Former St. Anthony’s Seminary Sells at Auction for $16.7 Million

An historic Santa Barbara property sold at auction for $16.7 million this month.

The former St. Anthony’s Seminary, located at 2300 Garden Street directly behind Old Mission Santa Barbara, was purchased by an unknown buyer.

Concierge Auctions hosted the online event from June 12-26. The property was assessed to be worth $30 million and an opening bid of $25 million was expected. Although the first bid was $5 million that slowly rose to $16.7 million by the end.

The owner of the winning bid has yet to be disclosed.

The building was designated a Santa Barbara City historical landmark in 2012 having once served as a theological college and various private schools dating back to the early 1900s.

St. Anthony’s Seminary in 1923 (Photo: UCLA Library)

Originally on Mission Santa Barbara land, it was the home to St. Anthony’s Seminary from 1899 to 1987 and served as a Franciscan boys seminary school for most of that time.

Most recently the building housed the Garden Street Academy, an independent K-12 school, that permanently closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The center structure was built in 1899 and designed by Brother Adrian Wewer while several additions were designed and restored by architect Ross Montgomery after the 1925 earthquake. The complex includes historical archaeological structures including an aqueduct system.