Thursday, February 14, 2013

Your Mama Hears...

...some strange and fantastical rumors sometimes from our myriad of informants and this one here is most certainly of the pearl clutching and knee jellying—if totally unconfirmed—varieties of humdingers if we ever heard one. Ready? Buckle your real estate safety belts...

The other day Your Mama had a covert confab with one of our better connected Beverly Hills-based informants. Some of y'all may remember this particular canary from previous discussions as the inestimably well connected and charmingly jaded Shanahnduh Rotahnda, a very busy, plugged in lady whose ear is always pressed tight to the ground when it comes to high end Platinum Triangle property gossip. Along with some other tasty real estate related nuggets that popped our eyes wide, Shanahnduh ever so nonchalantly dropped a 225-pound pocket listing bomb that blew Your Mama's gin-soaked eyes right out of their boozy sockets.

One thing the super rich know well is that everything is for sale if the price is right and, hunties, we mean every-damn-thing. Apparently the seemingly rapid pace of ultra-high end trophy property acquisitions across the country over the last year or so—think the (still alleged) $75 million sale of Howard Marks' 10-acre bluff top estate in Malibu, the $88 million purchase of a New York City penthouse and the $49 million sale of Hala Ranch in Aspen—has more than a few trophy property owners thinking they might like to cash in if—that's right, darlin'—the price is right.

Anyhoo, Shanahnduh snitched to Your Mama that she's heard word come down the upper-est of the upper end real estate gossip grapevine that telecom tycoon turned diversified private investor and budding green tech mogul Gary Winnick has, on the down low, let it slip to one or more of the more successful real estate people in the Platinum Triangle that he might be willing to sell up Casa Encantada, his lavish 7.5-acre Bel Air estate that's long been and is sometimes still referred to in Old School upper end real estate circles as the "Weber Mansion." And how much might be the right price for Mister Winnick to sell his enchanted house? Shanahnduh says the number floating around in her fancy-pants real estate clique is—brace yerselves, buttercups—$225,000,000.

Did that gargantuan figure reduce anyone else to a dry-mouthed puddle of real estate flabbergast the first time you saw that like it did Your Mama? Have mercy. We don't know if that man is crazy or if he's sly like a financial fox. Hells bells, butter beans, we don't even know if this is true. But iffin it is...holy mackerel!

Your Mama is just gonna do an abbreviated version of the palatial property's illustrious and fascinating history but iffin any of the children want to know the what's-what and nitty-gritty about Mister Winnick's house you should pick up Unreal Estate, Michael Gross's exhaustively researched, most recently published and deliciously dishy real estate-related page turner about some of L.A. most famous estates, a short list that includes Mister Winnick's Casa Encantada.

The original and essentially Georgian style pile was built in the mid- to late-1930s by Hilda Boldt, a lady who married her chauffeur very soon after her very rich husband died. The Widda Boldt and her chauffeur cum husband are said to have paid a hundred grand for the property in 1936 and spent a staggering two million more having their dream mansion built. They hired dernier cri designer T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings to do up the day-core in an au courant style that would help them gain entry into the high-glam Hollywood society set. 

Alas, The Widda Boldt and her former driver never quite made it in Tinseltown's closed and snooty society scene and in 1950 the property passed into the hands of hotelier Conrad Hilton, the paternal great-grandfather of sometimes tawdry tabloid denizen Paris Hilton who paid just $225,000 for the epic property. Mister Hilton is said to have retained much if not off of the work of Mister Robsjohn-Gibbings. The house was transferred in 1963 over to some sort of corporate entity tied to the Hilton family with a lifetime tenancy agreement for Mister Hilton who died in 1979. 

In 1980 Casa Encantada was sold for $12,400,000 to David Murdock, the wildly wealthy real estate developer and investor who—surely y'all recall—recently sold his 98%-plus controlling interest in the Hawaiian island of Lanai to bazillionaire software fat cat Larry Ellison for an undisclosed amount often reported to be somewhere between $5-600 million.

It was Mister Murdock who, in the fall of 2000, sold the the house to Mister Winnick and his wife, Karen, for—so the story goes in Mister Gross' book—two parcels of land valued at about $26 million plus an additional cash payment that pushed the final purchase price to about $94,000,000.

Mister Winnick and his missus quickly engaged the expensive services of lionized architect—and hardcore leather fetish gear fan—Peter Marino to give the profoundly proportioned 1930s mega-mansion a multi-million dollar make-over. We don't know exactly what alterations, additions, restorations, replacements or etc. that Mister and Missus Winnick made to Casa Encantada but we've heard and read here and there the extensive renovations involved structural upgrades, all new mechanical and electrical systems and the conversion of a staff wing into studio space for Mister Winnick's wife, Karen, an author and illustrator of children's books.

We do know from aerial images and various property record data bases—including the L.A. County Tax Man—the 23-room main residence sits prominently on 7.47 fully landscaped acres, measures 28,725 square feet and includes seven bedrooms and 20 full bathrooms* plus garage space for 15 cars. 

The estate—no doubt as tightly secured as the queen's jewels—occupies a private, elevated peninsula that's wrapped on three sides by the well-manicured golf course of the very hoity-toity Bel-Air Country Club. Set well and privately behind a short stone wall and towering hedge, the house stands at the tail end of an impressively gated driveway that snakes up to a parking lot sized motor court at the front of the house. A second, less impressive but still imposing gate opens to a driveway and second motor court for staff service and vehicles.

Residents and their privileged guests have access to a slew of resort-like luxuries and recreational amenities that include—but are certainly not limited to—a swimming pool complex with two cabanas and a pool house that Your Mama would bet both our long-bodied bitches, Linda and Beverly, is bigger than our entire house; a lighted tennis court hidden behind towering hedges; a lighted full-sized basketball court; a putting green complete with sand trap; a lighted boccie ball court—or maybe it's a lighted horseshoe throwing arena; and a concrete jogging circuit around the perimeter of the property that's also used to efficiently get around the estate via golf cart.

The completely landscaped, high-maintenance estate also offers numerous shaded and unshaded terraces that over look the grounds and golf course, vast lawns and both formal and kitchen type gardens. Several detached structure are hidden behind the tennis court that may or may not be used for guests, office space and/or housing live-in domestics.

