decks, and French doors opening to a private patio. 4 Addresses, 7 Units 4 Bedrooms, 3 Studios 7 Bathrooms 3,723 Square Feet 7,840 SF Lot