Almost six decades ago, Jerome Factor commissioned architects Hank Webber and Don Staska to create a home for him in the exclusive Indian Canyons neighborhood of South Palm Springs. The goal, driven by a family history of high-profile kidnappings and mob ties, was to create a fortress-like structure that would provide complete privacy from the outside while showcasing his impressive art collection on the inside, all secured by a closed-circuit camera surveillance system.
Completed in 1969 for the wealthy venture capitalist—son of Prohibition-era Chicago mob associate and Las Vegas casino owner John “Jake the Barber” Factor, who was a half-brother of cosmetic mogul Max Factor—the result is a true study in restraint. Think a windowless, white stucco facade shielded by a 14-foot wall, which gives way to glamorous interiors orchestrated by Chicago-based interior and furniture designer Richard Himmel.
A glass-lined living room is anchored by a dramatic black granite fireplace.
Andrew Bramasco
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