There are those who will say the property is so one-of-a-kind in the heart of the Platinum Triangle that the alleged $225 million number is justified and doable. There are others who will think it's utterly ludicrous since no single, private residence in the  history of Los Angeles has ever sold for more than $100 million, let alone  two hundren million clams. We'll let the children duke this one out in the comments. One, two, three...Go!

But, before we trundle off to make some Chinese food for The Doctor Cooter's Valentine's Day dinner, and just in case we need to remind any of the children: This is all just some high end real estate rumor and gossip and you did not hear it as fact from Your Mama. You'll have to wait until one of the property gossips in one of the more respectable publications latches on to the story for that...

*Have mercy. If there really are 20 full bathrooms—a count that may or may not include the numerous other bathrooms in the various outbuildings sprinkled around the estate—Mister and Missus Winnick surely must be required to retain at least one full-time minimum wage girl whose sole responsibility is to keep all 20 of them terlits sparkling like the Hope Diamond."

aerial image: Google

132 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lord have mercy! But I just love it when it's this active in the world of posh real estate! No one is going to pay $225m for that.

Anonymous said...

I know im going to get in trouble for saying this but i honestly think the house is a tear down. It is just so blah! I will say that this is the finest lot in all of los angeles by far. No neighbours on anyside! where else can you find that in L.A? 225 million is not going to happen though...If it does sell I bet an arab sheik will buy it and build a tacky 100K Square foot richard landry on it.

Anonymous said...

Oh, 3:09 PM, don't worry! It's so hideous... No architectural significance to it at all...

This still is the most expensive house ever bought in Los Angeles (for $95m)?

Christophe Choo and his team made a great HQ video of the most expensive homes - though too short, Christophe, if you're reading this, and you are, you must make others - and it's on YT:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJgNQ82RhXM

You can see this house.

FalseProfit said...

The price is a pure fantasy. But, there are some rich fools out there. One could easily amass an equally impressive lot with that kind of money in any American location and still have money left to build an amazing dream home. I love the lot, but the place down the way is looking especially nice at $29M. And, they don't have neighbors either.

Anonymous said...

Saperstein must be celebrating... this makes her pile seem cheap!

Anonymous said...

Does anybody know how much is that house across the street from Suzanne Saperstein on the market for? Mauricio Umansky hid the price, but I think it was something like $90m?

Though there really are fools, I don't think anyone is stupid enough to pay $225m knowing that he will never able to sell it again for that price, let alone a higher one some time in the future...

At least not this house.

Anonymous said...

The architect of this house was James E Dolena - one of the best practitioners of Vogue Regency architecture in Los Angeles. It is a very beautiful house - far from a teardown. Fun fact: Dolena and Robsjohn-Gibbings worked together on the house on Oakmont that is currently owned by Howard Marks

Carla Ridge said...

Anybody who thinks this house has no architectural value or distinction, who think it's a tear-down? You really need to excuse yourselves from this conversation -- at once.

It's the finest estate in Los Angeles, bar none.

The Swan said...

This home, architecturally and historically pedigreed is THE most elegant and Enchanting abode in ALL of Southern California. Aside from San Simeon, the Hearst Castle, this is true Hollywood Moderne Regency...the sad story of all the furniture by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings being sold in the 80s is a travesty at best.

Poor Hilda, a nurse to old Mr. Boldt of Cinncinati Glass, left zillions...and marries Otto Boldt the chauffeur, unheard of only in a Golden Age movie script for a Carole Lombard role. Snubbed for answering her front door in Montecito, Casino nights in Bel Air at Casa Encantada and parties for many who never reciprocated invites...given pennies on the dollar with all in situ by Conrad Hilton who brought Zsa Zsa there to live who slept with his son Nicky...the Walls are filled with Tales of Drama and Intrigue! Hilda gambles all away and commits suicide in Santa Barbara...SO terrible!

Now, Winnick is there...why would one ever tear this down? 225mil sounds just about right for a person worth a few billion...look at the Top of the Birds...a Walmart heiress crowns herself, and pays over 70mil just to tear down all to build on what maybe 2.5 acres.

Anonymous said...

There is some serious money laundering going on in this country because there is no way any of these homes are worth what they are asking or selling for. Watch down the road in 5 years when the Feds start busting these guys.

Anonymous said...

Mama, longtime fan, love you blog. Regarding the Winnick estate, a couple of interesting things you may or may not have known.

It was Mr. Winnick's trophy home, Mrs. Winnick did not want to move from their Brentwood estate.

Winnick searched the entire globe for the original furnishing and indeed was able to find many original pieces (the original interiors were well documented in the press at time so he had photos to go with in this search.) Pieces he could not locate he had reproductions custom made. That said the house is done up in a high art deco style, with new furnishings here and there.

The enormous kitchen (well over 1500 sq. ft.) is done up in vintage Delft tile. The L shaped kitchen is divided into two separate but connected rooms. Also one part of the smaller kitchen was devoted to Mrs. Winnick's dogs. Can't tell you what breed, but think little yapping spoiled little things.
Adjoining the kitchen there's also a florist kitchen. Yes a room devoted to arranging flowers from the estates massive cutting gardens, there's also an herb garden, a vegetable garden and a rose garden among others.

One of the homes most spectacular rooms is the barroom. Original to the house, made entirely of Lalique glass and smoky mirrors, it is stunning. There’s a couple of millions dollars right there.

Truly one of most anachronistic things kept in the renovations was the coat/hat check room right off the foyer. The hat check cabinet is a warren of little numbered cubicles with a corresponding brass tag = check your hat in number 23, you get a brass tag numbered 23 to facilitate your exit. Also in this area are powder rooms for the gentlemen, and a separate for the ladies, think the ladies room in “The Women”.

Of course there's a bank vault sized silver closet, with a very heavy bank vault looking door.

The home has its own working gas station/mechanic shop that was restored to its original former self, hydraulic lift and all. The gas pump is used to fill the Winnick's fleet of cars.

The onsite 24/7 security team is made up of former Mosaad agents.

