Monday, January 28, 2013

Your Mama Hears...

...from Bob N. Weave, a well-connected real estate tattle tale who has provided us with accurate intel in the past, that tool and die tycoon Eric Smidt and wife Susan are fixin' to hoist their big ol' compound-like estate (above) in the garishly swanky guard-gated Beverly Park community on the market with an asking price somewhere in the neighborhood of $40,000,000.

Mister and Missus Smidt's sprawling two-parcel compound comprises more than six acres and, as best as we can tell from a perusal of various property record data bases, the couple picked up the first of their two Beverly Park parcels July 1995 from ice hockey honcho Wayne Gretzky for an undisclosed amount of dough. They subsequently scooped up the the adjacent parcel, in November 1999, for just over three million smackers.

The L.A. County Tax Man indicates the seven bedroom and ten bathroom multi-winged main mansion was built in the late 1990s and, at 11,204 square feet, is actually quite modest by the famously steroidal standards of Beverly Park where a fair number of the super-sized single family abodes top 25,000 square feet. Property records also show the compound includes at least one other secondary structure with an additional two bedrooms and five bathrooms in 3,863 square feet of interior space.

That Mister and Missus Smidt would like to unload their custom-built compound in Beverly Park should come as no surprise to Platinum Triangle property watchers who are well aware the lavish living couple also own The Knoll, the storied Beverly Hills mega-estate they bought from oil baron turned Showbiz tycoon Marvin Davis in February 2005 for—according to the folks at Blockshopper—$39,352,500.

The L.A. County Tax Man shows Mister and Missus Smidt—who spent years and Lord only knowns how many millions on a soup-to-nuts renovation that reportedly changed the original 25,000-plus square foot Georgian mega-mansion into an even larger white brick Regency style pile—shelled out $472,540 and eighteen cents in property taxes in 2010.

The Knoll, one of Los Angeles' most illustrious homes was originally built in the 1950s for Lucy Doheny Batson—the wealthy widow of oil heir Ned Doheny—and was later owned by Italian-born movie producer Dino De Laurentiis who sold it to country music king Kenny Rogers in 1980 for $14,500,000. It was Mister Rogers who sold The Knoll to Marvin and Barbara Davis in 1984 for $20,250,000.

Mister and Missus Smidt also maintain an ocean front residence a few doors down for Pierce Brosnan on Malibu's quickly disappearing Broad Beach that they snatched up in early 2003 for $14,950,000.

Now children, keep in mind that at this poing this is all just just high-priced real estate rumor and gossip; We're just passing along a tidbit we heard from someone who plays in the same sandbox as all the Platinum Triangle real estate big mommas and mack-daddies. We wouldn't bet money on it but for all Your Mama really knows Mister and Missus Smidt plan to keep their Bev Park property to house their domestic staff.

aerial photo: Google

63 comments:

Anonymous said...

What the f!!! You missed literally the perfect opportunity to update us on the knoll.
Damn

Anonymous said...

Where's the pool? Call me crazy but I don't see a concrete pond?!

Anonymous said...

$40m seems quite optimistic. Jeff Bazyler and George Santo Pietro started at $50m and look what happened with those.

Anonymous said...

Luvs Bel Air and Holmby Hills!

Anonymous said...

Jeff and George built crap inside and out. This place is pure class!

Anonymous said...

Is this the only - I don't know what to say - mansion, house, warmer-climates house that doesn't have an outdoor pool?

I was just wandering about this the other day.

HeliPhoto.net has a smallish vertical aerial.

Anonymous said...

40 million bucks and no pool?

Anonymous said...

You can find a photo of The Knoll in-progress on Flickr. Just one though. Might be interesting.

Anonymous said...

Seems like all the worst houses in Beverly park are the only ones that ever sell. I wanna see the Hazys spread next door get listed or better yet....denzels!

Anonymous said...

Already saved those couple pics from down below the knoll. I know they gotta be in there by now, let's see some interiors and aerials.

Anonymous said...

Beverly Park is for size queens. The Jeff and George houses were both twice the size of this. Jeff's house had huge outdoor AND indoor pools and that barely sold for $30m... you do the math. Of course this is on a lot of land but even so, overpriced.

