Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Mister Big's Little House in Sherman Oaks

BUYER: Chris Noth
LOCATION: Oak Canyon Avenue, Sherman Oaks, CA
PRICE: $1,445,000
SIZE: 1,854, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
DESCRIPTION: This is a very special Eichler inspired mid-century estate. Nestled in a lush canyon, and accessed via a private gated driveway, this post and beam three bedroom residence with a large family room offers unsurpassed privacy on a street-to-street lot. Walls of glass, beautiful wood finishes, sleek cement detail, and other earthy elements pop in an abundance of natural light. Remodeled stainless steel Snaidero kitchen, great indoor/outdoor flow, beautiful pool and dining patio.

YOUR MAMAS NOTES: Last week we were chit-chatting with good pal and wickedly well informed source Lucy Spillerguts who casually mentioned that Sex and The City stud Chris Noth and his gurlfriend/baby momma Tara Wilson recently bought a house in the hills of Sherman Oaks. As the children might imagine, Your Mama grilled Miz Spillerguts mercilessly, quickly contacted a few other helpers and started sifting through property records. Sure enough, records reveal that in August of 2007 the fifty-something year old new daddy forked over $1,445,000 for a modest and modernist house on Oak Canyon Avenue in what is arguably one of the better sections of Sherman Oaks.

Listen chickens, Your Mama is well aware this transaction took place last year. However, we're not aware of it being reported elsewhere and our attitude is better late than never. If any of you smart mouthed children don't like "old" celebrity real estate news, well too damn bad. We're not here to console or cow-tow to the sniveling whiners and complainers. Start your own damn blog if you think we're not doing a good enough job. Now that that's off our heaving chest...

Mister Noth, perhaps best known as the enigmatic and non-committal Mister Big on Sex and The City, has a long list of film, stage and television credits including being one of the original cast members of television juggernaut Law & Order. Back in the early 1990s, Mister Noth worked his sexy stuff as cocky and complex Detective Mike Logan until he was reportedly let go over a salary dispute in 1995. The man must of patched things up with the producers because he's recently reprised the role on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, one of the too many spin offs of the ubiquitous and formulaic program that often makes it difficult for Your Mama and the Dr. Cooter to walk our long bodied bitches due their them filming on our street all. the. damn. time.

Anyhoo, let's move on to the real estate. The first thing that Your Mama needs to note is that the interior day-core is not that of Mister Noth but the previous owner, who is not a celebrity. Therefore we'll not whisper a word about those creepy masks in the dining room or that flat screen television set mounted at a neck knotting height in the small but sleek kitchen that contains enough stainless steel that Your Mama is quite sure would drive our housegurl Svetlana to the booze cabinet.

The new Noth nest is accessed up a long and gated celebrity style driveway that gives Your Mama goosebumps...the good kind. A long and gated driveway not only lets the mailman and the pizza delivery boy know that you have arrived, it often means the house is set back from the street making it difficult for the prying eyes of paps and neighbors to peep in on your private moments. The driveway's glam factor is dee-lishusly cooled by the fact that Mister Noth's new Eichler-esque house measures only 1,854 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Why does it always warm the cockles of Your Mama's cold heart to see a bonified celebrity who chooses to live in a modest retreat rather than some behemoth palazzo that feels like it was built first and foremost to contain a gigantic ego?

Generally speaking Your Mama isn't fond of amoeba shaped swimming pools, but we'll make an exception in this case as it provides a gentle juxtaposition against the clean lines and flat planes of the house. We could, however, do without the big urn at the far end of the pool which we're certain is meant to act as a visual trick to make the relatively small yard seem longer and larger than it is. However, it seems somewhat incongruous to Your Mama and might be better replaced by some sort of sculpture or better yet, nothing at all.

Overall both Your Mama and the Dr. Cooter L.O.V.E. this house and think Mister Noth and Miss Wilson are damn lucky to be living in this little modernist treasure discreetly tucked into the hillside and we'd happily trade places with them even if it meant Svetlana would need another few weeks out in the desert at the Betty Ford.