Where they could they restored the tile work, marble, bathrooms ceramics and porcelain. So all the original bathrooms look 1930’s brand new. The kitchen appliances of the outlying building (ovens, cooking range, refrigerators etc.) where all taken apart, and restored to its original 1930’s state. Gorgeous.

Yes, the pool house is HUGE. And its living room does double time as a massive screening room. And natch, there's changing rooms for the men folk on one side and women folk on the other side of the pool house.

20 toilets seems to be a lot, but like you said if you're counting all the outlying building maybe? Speaking of toilets, while undergoing this huge renovation Mr. Winnick was adamant that all workers either use the porta potties outside, or the one bathroom that was I would guess was originally designed for the gardeners (its adjacent to the garage.) Well one day Mr. Winnick spied someone coming out of a bathroom in the main house. He was so furious he had every toilet seat in the house replaced! And then had signs placed on the indoor bathrooms that the bathrooms were not to be used by anyone other than family members.

Anonymous said...


At the basement level I think everything was newly designed and not original to the house.
Down there is a two bedroom servant's apartment for the live-in staff.
The estate manager’s office
For the non-live in staff, there is a separate servant's lounge with kitchenette and bathroom for the non-live in help to take breaks, eat meals and whatnot.
A fully equipped art deco style beauty salon with two or three beauty stations. And a message area. This might be the only basement level room that was originally in the house. Additionally, it has its own dedicated entrance.
Mr. Winnick’s private man cave: a hermetically sealed smoking room with a walk-in-humidor
The security staff room, from which the estate’s various gates and locations are monitored. It has its own bathroom for the ex-Masood guards
Also at basement level is a state-of-the-art caterer's is kitchen with a dedicated entrance, so that deliveries can be brought in straight from truck to caterer’s kitchen.
A laundry room larger than most NYC apartments, fitted with dry cleaner/professional laundry equipment that’s staffed by two full time laundress' and lest not forget there's a smaller laundry room on the 2nd floor as well.

All in all it’s a rather spectacular home, but because of the owner’s take on restoring it, it has more of a museum feel than a lived in home. And although huge in size, the main house does not have that many rooms, I think there’s like only the master bedroom and 4 guest bedrooms in all. Not many rooms, but they’re all huge in size.

In the end, to round it out, if I remember correctly the outlying building are:
Pool house with full sized kitchen, along with his/hers changing rooms that have at least 6 dressing/locker areas and gym style showers. From the photo, men’s to the right, women’s to the left.
A cottage style guest house with its own kitchen and laundry (the building just below the tennis courts)
Gas station/mechanic's shop (the very small building at the very right hand top of the photo)
A faux greenhouse/petite gardener’s shed – for when Mrs. Winnick plays gardener. You can’t see it in the photo, because it’s so tiny and covered by trees. The real gardener’s sheds are the buildings to the left of the tennis courts. They also house the maintenance supply rooms and various land moving equipment.
A small tennis club house, with its own kitchenette and bathroom.

Anonymous said...

Darlings,

Zsa Zsa's second husband of course was Conrad Hilton; therefore, Zsa Zsa, deservedly famous for her enormous talent, is the great-aunt of Paris Hilton, famous for no earthly reason the Rabbi can comprehend. And as the well-known Professor of Love, Zsa Zsa certainly provided step-son Nicky with a most important, if not 100% kosher, education.

Rabbi Hadassah LaCasa

Rosco Mare said...

This estate is the real deal in every way as one of the great estates in the country, certainly on the West Coast. Gorgeous! perfectly situated and constructed with the best materials. Fun fact: a gasoline pump, or something that looked like one, used to be visable through the service gate. I'd gladly give up a precious vacation day just to spend a few hours touring the mansion and the grounds.

My former boss visited the house while occupied by Murdock, who showed him around the place. I remember him telling how Murdock truly enjoyed caring for the property, understanding its significance. Who wouldn't?

Anonymous said...

LOL.

Guess what? I'm willing to sell MY house to the right buyer for.....$500 million!!!

Does that mean someone will ever buy my house for $500m?

You get the picture..

How ridiculous and laughable..

Anonymous said...

Dear Rabbi,

Paris hasn't been famous for years. She's done. Finis. Over. Over! OVA!

You won't have to comprehend any longer.

A respectful member of the Kinderlach

Naughty Nancy said...

Winnick was worth 6 billion + when he purchased this place. Now he's worth 500 million - if that. Still rich, but maybe time to finally scale back the lavish lifestyle.

lil' gay boy said...

Now, now dear --- everyone knows Paris is famous as the niece of those RHOBH Kyle & Kim...

;-)

A truly outstanding, unique property, I would not be at all surprised if real estate trophy hunter Ellison swooped in on it.

A genuine example of the "Twilight of Splendor", before the advent of WWII brought grand country house estate living to a close.

Happy Valentine's Day to you & the Ol' Coot, mama!

Anonymous said...

Gary Winnick lives in Brentwood? Really? Where?

Anonymous said...

Specially for the Rabbi:

http://tmblr.co/ZjsrOxcTXCfi

Lukey said...

If Leonard Ross can't get offers in the neighborhood of $100 million for The Beverly House I don't see this going for over $200 million, but what the heck do I know? It sounds like it is an amazing place.

Anonymous said...

Think what you could get for the price in the English countryside with at least 500 hectares of parkland, lakes, woods and meadows filled with deer.
BTW a 5% yearly surtax on this would come to over 11 million to reduce the national deficit. Apply the same to the ca. 110,000 houses in the US worth over ten million and many national problems solved. Including too many people with too much money.

Anonymous said...

Winnick may need some cash. His Global Crossing venture folded and he is now trying to rebuild with some concrete company or software company that is connected to concrete or whatever. See Wikipedia. One doubts he has the wherewithall to maintain a property of this nature. He's sort fat and ugly to boot, but of course it's the money, not the appearance that counts in the USA.

Duchessa dei Monti Sibillini said...

PropertyShark values it at $78,409,900. Even that is just too much.

I just cannot believe the praise this house is getting. Why on Earth does it have a huge historical significance? Please. In it lived a woman of no achievements who married her driver, Hilton, Murdoch and Winnick... It wasn't a palace that belonged to Marquise de Brinvilliers, Conte dei Monti Iblei or some ancestor of Princess Alessandra Borghese.

