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Photos: Inside The Los Feliz Convent Katy Perry Wants To Buy
Two nuns are causing an uproar over Katy Perry's plans to move into a former convent in Los Feliz. And judging by the photos of the beautiful 8-acre estate, it's no wonder they're all putting up a fight for it.
Perry had plans to purchase the property from Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez, but two of the nuns who once resided in the convent already sold it to local restaurateur Dana Hollister two weeks ago. The nuns contend that they had every right to sell it to Hollister. And while Hollister—who may have plans to turn the convent into a hotel—has already moved in, the archdiocese is now suing Hollister in hopes of voiding the purchase and selling the estate to Perry. The Teenage Dream singer has expressed plans to live in the former convent with her mother and grandmother.
The sprawling former convent—also known as the Earle C. Anthony House—was built in 1927 by Bernard Maybeck. Maybeck's only architectural contribution to L.A., the property's design combines both Medieval, Gothic, Spanish and Tudor elements. The property was originally built for businessman Earle C. Anthony, founder of KFI-AM and owner of a chain of Packard car dealerships.
The estate was later bought by Sir Daniel Donohue and Countess Bernardine Murphy Donohue in the early 1950s. After the countess died, the sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary pooled their money together to purchase the property from them in 1972. They occupied it until 2011 when the church's archdiocese forced them to move out to other locations, the sisters claim.
Two of the remaining five nuns contend that since the nuns had pooled their money to buy the property, they have the rights to sell it to Hollister. Gomez, on the other hand, was already in talks with Katy Perry to sell the convent to her.
The first court date for the contested convent is set for July 9th, so we'll have to wait until after the fireworks to see who walks away a winner.
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