Anonymous said...

The horizontal amassing of this place makes it seem much bigger than it is. Who designed this place? Looking at George Santo Pietro's house, I can say that Richard Manion is a better architect than William Hablinski. I cannot wait to see that Château de la Lumière in Singapore finished, woo!

lil' gay boy said...

An incoherent jumble, perhaps made to invoke a Mediterranean village...

...just looks like where the village idiot lives.

The absence of an outdoor pool with this acreage & price is unconscionable.

Anonymous said...

Has anyone called Jim Jannard? This seems like the sort of house he would go in for.

Candy Spelling said...

The house is far too modestly-scaled for a buyer in this price range. The gardens are lovely, but I would gladly sacrifice a few for a pool and spa.

Very disappointed.

Anonymous said...

An aerial is going to cost you $300, 1:40 PM! (At least that's the lowest price I was able to find in a minute of Googling!)

Anonymous said...

A measly $472,540.18 in taxes? Pocket change to them. They should be made to cough up at least ten if not fifteen times that. People who need zillions of square feet to feel "comfortable" should be taken advantage of, for the sake of the rest of us. Don't tell me the poor poor darlings can't afford it. Super high taxes could be made a status symbol.

Anonymous said...

Was waiting for 3:55 to come in with her lovely spiel. I wonder if she takes the time to type out her rant every single time or if she simply copy-pastes?

Anonymous said...

They'll be lucky to get half this. The lost lot in BP sold for like $8m to Wahlberg, this lot is similar sized to his... more of it is flat and usable comparable to 72 Beverly Park size--- which is a 20k sq.ft. house onnearly 7 acres listed now as a pocket listing for $25m. I bet whoever buys it does a massive overhaul which of course will include a pool and probably tearing off the entire roof and builidng a second story to make the house a BP sized home.

Petra's said...

LGB's comments always make me laugh - in a good way, of course!

The house, er "compound", has no style. Just a bunch of buildings that seem to have been thrown around. What the hell is that pergola thing doing on the roof of the main house? Anyone else see this? It's totally and hilariously off-center and distracting. And a pool is de rigueur in a $4M house.

There's an ass for every saddle, as Desert Donna would say, but I've gotta feeling this horsie may be riderless for quite some time.

Anonymous said...

You forgot to mention their pile at the St. Regis in Deer Valley (Park City, UT) and in the big limestone mega building on Central Park West (15 CPW?)

Anonymous said...

Guys I think the pool is out the back but its got a paving coloured cover on it. Heres a link to some other shots before they bought the second lot. It would be odd to fill in the pool that was there... unless they do only have an indoor one.....

http://finton.com/projects/results_project.php?S_id=00000000042&Search=Search

Anonymous said...

I wonder what Petra Ecclestonr thinks about this house?? hmm

Anonymous said...

3:58 the comment you dislike is by a man, not a woman. And a man who is in the top 1%, indeed less than 1% in fact, of the income spectrum. But who, like a number of others similarly situated, thinks the very rich are very undertaxed in the USA. If you read more widely and better you might know more about all that. It is (he thinks) the not-so-rich but who wanna be rich who get so easily duped by the plutocrats who are good at duping the not very well informed. Recommendation: read the "Calculated Risk" blog religiously every day and learn.

Anonymous said...

Why do most of the homes in Beverly Park look like crap? Seriously? For the area, the sizes and prices they command, I really would expect better.

East Coast mansions are just so much better looking inside and out than West Cost ones.

Anonymous said...

What's the 70,000-square foot house the Vanity Fair mentions:

http://www.vanityfair.com/society/features/2011/10/benedict-canyon-201110 ?

Gated Communities in Georgia said...
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Anonymous said...

@7:13-Looks like the pool is just to the right of the tennis court, with the cover on and some trees messing with the exposure.
@2:06 I didn't read that article but it's either the land up on Tower or that big ol thing being built across from the Bel Air CC.

Anonymous said...

Oops, the pool is to the right of the tennis court when using MAPS, not this aerial. In maps you can see the cover pretty clearly.

Anonymous said...

They don't own at 15 CPW

Anonymous said...