Outside, it is just hideous. That bizarre one-level high protruding wing on the left side if you look towards the south, those hideous stairs with too much froufrou on the right side, the ugly landscaping and a mess of a jungle near the pool house, the cheap roof that makes it look like a storage house, the balcony on the right that wrecks the style and symmetry...

Yuck, yuck, yuck.

And I'm sorry, a gas station, a pissoir for the gardener and security, a hat room etc. isn't going to save it. Who needs a gas station? What sort of an achievement is having a toilet for the staff? The hat room makes it even more nearing the hotel territory. Don't pimp it because no one is buying it.

Duchessa dei Monti Sibillini said...

P. S. Here is a close-up aerial:

http://photos.wikimapia.org/p/00/02/31/19/66_full.jpeg

Duchessa dei Monti Sibillini said...

P. S. Here is a close-up aerial:

http://photos.wikimapia.org/p/00/02/31/19/66_full.jpeg

Anonymous said...

Confidential to Anonymous Chaver 4:31a.m. above:

Chaver (Yiddish for Friend)

So, nu, are you trying to escalate the Rabbi's blood pressure with more of that tsutsheppenish (a persistent and unshakable nuisance)?

Hedda

Anonymous said...

Duchessa:

The Rabbi was extraordinarily relieved that "In it lived a woman of no achievements" was not followed by Zsa Zsa, who of course achieved well-deserved super-dooper stardom for her fine acting in over forty films!

Hedda

Town Whore said...

The butt-kisser commenters on this post are so funny. The house is big, and old, but that's it. Get over the 'history' and you'll see it's just hideous. Way too big, no style. The location is perfect and the grounds are superb, but there's no way this goes for over $100 mill. Winnick way overpaid to start.

lil' gay boy said...

Town Whore, (Mom, is that you?)

;-)

I realize the house may be dated & not to your taste, but there are a few things to keep in mind:

George Washington needn't have slept there in order for it to be considered "historic"; the home represents a snapshot in time of a well-known but obsolete lifestyle. Sure, the house may be hideous to you, but then I personally loathe the Mediterranean style ("Old World Crap") -- does that mean I think something like Mar-a-Lago should be torn down? For a country that values history so little, we sure seem to borrow a lot from it;

The grounds and the house constitute a composition -- a set piece; demolishing the home to replace it with something more to your taste would damage that cohesion;

Private property in this country is indeed sacrosanct; a man's home is his castle. But the attitude Get over the 'history' is an endemic reason why we, as a young country, have such a dearth of historic places; the "Pave paradise & put up a parking lot" mentality.

If someone comes along with the kind of dosh required to meet even 50% of the asking price, and can preserve the spirit of the place, well then good on them, I say.

Anonymous said...

Darling!

That was so beautiful. But futile. First of all, what does it mean that for a country that respects history, we borrow a lot from it? (In Europe we are often, and not derogatorily known as a country without history.)

Secondly, why usn't Mediterranean under quotation marks? You shold know well that the style which tries to emulate Mediterranean houses has very little in common with the most beautiful Italian villas. Those are history, those shouldn't be demolished. Is "Old World Crap" your coinage?

Let us not go over to "the land and the house constitute a composition". Many other houses can be designed to be one with that plot of land, it depends on the architect. This house is nothing special and doesn't work very well with the surroundings.

I know that you are mad that many of the Gilded Age mansions on the East Coast do not exist, but this one isn't one of them.

Most wonderful salutes to the Rabbi!

Desert Donna said...

Is this why the Ecclestone woman rented?? Waiting to top her Sis? Perhaps she will buy it for $200m and tear it down and build a $40M hotel like abode?
I remember Mr. Murdocks (late) wife Gabrielle had impeccable taste, and this was a beautiful home. Now it is probably only worth land value to those few who can afford it. Sad.

lil' gay boy said...

If you're going to engage in a lengthy critique, it behooves you to read very carefully.

I said, "a country that values history so little", not that we respect it; quite the opposite sometimes.

Mediterranean is not in quotes, just "Old World Crap" -- my way of indicating those MockMed & related styles that have little or no relation to the the most beautiful Italian villas as you so aptly put it. I've seen few buildings in this country where we do that particular style well (and would NOT include Mar-a-Lago in them, but it does have history & is not completely vulgar).

I'm sure more than one landscape architect would disagree with your compositional analysis; In this case I think the house makes the gardens & the gardens make the house; we'll just have to agree to disagree.

I would classified myself as "mad" (at least not about the Gold Coast estates), but rather saddened that, when faced with viable alternatives too razing them, too many people resort to the lowest common denominator when constructing a new house, like Bob Brodsky did with Kidd's Rocks/Land's End (http://www.oldlongisland.com/search?q=swope) deliberately leaving it exposed to the elements in order to justify tearing it down -- to be replaced by a cluster of ugly McMansions.

(for those who didn't know, local historians and scholars generally agree the house was the inspiration for Daisy Buchannan's house in The Great Gatsby.)

Anonymous said...

When I googled Karen Winnick I got some pictures of the interior.
Pretty mute, doesn't appear to be Original.
Just a neutral mansion

RBK said...

Are these the pictures to which you're referring?

http://angellanazarian.com/blog/one-more-book-event-before-the-summer/

They appear to show the entrance hall and great room. I'm assuming the furniture was cleared for this woman's book party.

Anonymous said...

Yes RBK
There is some furniture, but my eye caught those drapes.
I love it, but I guess I was expecting some crazy THRG furniture piled up in every direction and instead it actually looks like real people may live there.
Still cool to get a better feel of the layout. Always wondered where the stairs were and it appears they're to the left of the front door.

Anonymous said...

BTW, did Angela Nazarian buy the Bisno house in Beverly park? They're doing some major work.
It's like charcoal now, much bigger, yard is much depleted with the addition of a (beautiful)new driveway on that awkward long swath, and some of the heavier precast stone detail was removed and toned town.
Whole lotta construction in Beverly Park now. The very first house built as a model home is getting two new additions on either end
Stallones got some hideous new garage thingy.
And the horrible duplex mansion is being turned into a normal mansion now.

