We’ve made no secret of our admiration for architect Max Levy. The modern master was the first-ever recipient of our Visionary Award for Prestige Architecture, and we sat down with him and traditionalist Wilson Fuqua for an in-depth conversation about their craft in the November/December 2023 issue of D Home. (We’re certainly not alone in our feelings—just listen to the nice things his peers and clients had to say about him in this tribute video, created for the 2022 Visionary Awards ceremony.)
So when the listing for 9180 Greenville Ave. caught our eye, it came as no surprise to learn that Levy was the man behind it. Designed in 1988, the house features his trademark deference to nature, with windows practically everywhere you look. Storage is brilliantly integrated into the design—shelves frame doorways, flank the stairwell, and serve as bases for walls of window seats. And light is treated as a living design element, particularly evident in the shadows cast by the gridded wall outside the front door.
But what is surprising is its location. Given its private, creekside setting, you’d might assume the house is off the beaten path. Instead, it’s conveniently accessed via a private drive off Greenville Avenue, between Royal and Forest. That means it is a stone’s throw from Central or 635, is within walking distance of the newly renovated Lake Highlands YMCA, and feeds into coveted Richardson ISD schools. You’re also just one mile—and a $120,000 initiation fee—away from teeing off behind Masters champ Scottie Scheffler at Royal Oaks Country Club.
Also of note: The house has only changed hands one other time since it was built 36 years ago. Great care was taken by the current owners in renovating the kitchen as well as enclosing a once-screened porch. The resulting space is particularly special.
“My favorite detail of the home is the one-of-a-kind sunroom that overlooks the backyard,” says listing agent Richard Graziano. “This used to be a screened room, but the owners converted it to an additional living space with built-in closets and a library ladder. Natural light floods into this room, which is a common theme in every space of the home.”
In both design and by virtue of its hidden-in-plain-sight locale, the house is not ostentatious. Indeed, extravagance is not Levy’s thing. But it doesn’t take an architecture degree—or back issues of House Beautiful, Metropolitan Home, and Texas Architect, in which the project has been featured—to appreciate the quality and attention to detail in the expansive living and dining areas, downstairs primary suite, and two upstairs bedrooms.
“When buyers purchase a home with an architectural pedigree, especially one as special as Max Levy, this brings incredible value to the entire life of the home,” says Graziano. “It brings both financial and functional value with how it lives and the thoughtful design.”
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