I don't mind the house in the link from Finton. I really didn't even recognize it as this house. I think they cheapened / fucked up the house by buying the second lots and cobbling on the buildings the the south. The house was better as it was on the lone lot.

Anonymous said...

5:17, it's the Knoll. It says off Doheny. That can only be it.

Anonymous said...

I can tell you The Knoll does not have 78000 sq ft. Attic and garage space included.

Anonymous said...

@ 5:17 AM! Are you and I the only ones that have a clue about Tower???!!!! It's about time someone else mentioned the land. I've been up there and it by far trumps anything ever developed in LA, in my opinion. What's your knowledge on the property? Again, I'm shocked on how under-marketed and publicized that property is. I even emailed an LA Times columnist....

Anonymous said...

My apologies for believing you were a woman, Anon 10:32. It’s just that I’ve never seen a man write with such a bitchy undertone and be so determined to deliver the same post day after day. Oh well, it takes all kinds, right?

Thank you for the reading recommendation, I will look into it. While we’re exchanging literature tips, I would highly recommend you check out “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie.

Obviously, as a member of the elite – who has undoubtedly worked your fingers raw to become a member of the 1%, you may not see the need for such a book. You are probably right, as far as your business is concerned. However, I think it would greatly benefit your obvious need to impress your political views upon everyone around you. Instead of the same heavy-handed approach – coming into every thread and posting the same spiel incessantly – it might be worthwhile to actually comment on the architecture, or some other relevant aspect of the subject at hand. Maybe then you could work your little viewpoints into the discussion, without the condescending approach that has become quite tiresome. Of course, Carnegie explains all this far better than myself.

Of course, my point is moot if you are simply trolling, which I now suspect. In that case, you are doing a bang-up job and I seem to have fallen into your trap. Bravo!

Anonymous said...

While we're on the subject of the Dohenys, a couple years ago some of the descendants sold a house with several acres of land that had been in their family for generations (619 Doheny I believe, right near Tom Cruise) for $22.5 million to an anonymous buyer.

anyone know who the buyer was? I only ask because the person recently filed for demolition permits with the city of Beverly Hills.

Anonymous said...

Hello darlin'

The buyer of that property was a Chinese investor; the same guy happens to be behind the record-breaking sale of the Hugo Boss building on Rodeo!

I heard the Dohenys sold because they couldn't afford to maintain the place any longer. Kinda sad.

Petra's said...

I don't know how big the Knoll is, but the new renovation looks absolutely massive in aerial shots. Definitely appears bigger than the Manor.

Anonymous said...

@10:36, not sure what you're talking about. I meant the princes house on Tpwer Lane.
If you mean the six home development at the top of Tower Grove, I only know that it's called something like Vineyard at Beverly Hills or something, and that David Murdock is an investor.

Anonymous said...

10:46. I'll say this and then no more since I find arguing with "some people" pointless. 1. I inherited my money for a start, like Romney, and then made some very shrewd investments. I didn't have to work my fingers to the bone at all. My occupation was as a university professor. 2. I don't know what is "heavy handed" or "bitchy" about arguing for higher taxes. It is simply a point of view, as far as I can see. 3. Others like Krugman who argue for higher taxes, or Buffett, are seldom accused of being obnoxious. Or referred to Dale Carnegie (that's a howl). Their views are regarded by many as wise and useful. 4. I do comment on the architecture quite often. Since I am always "anonymous" it baffles me how you know what comments are mine and what are not. Now, "He Dicho," as one says in Spanish.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know what this is... end of Tower Grove Drive... Looks like a 6 lot gated community in development.

Anonymous said...

http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&cp=34.10621259519036~-118.42819154262544&sty=a&lvl=17

Anonymous said...

Hi 4:10pm, just look up and you'll see someone mentioned it two comments before yours.

Anonymous said...

1:54pm, 4:10pm,
Here y'all go, hope this answers it.
http://thevineyardbeverlyhills.com/press.html

Anonymous said...

Renderings of what I think is the palace Mark Hughes was going to build there:
http://www.jerryjolton.com/briefcase/7336_0.jpg

And the Facebook page(wtf) of the development:
https://m.facebook.com/pages/The-Vineyard-Beverly-Hills/218036498215464?id=218036498215464&_rdr

And somewhere out there is a website full of renderings of the neighborhood but after a few too many failed google attempts I settled on two links.