Although it appears that this is the first single family residence Mister Noth has owned, he is certainly no stranger to owning real estate. Given that he was New York City based for many years, it's no surprise he owns an apartment on East 9th Street and Fifth Avenue that records show he purchased in 1994. Unfortunately Your Mama was unable to glean much–or anything really–about the size of the apartment or how much he paid. We did discern, however, that it is located in the same quietly swank building where sharp witted Barney's bigwig and style arbiter Simon Doonan lives with his screamingly successful potter/designer huzband Jonathan Adler and also where daring dandy and Vogue V.I.P. Hamish Bowles recently dumped $1,500,000 hard earned fashion dollars for new digs.

Records show that Mister Noth also owns two condominium units at The Shoreham in West Hollywood. A teeny-tiny studio apartment was purchased in March of 2003 for $243,000 and a 1,453 square foot unit with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms was bought in June of 2006 for $865,000. Mister Noth's mini real estate empire does not end there. We also note, via property records, that in June of 2005 he spent $600,000 on a 1,056 square foot condo getaway on Wailea Ike Place in Kihei, Hawaii.

22 comments:

Alessandra said...

Wow...a Snaidero kitchen in the wild.

What a delightful little nest! I'd like pictures of the beds and baths, but from what I can see, it looks cozy and comfortable.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Mama! Great post :)

I'm going to take advantage of this rare opportunity to post near the top to support your sound-off regarding the complainers, and repeat what I said at the end of your previous blog article:

It's not Mama's fault that the housing market is currently floating in the toilet resulting in a decided downturn of celebrity real estate ventures to report on.

Those who can, do (like Mama).

Those who can't, criticize (like you).

Nuff said.

Mike Cook said...

Dig it. It looks all wild up that great driveway.

Very cozy and cool.

I'm sure he'll lose the chick n' deli patio umbrellas - egad.

It's a good thing they only have one kid to go with that lone stool in the kitchen, too.

Anonymous said...

L.O.V.E. this house. Perfect size for two people... and maybe one baby. If they have any more kids then we'll probably see it up for sale.

Beautiful house. Clean lines. Funny lookin pool. It's all there.

I do wish the kitchen was more open, but I know the galley kitchen goes with the house.

Anonymous said...

My question is totally off subject from this post, but I was wondering if any of Mama's children from the Phoeniz / Scottsdale / Paradise Valley, Arizona area know what's going on with the former Harry & Leonal Helmsley estate on Roadrunner Road. I was in there Memorial weekend of 2007 and the house was being remodeled. I was there this past weekend, and the house has been torn down??? Just curious if anyone knows what's going on? Thanks!!

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:30.
They were never remodeling the Helmsley estate. The local fire department used it for training exercises and eventually burned that puppy down. I thought I read some where that someone was going to rebuild there. I will see if I can find the 411 one it.

Anonymous said...

Oooh. Love at first sight. This was my dream house when I first saw the MLS last summer ($1.5).

Such a "happy" home -- inside and out.

StPaulSnowman said...

Reading the above comments makes it clear what a great place this is to be when the machine is running smoothly.....interesting, witty post by Mama and interesting related comments. Could it be that Mama's little tirade about misbehavior has been taken to heart?........I sure hope so.

WillLDS said...

Since we've opened the topic of Phoenix, where on Roadrunner was the Helmsley Mansion? And where was the Hensley Mansion, former home of John McCain and Cindy Hensley McCain? I have found several references where she sold it a few years ago, but can't find a link to an address or even pictures or listing info. Any help?

Parker said...

I do love this place too - so much. Don't love Sherman Oaks but I'm willing to excuse the location because I am thrilled to see a celebrity buying a modest home (I'm so sick of flashy celebs). Unfortunately, I do imagine that they'll outgrow it quickly as their baby grows. And, too bad, but I assume they've gated the pool. While that will totally change the look of the yard (in a horrible way), it's absolutely necessary to do so in order to protect their child. This is definitely more of a house for a lone couple, rather than for kiddos. I think a little toddler running around will quickly detract from the lovely escapist-retreat feel of the house.

