This large and dignified house, set on spacious grounds, was designed by Joseph R. Pelich and built in 1923 by John C. Ryan, Jr. The original owner was H. Alonzo Melat, superintendent of the Gulf Production Co., who lived here until 1933. The has had numerous owners since that time. It is a two-story gabled structure with a veneer of red brick and a green-tiled roof. It is a fastidiously symmetrical composition, with identical gabled wings at each end, connected to roof-terraced loggias which project forward to flank a full front terrace. The central pedimented portico is flanked by small-paned doors opening onto the terrace. Regularly spaced double-hung windows are small-paned. Three carefully spaced vent dormers reinforce the symmetry of the front elevation. With further documentation to assess its architectural integrity, the house may be eligible for the National Register. The Melat House was designated Demolition Delay in 1995.
