Sneak peek at new Scandia Way houses in Glassell Park A cluster of four Glassell Park houses wrapping up construction and opening to the public for the first time this weekend will be another indicator of how much modern design can help move L.A. real estate in a recovering market. The hillside houses, on a part of Scandia Way that The Times classifies as Glassell Park but that the developer is marketing as Eagle Rock, were designed by L.A. architect Donald Holtz. During a walk-through of one house on Wednesday, Holtz pointed out elements that the Dwell generation is used to seeing in custom modern homes, starting with a living room that reads "loft" thanks to windows stacked under a 21-foot-ceiling. Fleetwood glass doors in the master bedroom slide into wall pockets, completely opening one corner to a balcony. Mitered glass creates a similar effect in the kitchen and dining area, capturing the hillside view. On the other side of the kitchen, glass doors lead to a small patio in the front yard, implying that future owners might like a connection not only to the outdoors but also to the neighbors. GALLERY: Rendering, photos of Scandia Way houses The bottom level of each three-story house has been reserved as a bonus room - a guest bedroom, or maybe living quarters for a boomerang kid or a caregiver, or perhaps a home office. With its own entrance from the outside and a sliding barn door for additional separation from the rest of the house, the space is flexible. The floor plan devotes its space to public areas. Bedrooms are quite small. The master carves out room for a walk-in closet and uses the glass pocket doors to make the main part of the room feel bigger. Price, you may ask? Two of the houses will go on the MLS on Thursday for $889,000 and $939,000, real estate agent Chris Furstenberg said. The other two houses will hit the market later. All the houses have 1,600 to 2,000 square feet of habitable living space, with three bedrooms, bonus room, two full baths, plus a bathroom with shower in the bonus room and a powder room on the main level. Furstenberg holds his first open house for prospective buyers 2 to 5 p.m. The addresses are 4231 to 4243 Scandia Way, Los Angeles 90065. We'll have better photography when the construction dust has settled. In the meantime, you can see the listing at www.scandiawaynewhomes.com. L.A. home design profiles Swimming pools photo gallery Kitchen design inspiration photo gallery