Peep This Midcentury Modern Gem in Newton

It was designed by Samuel Glaser, the architect who dreamed up the Star Market over the Mass Pike.

By Madeline Bilis· 7/12/2017, 10:52 a.m.

Photo by Shelly Harrison

Architect Samuel Glaser dreamed up some of the most inventive buildings in Boston. He’s the designer behind the Star Market in Newtonville that floats over the Mass Pike, and he made his mark on the John F. Kennedy Federal Building in City Hall Plaza, which he worked on with Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius and the Architects Collaborative.

It’s rare, then, to see one of Glaser’s residential projects hit the market. Built in 1949, the Leaventhal House at 20 Drumlin Road in Newton is a Modernist classic. The home is listed by Bill Janovitz and John Tse of William Raveis Real Estate and asks $1.85 million.

Its owners, interior designer Diane Burcz and her husband, bought the house from its original owners in 2009. Burcz completed a thoughtful renovation and expansion of the midcentury icon, careful to preserve the Glaser’s original vision for the home.

Today, the structure boasts many untouched original features, like custom built-ins, interior doors, light fixtures, chrome doorknobs, and period glass. Updated features include new mechanical systems, the addition of a mudroom and laundry area, a larger kitchen, and shining new bathrooms. There are a total of four and a half bathrooms and five bedrooms.

As if the place weren’t already a haven for modern architecture geeks, the property is adjacent to a home designed by Gropius. See the listing here.