Jesse said...

Mama, the only problem with you posting about old and magnificent homes -- and touching on their history -- is that I go off on a two hour tour of the net sucking up everything I can. Then I remind myself that if I had spent that time working perhaps I too could have such a marvelous home.

Interesting that Ms. Weber died penniless after slicing her own throat in a cheap bungalow where she could still see her former home.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 4:13 PM, what's going on with Lisa Vanderpump' house, is Albert Avdolyan renovating it?

Anonymous said...

Tamara Eccelstone said she wanted a better house than Petra's.. well, here it is, maybe she can get a good deal and call it a "good investment" just like Petra. This is the ultimate property in Los Angeles, where or not you year it down. I could see this selling for over $100 Million.

Anonymous said...

@2:00am
Yeah. All the gardens are gone. They put a huge playground on the rose garden at the front and I think also removed the gravel driveway.
Not really sure what's going on inside but the outside was ripped apart right away.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of James E. Dolena, Richard Manion has designed a "Contemporary Colonial" in Pacific Palisades inspired by Dolena's (and Paul Williams's) work. Project is on his website.

Anonymous said...

@5:00am
It reminds me of the Jay Paley/Hilton mansion.

Anonymous said...

I think the Bisno manse was bought by the other Nazarian, Dora. Angella still lives on Nimes in Bel Air, across from Le Belvedere.

Anonymous said...

The house with all the crazy grading going on?

Anonymous said...

Is Le Belvédère still under bank ownership?

Anonymous said...

Can someone please explain to me all the grading that the previous commenter mentioned? From what I've gathered, that's actually a landslide area and the city is working on solidifying the area. I don't believe it's anyone's residence, but I may be wrong. That would be one massive property, but would strangely wrap around Bollenbach's residence. Not sure how that layout would work....

Anonymous said...

I think they bought up all those houses and are the ones responsible for all the work.
I've seen it described on a contractors website, can't remember whose though.

Anonymous said...

Here ya go:
http://m.drs-engineering.net/#!Projects|page




Anonymous said...

Curious if Bollenbach owns all that property behind him. That would put him up there with Perrenchio.....

Anonymous said...

More shocking than that is that I only now see some massive works in progress around Lionsgate.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 4:57 AM, thank you so much for the information. Although it's a Landry and kind of tacky, I would be sad if he razed the ground and demolished the house. So I'm just hoping a deep repair and re-design of the grounds is in order.

Town Girl is nowhere to be seen, hopefully she and the others who hate this house, the Weber/Hilton, will reply to what he had to say.

Or perhaps not.

Anonymous said...

5:10 AM, it kind of does. I was able to pinpoint the lot in Pacific Palisades, but now I can't find it! LOL.

Anonymous said...

@2:33am
No prob. I love her house too. I don't think they're remodeling it into anything ugly, just making it more kid friendly.
They may also be working from the inside out and will repair the lawns when all the construction is over, especially with the fire damage.
But right now it seems they don't want ponds and little topiary things everywhere.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of the Paley/Hilton mansion, have you ever noticed the rear driveway? It's hidden behind 1067 Angelo. I wonder if Paris' grandpa is the one who sold off all the perimeter parcels.

Anonymous said...

To Jesse, the commenter above who said Hilda Weber cut her throat from a bungalow with a view of this house:
Not quite, she took some pills and filled the bath in Santa Barbara. All you need to do is read one chapter of Unreal Estate, in a book or online, to know that.

Anonymous said...

4:39 AM, I'm glad that you too like it! The grounds were actually that property's worst aspect, I can't wait to see how it will turn out.

Have you seen anything going on around the Saban residence?

Anonymous said...

@6:09am
No but the corner lot across the street has a major overhaul plan in the works.
They've been working with Hablinski and/or Manion. The plans include, but aren't limited to, a complete remodel to give the house a more exaggerated , symmetrical, french feel.
Replacing the whole yard with formal gardens, fountains, paths, and an allee that will run straight between the house and the tennis court, which will get two new outbuildings on it's east side.
The new rectangular pool with two jacuzzis and a protruding half moon wading area will sit on the other side of a rectangular patch of grass parallel to the house and stretching from the allee almost to the eastern most part of the house.

Anonymous said...

I have a site plan but I can't attach it here.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know who bought Mike Medavoy's Bev Park 'cottage'? They were doing some major remodeling last year, I think they added a new guest house too.

Anonymous said...

Goodness, 7:19 AM! The only thing left is to demolish the house!

Funny that you mention Hablinski because just yesterday I was going through his website and bumped onto an address that said “75 Beverly Park”. I don't know whether that's Lane or Street or Way or whatever, but more importantly – Hablinski has an office or lives right there in Beverly Park?!

Surprise.

Anonymous said...

@7:53am
I think 75 is George Santo Pietros house, also designed by Hablinski. I know George and Vanna didn't build out everything the plans called for, but I don't know why that address would be linked to WH unless he was doing more work there. Unless he and George are business partners?
Also, yes, they have planned to tear up everything, even the ugly blue tennis court, but only to rotate it ever so slightly so it sits perfectly parallel to the house.
All of this is dependent on the owner actually moving forward though. He originally hired Hablinski to work over the yard and what he got was an entire new house, which he loved, at a price he didn't love quite as much.

Anonymous said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for your generosity and all these information!

You should write a book. Beverly Park story is just waiting to be written. From Brian Adler buying the land in 1990 until the present day. Fires started accidentally, $200,000 Bentleys driven off cliffs in the middle of the night, toilet-papered backyards, all that going on with three guard gates with top notch security, neighbourhood's private police patrolling the premises at all hours and personal security.

I could ask about the progress of the Mark Wahlberg property or that house at the end of the cul-de-sac where Avdolyan's and ex-Maloof house stands or what is going on that lot next to Denzel Washington's house, but I won't, I've bothered you way too much. It has been a really fascinating chat.

Anonymous said...

@9:14am
Marky Marks house and the one next to Denzels still have a ways to go before they're finished.
Glazers moved into BP Way. No tennis court, lots of grass, two separate driveways.