And thank you, Mama, for addressing the complainers. It frustrates me to read their comments, and I can only imagine how it makes you feel...

Anonymous said...

Mustang Sally, thank you for the info. on the former Helmsley estate!!! WOW, used as a training facility for the fire dept!!!! Amazing!!!!!

Willlds, off the top of my head I can't remember the exact address of the former Helmsley mansion, but I think it's 5535 E. Roadrunner. I do know it's in the Las Brisas development on Mummy Mountain--just off of Lincoln and Tatum, above the Paradise Valley Country Club. Roadrunner crosses Tatum, so if you follow Roadrunner to the very end, you will come to a gate (unfortunately)--sometimes the gate is open and you can drive in--although that's probably not legal!!! The Helmsley mansion was the last mansion on the left--their very long driveway also had a gate across it--they shared the first 1/2 of the driveway with another house--their lot is just a flat open space now.

Anonymous said...

Very interesting cute little house. The light wood is quite my cup of tea But it appears to be a great redo of a mid-century home. So many buyers rehabing these homes are making them too over the top contemporary giving them a sterile and cold feeling.

But when you look at good rehabs, (like the Kaufmann house) you realize the originaly intent was not for the home to be soooo bone chilliningly cold.

Anonymous said...

Nice house.
I'm guessing they are probably full time NY residents, and this is their place for crashing in LA when he's working out there. Cool, modest, probably easy to maintain when you're not there full time.

Anonymous said...

Mama,

I went to the open house last year and passed on the property. It needed too much work. Recently went to look at it again because while my wifey and I didn't love the house we loved the property and the street and lo and behold they've turned it into some kind of spanish casita! It looks like they've added a second floor and were putting spanish tiles on the roof...it's been a couple of months ago and in construction, but I believe that's what's happening...so sad!

Anonymous said...

Dear Momma,

Thank you! Thank you!

I'm a devoted reader who, until now, has lurked silently in the shadows. Shame on me for not thanking you sooner for the daily joy you bring me. I'm hooked on your blog like crack, and I would be lost without it.

xo, #1 Fan.

Anonymous said...

has mama ever dreamed about being under mr BIG?

Anonymous said...

Mama would only do him if he had his lids done first.

pch said...

I'll join the hallelujah chorus -- I dig it, too.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:46
I have looked and looked and can't fine the article I read about the Helmsley estate. It even showed pictures of the firemen sawing the roof apart and explained what they were doing. I will look for more tonight when I am not at work.
"willlds"
The address is indeed 5535 E. Roadrunner Rd. 85253
You can still see images of the house on Live Search Maps (MSN) Birdseye View.

lil' gay boy said...

I love Eichler - even though not attributed to him, it's a prime example, updated for the 21st century.

But that pool . . . not so much. Don't care for either the shape or the overly-ornate coping around it. But pools can be updated too. The spa and retaining wall can stay.

Mama, as for Law & Order always filming on your block - I sympathize. Before our offices hightailed it to Soho, it seems they were on one of our damn terraces filming every week; and just when I needed a smoke, too.

;-)

Note to TV producers: Thinking of filming on Madison Ave.? DON'T. The sidewalks are too narrow as it is, what with being accosted by German tourists (St. Patrick's? See the grimy big church behind you genius?) to having to elbow thumb-typing BlackBerry owners into the speeding traffic, I do not want to be picking your pink "No Parking" signs out of my hair every 30 seconds . . . Nuff said.

Anonymous said...

i'm digging it, won't go broke with the maint.
regarding the helmsley house, when did they colonize the moon?
that area of the country is a total enigma to me.
no trees, not for me.

Marcelo Salup said...

Not bad at all. Decent price for the size and well laid out plan. Looks in great shape.