Gated Communities in Georgia said...
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Anonymous said...

Been there many times. There is a pool, and the house and gardens are quite lovely.

Anonymous said...

Saudi Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud must have finally gotten approval for his mega mansion on Tower.

http://la.curbed.com/tags/prince-abdulaziz-ibn-abdullah-ibn-abdulaziz-al-saud

Anonymous said...

No, he's still in litigation with neighbors. That whole site is a mess.

Anonymous said...

@ 1:54 PM ... I was actually referencing the 6 parcels. Such a great piece of land. Crazy story too. As I said, I've been up there and it is by far, in my opinion, the most coveted piece of land in all of Los Angeles. Particularly the northern most parcel. Though thinner than the rest, that will definitely be the most sought after property. If you don't mind me asking, how do you know Murdock is an investor. I've researched the property quite a bit over the past couple of years and have seen no mention to his involvement. A decades long project. It truly is a sight to behold. I find it very odd that there such little press or talk of that development considering it's scale.

Anonymous said...

12:12pm, I'm sorry, I confused Murdock with Hughes.
When Hughes died his estate sold the land on Tower Grove to developers BUT still has a major stake in it.
I would guess that they ran out of money and that even though views up there are incredible, you can't rely on 6 lots to make a profit when you're doing that much terracing and grading and stuff.
10 years later it's still a dirt hill with a chain link gate

Anonymous said...

Yup. It's split amongst the Hughes Trust and a group of developers. Some legal wrangling apparently has taken place over the last 5 or so years, but apparently the project is moving forward now. They're no longer looking to get rid of the land. The plan is to build and sell individually. That place is honestly insane. It's worth a visit before the homes are built. They just put some grass up though, which I find real odd. Maybe they're back to their original plan of looking to sell the land and trying to make it look all nice for the potential buyer. Who knows. I'm beyond surprised as to how some royalty hasn't stepped in and asked for every parcel, regardless of permit issues, lol. Would love to represent that buyer!I've been inside Beverly Park and still feel as though this trumps it.

Anonymous said...

b*tch please hunny that sh*t is ghetto. that land has been sitting there for years and no one will buy. it's just another one of those lost cause developments. beverly park >>>>> tower lane aka compton.

Anonymous said...

HaHa ... you're trippin'. Take a stroll up there one day and write back to me from the top of LA. If I may add, last I checked, Beverly Park is alive and kicking. 2 - 2.5 acres flat on each parcel, one of the highest residential peaks in Los Angeles, is hardly ghetto. Top spot as far as I'm concerned. And I've seen plenty.

Anonymous said...

Beverly Park is the best area in the world. No other area has such a large concentration of mega mansions. The avg sale price of $1100 /sq ft is way to little. Prces should be atleast 1600-1700/ sq ft

Lukey said...

So are all the commies who post on here just split personalities of the same deranged person? That would explain a lot...

Anonymous said...

Didn't the Vineyard property belong to Merv Griffin's about 20 years ago? As I recall, he did the original grading and planned a big super mansion before the real estate drop of the early 90's.

Anonymous said...

3:34, you are correct.
"The Last Mountaintop"

Anonymous said...

There's really 2 spots left. Hastain, which belongs to Hadid and the Vineyard. Started with Persian royalty in the 70s, then to Merv, then to Mark Hughes, who had plans to build a single estate (if u have or ever visit the site, u will trip out on the fact that someone was going to build one house up there), then the Mark Hughes trust following his death around '99 / 2000. The Hughes Trust is now a co-investor in the deal as far as I can tell, with the other end a group of investors. The 2 parties went through some legal battle in the last 5 years or so, including a possible BK. crazy story and even crazier property. It's literally spent decades in development.

Anonymous said...

Thanks 5:52, for reiterating everyone else's comments.

Anonymous said...

I added some add'l feedback....some minute details that perhaps others may appreciate. But thanks for your observation! Glad you take the time out to troll a message board and add your worthless 2 cents

Unknown said...

Website IS full of renderings.....

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