Anonymous said...

33 and 26 are also getting a major makeover.
I'm pretty sure 26 is one of Adlers spec houses. There's a big addition right on top of the motor court and also on the other side of the house by the pool.
33 is all torn up, the exterior is all scraped off either for new stone or new stucco, and they are either repairing the rear or adding on because it's all shrouded in scaffolding.

Anonymous said...

Finton posted an aerial of the Wahlberg construction site on his Facebook page and commented that it will have a pool "as big as a hotel's".

Anonymous said...

@10:49am
Is it that grotto type pool? I liked Bisnos plans better.

Anonymous said...

For those of you who have iPads, just use the 3d function in maps and you'll get a sense of the size and depth of Wahlberg's pool. Still, if much rather live in Be Air. Feels too much like you're in the valley up there. No different than Mulholland Estates. I would only consider myself wrong if some of these homes have actual city views. From the 2 places I've visited, the view is relegated to canyons and shrub. I would hope some of those homes have ocean view, but it seems as though the next ridge line west prohibits many westward views.

Anonymous said...

10:58 AM, I have no idea. My favourite pools are the Avi Arad one, for example, or the Iris Cantor residence (obviously, not in Beverly Park), or that first house you see on the left after you pass the gates on Beverly Park Road or George Santo PIetro. Generally, rectangular, deep blue and it ca be an infinity pool. Grottos are ugly.

11:11 AM, it's kind of at the same time really ugly and garish and vulgar and so fascinating. Take for example Avi Arad's house. One wonders how a woman who is a sculptor ordered such a house from William Hablinski (in terms of historical accuracy and general look), but something about it when seen in certain photos does seem beautiful. I don't know about the views. Perhaps some properties on Summitridge have a view.

Anonymous said...

P. S. 11:11 AM, could you post a screenshot somewhere, like postimage.org?

Anonymous said...

So imagine if he paid $8,250,000 for the site and plans in 2009 and around $800 per square foot given that this house will have 34,000 square feet, it means the cost of the whole thing will be $35,450,000.

Wow. I would understand if Mark Wahlberg were a billionaire...

I never could've known Mark had that much money.

Anonymous said...

@11:11am
When you realize how Hablinski reached that design you'll appreciate it more.
Joyce wanted something 17century but with big windows, deep loggias, and heights that Beverly Park would allow.
From Aris office on the top floor you have a perfect shot downtown.
Same with any of the lots on the Franklin Canyon side, and a few others that sit high enough above the street.
Zadas got one of the best views.
18 has a very clear view downtown from almost every room.
And of course any at the southern tip.
The best views are in Bverly Park South but the best lots up north.

Anonymous said...

Oh... So Joyce is the one who made it look so "squeezed". It is as if someone took something looking like a French château and diminished its width.

The chimneys are huge! Out of proportion. The pool, the lavander and the landscaping around it are perfect.

I'll need some deciphering. Aris office? What is that? Zadas? 18?

I'm glad I was kind of right about the views.

Anonymous said...

@12:45pm
Ari Arad. His office is located on the third floor, tucked into the mansard roof, with a small balcony that faces straight downtown. It's the best view in the house, dead-on downtown.
Norm Zadas old house, at the very top of the hill, has clear views from the second floor.
18 Beverly Park, next to Eddie Murphy. Both of them actually have great views but 18 especially.
The entire neighborhood is itself a hill, and you either back up to hillside, canyon, or somebody else's bacyard (which is probably elevated above yours so you get a hillside effect)
Any way you slice it, you get views. You will always get that floating effect. See the tops of trees, tops of mountains, tops of houses, but hardly ever at eye level.

Anonymous said...

@12:45pm
I notice now I've been auto-incorrect my last few times.
Avi Arad, not Ari.

Anonymous said...

Now I11:11 AM must be happy with an answer like that, especially since it's positive regarding the views.

That pool above Avi Arad's house, the property that it is on, has the address 1 Beverly Park and it is owned by Attcorp. Whoever that might be.

A caveat is that I haven't seen it personally and an aerial can be enormously deceiving.

That is amazing (about Avi's office). Especially since the house seems to be in a 'whole', with hills being the walls.

Are there any stories you could share about the Saban house? Perhaps I'm mistaken, but one photo makes it look as if they have a water mill on that property.

Anonymous said...

@1:38pm
I think 1 Beverly Park is, or was, Sly Stallones ex wife's house.
The aerial is deceiving, especially on google maps, because so much is hidden by trees and shade.
I can't say I know much, if anything, about the Sabans house. I know it's much different now than when it was first built, inside and out. I've never been through the gates but I remember when they built out the third lot, where the pool is.
That was probably 10 years ago.

Anonymous said...

I guess I should have been more specific fmregarding views. I'm just used to the Bel air properties and their views, not only of downtown, but the entire westside, the Greenberg leading into santa monica, and most importantly the ocean. I can expect south bev park to have ocean views, but at the price range, esp in north beverly park, a little more than downtown and next door canyon view would go a long way. Don't get me wrong, I've salivated over the lots and homes in bev park. Driving through the neighborhood is quite an experience. It just feels to deserted and "designed". There's a certain uniqueness and charm in Bel Air that's unmatched. But yes, as a one off community, bev park takes the cake. My personal preference is bel air .... Any of the Saint streets, nimes, bellagio, etc... I can tell you guys this much though, having been up on the lots at the end of Tower Grove, I doubt anything will ever replace those 6 homes in LA. Now it's just a matter of that decades long project to finally get going already....to think that 1 guy had set his mind on building a single residence up there is mind boggling.

Anonymous said...

Lol...auto correct for me too. greenbelt not greenberg.

Anonymous said...

It's the trees, sometimes there is flare from the roof (Sumner Redstone house or the Sly Stallone's ex-wife's, if it is hers, thank you for that information), sometimes it's badly lit... Or it's just distorted and probably old. E.g. in the aerial for Avi's house I cannot see the lavander seen e.g. on Hablinski's website on the left of the pool as seen from the house. But I'm hoping Joyce kept it.

Anonymous said...

1 beverly park is owned by a Saudi businessman whose money comes from steel, coal, etc

Stallone's ex owned a different one.

Medavoy's house was bought by rich Indonesians

Anonymous said...

It just feels to deserted and "designed".

That is what I was saying. Take a look at the Ze'ev Drori or Alec Gores residences. The first is like a smaller Fleur de Lys, the second is too big for that lot - it just feels so empty. So does George Santo Pietro's house or Alexander Sabadash estate, which, apparently, pays the highest amount of taxes in Beverly Park.

Who has the biggest house up there and whose lot is the largest, by the way?

Instead of Bel Air, I will take Holmby Hills. Few properties for me can match the Kern estate.

Anonymous said...

I can tell you guys this much though, having been up on the lots at the end of Tower Grove, I doubt anything will ever replace those 6 homes in LA. Now it's just a matter of that decades long project to finally get going already....to think that 1 guy had set his mind on building a single residence up there is mind boggling.

P. S. If you're talking about the Herbalife owner, I was just reading about that yesterday and couldn't find the project for that house he intended to build. Not even the architect's website. Oh, well.

Anonymous said...

@2:33pm
I have seen them, I've even posted links in a comment on here before.
I think I found them when googling the address. It's an old rendering from a very old listing. There are also some articles in the times about it going from Merv to Mark to the developer who runs it now.
I can tell you it's called something like Vineyard Beverly Hills and has it's own website.

Anonymous said...

Wow. Some of this is fascinating but I think maybe someone is trying to hijack Mama's blog with their own (admittedly impressive) knowledge of Mama's blog. If you have so much info, whoever you are, why don't you offer to help mama with information instead of just writing it all in the commentary? Or maybe the two of you who are going back and forth could exchange emails and get a proverbial room? ; )

Anonymous said...

Don't be evil, 2:40 PM, we were just having a friendly chat and the person was very kind and patient to answer all the questions. I don't think we've jeopardized anyone's privacy and I think it was great for many to read all of that. This thread is a bit old and will soon disappear from the first page. All the information would be useful to Your Mama, but only when Your Mama has a listing to talk about. I doubt she would write a post about someone having a new pool. But it's nice to know and this is a nice way to find out about it all.

Anonymous said...

@2:28pm
George Santo Pietro never built up his lot (75) all the way. There was supposed to be a huge staircase running from the driveway straight up into the vineyard. You can see the makings behind the garage for the tennis court that would have sat above a building that housed all the wine making stuff, and a few small gardens that were supposed to be a lot more full that run along the east side of the house.
I dont know who has the largest house or lot. Sabadash's house is the tallest at more than 50 feet.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps it was this: http://cnnmoney.trulia.com/property/165266-1699-N-Beverly-Dr-Beverly-Hills-CA-90210#photo-3

Anonymous said...

Just map tower grove dr and follow it to the far north until you reach the cup de sac. Then look up, lol. The precious commenter is right on both. Vineyard Beverly Hills. Still in development. Has been for decades, literally. Original owner was the sister of a Persian shah from the 70s. Intended to give to her brother as refuge ... Ended up selling to Merv Griffin who started the grading. He then got busy with other investments, namely the Bev hilton, and sold the incomplete development to Mark Hughes for 8 or 9 million. Hughes had grand plans and naturally faced much opposition form Benedict Canyon HOA. His plans called for a 65 foot tall mansion in the area of 40-60k sq ft. Hughes passed from an overdose in 2000 and now the property is split between his Trust (had one son who stands to inherit his 400 million estate when he's 35 I believe) and some developers. Project has somewhat languished due to legal battles over the last 10 years and who knows what else. Seems like its somewhat kicking into gear now. Last I saw, they've put in grass on a few of the empty parcels. About 2-2.5 acres each, 6 total. Last parcel, the skinny but long one at the northern most end is the most impressive. Unmatched views, trust me

Anonymous said...

And let me help you guys put Hughes plans into perspective. Considering the total site is 18 acres flat, with his dwelling taking up only 1-1.5 acres, just imagine the remaining grounds and amount of landscaping. Insane

Anonymous said...

Sorry. One last thing. If any of you appreciate r aw land and potential like I do, you should look one ridge west of tower grove and marvel at Paul Allen's ridge line. The guy has built roads and retaining walls galore, with a small tunnel at one point connecting 2 of his parcels. Too much history for me to get into, but basically you can google Enchanted Hill and read lots about it. I believe it was also referenced on this site as well

Anonymous said...

b*tches please no one cares about that ghetto tower road sh*t. stop trying to make it happen. it's not gonna happen.

Anonymous said...

@2:40pm
I commented three times on the 15th, at 1:08, 4:07, and 4:13pm, before beginning all my further replies in the same style, with the @timestamp.
It's just a little foolish to suggest talking about paint and plants is something I should keep private. Between who? Me, Mama, and anyone with at least one good eye?
Please.

Anonymous said...

@3:19 pm

Please expand on your rationale, if you even understand what that words mean. Tell me why it's ghetto and why it's never going to happen. Id really love to hear your reasoning. In all honesty.

Anonymous said...

@3:51pm
I can't speak for 319, but I don't think it will happen because it's not feasible for them anymore.
I have no knowledge of what they spent, but I can only imagine what land improvement like that cost.
Plus it's got to be difficult to get trucks and materials up there anyway. I don't think all the people who live along that route would appreciate, or easily allow the city to permit, the traffic, dust and noise that six new mansions in a gated community with one entrance would require.
The views are great but, as evidenced by the expired listings, the prices are not.

Anonymous said...

Goodness. North Beverly Dr? I could've sworn it said Tower Gr in the search results. Obviously, that's not it. I'll try and find that expired listing. In the meantime, there is an empty lot in Beverly Park, :D, next to Alec Gores.

Anonymous said...

By the Gazers moving in, you mean the film producer Brian GLazer?

Anonymous said...

Tonigt on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills they will show Lisa's former house on fire.

Anonymous said...

I've seen the expired listing. Doesn't o justice. At the time, most of the land had weeds and shrubs. You guys should see it now with all the grass. That lost lot will have legitimate 360 degree views.

Hey, 3:19. I'm still waiting to hear from ya. Would love to here how 18'flat acres on a 157 acre site, high above the heart of Beverly Hills, with sweeping views of the entire LA basin is "ghetto". Would love to hear your thoughts, seriously.

Anonymous said...

Where is that expired listing?

Anonymous said...

Floating around google images/je united real estate website

Anonymous said...

What about a link?

Anonymous said...

Do you, Anonymous, know what kind of internet service and television is available in Beverly Park?

Anonymous said...

Oh dear lord, can we build some kind of playpen for all the children who incessantly go off on Beverly Park discussions on EVERY freaking one of Mama's posts? YOUR fascination is not EVERYone's fascination.

Anonymous said...

That's why it's time to talk about Tower Grove .... but oh wait, let me guess, the commenter is going to come in and talk about how ghetto it is, without adding substance. How original. The greatest parcel of land in all of Los Angeles, hands down.

Anonymous said...

300,320
Nobody asked you to read 100+comments on a second page article and then critique them.
Nobody cares about tower grove!
It's not real land yet! Shutup!

Anonymous said...

Anon 320!
Dude stop! Every article you do the same shit. How many times must you talk about your visit up there? The views from some lot up there? The previous owners.
We fucking know it exists! We know!
Everyone has heard about the Hughes mansion that never was, the size, the grass.
Blah blah just drop it.
It's ghetto because they can't finish it or sell it!
That shit didn't happen to Mulholland estates, Beverly park, bel air OR Beverly crest.
Enough man. It's hard to watch you sometimes.

Anonymous said...

Hahahaha....finally an explanation. While I agree with your sentiment, relative to the other developments you've mentioned, I would still argue that it's far from ghetto. It deserves a lot more attention and I have no reservations in srpeading the word. And thanks for reading through my comments on a second page article with 100+ comments and critiquing them. Keep it up! Hope we run into each other when I tout Tower Grove the next time around....

Anonymous said...

My fascination is Your Mama's fascination too. Just count all the posts about Beverly Park. Beverly Park rules.

Anonymous said...

For those who enquired about the views from Beverly Park:

http://www.unlimitedstylerealestate.com/mlsvirtualtours/14beverlyparkestate/

Anonymous said...

Nice views, but to be honest, everyone knows the ones where you see all the way west (Century City, Wilshire Corridor, Santa Monica, Ocean) are the best. I can't help but notice that this again is canyon next door + downtown. At $20MM+ in the hills, I personally would appreciate seeing more. I see a bit sweeping to the west, but nothing noteworthy. It seems to be more of a mid-city view.

Anonymous said...

The neighborhood wasn't conceived for views! It's about land and privacy. If you want views then go buy something much smaller, with no yard, that clings to a cliff.
Lots just above and below Sunset in Beverly Hills/Bel Air/Holmby Hills don't all have panoramic views either, but they do have land.
A view driven market is much different than the land driven market. Not comparable.

Anonymous said...

Bel Air has plenty of large lots with panoramic views. You don't need to be clinging to a cliff on stilts either. I'm not hating on Beverly Park by any means, but there is better. I've always appreciated the history and the lots/homes. But I personally believe there's better.

Anonymous said...

What is the view from 620 North Canyon Road, that immense French mansion Jeffrey A. Kaplan built, just north of the country club?

Anonymous said...

What 101?
Whatchu talking bout?

Anonymous said...

Use your iPad 3D. You can pretty much get the view of anything, from anything, in LA
And I think you meant Stone Canyon

Anonymous said...

Correct! 620 (N) Stone Canyon Road.

1:18 PM, the palace, of some 60,000–70,000 square feet, depends on where you look, which will have three elevators and a lady-of-the-manor wardrobe the size of a Rodeo Drive boutique, bears the name Château des Fleurs and has been designed by the architect William Hefner.

Huge.

Anonymous said...

351
Duh! We know about it. Used to have a website but now I think it's gone.
I remember some of the aerials from when it was just being frames, and they showed some really great detail of the houses around it. Then I went to find newer pictures, and couldn't.
Do you have any other info besides the general stuff?
I've seen some info on Fintons website and on the old, now missing or deleted, project website.

Anonymous said...

Just being framed

Anonymous said...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilycarpenter/sets/72157627127147653/with/5962480994/

http://www.hauteliving.com/2011/12/haute-estate-60000-square-foot-chateau-des-fleurs-in-bel-air/234162/

Anonymous said...

Old pictures. They're almost finished landscaping now.

Anonymous said...

I know they're old. Just sharing. Why don't you post the new ones.

Anonymous said...

Why don't you post the new ones.

I wonder too. Everyone keeps mentioning iPads, regarding the Wahlberg pool and the palace, but no one was willing to take a screenshot.

Now everyone's driving down Bellagio and isn't willing to take a photo from the street.

Anonymous said...

Duh! We know about it.

Don't duh. 1:18 PM asked. He or she didn't know.

Anonymous said...

First it gave an address in Monrovia, so 118 asked for clarity.
BTW, a screenshot from the faulty 3d maps would not make anyone happy. It's not exactly clear and best used for 2d aerials, but you can pan down as if you were standing on the lot and get an effect of the view, which also is not very clear.
I was able to see them landscaping by the trucks parked outside and all the shovels, etc.
I was not staring directly at the house, which is almost entirely hidden from the street, and will be fully hidden before construction is over.

Anonymous said...

I have sent pictures to Mama many times of quite a few properties. None of them are great pictures, just some that listings or whatever may have left out.
Quite a few gates, some shots of the front from the street, sometimes even the nearly 30 trash cans polluting the parkway.
But alas, mama don't like em I guess.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I see.

Preisely because when it is fully finished when nothing will be visible, a shot now would reveal at least something.

In any case, I believe that the WSJ will jump right on it once done just as they did on the Anthony Pritzker property on Angelo Drive.

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Kathryn said...

Regarding CASA ENCANTADA ... I'm very surprised that no one has commented that the exteriors of this house were used for DYNASTY: THE COLBYS spin off in the late 1980s. And that gorgeous photos of the house revealed the exquisite taste of the late Gabrielle Murdock in a 1989 issue of Architectural Digest. This had to be the most comfortable home in Bel Air (and the world!)

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