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Kanye West Is Now Facing an $18 Million Loss on His Tadao Ando-Designed Malibu House
Four months ago, Kanye West put his infamously wrecked Malibu house on the market, asking a steep $53 million. To nobody’s particular surprise, there were no takers. This week, the price tag was slashed all the way down to $39 million by the home’s listing agent, Selling Sunset star Jason Oppenheim.
It’s worth noting that the current ask is a staggering $18 million less than what West himself paid for the place less than three years ago, back in September 2021. The music mogul-turned-Yeezy fashion designer shelled out $57.3 million—in cash—for the 4,000 square foot residence, which was completed circa 2013 and designed by famed Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando.
But it remains unclear if West ever spent a night at the oceanfront home, which sits cheek-to-jowl between two other houses on surfer-friendly Malibu Road. Almost immediately after he bought it, West set about tearing the place apart, ripping out all the windows, doors and interior finishes. The formerly four-bedroom, five-bath house is now a vacant and uninhabitable concrete shell, with its rooms open and exposed to the unforgivingly corrosive sea air.
Shortly after buying the house in 2021, West tore out all the furnishings and fixtures, leaving it a concrete shell.
Backgrid
Despite the big price reduction, buyers should be warned that the house will require many months and likely millions of dollars in renovation costs. And the current $39 million ask, while substantially improved, is a lofty figure. Other homes along this same stretch of sand typically top out around $20 million—and that’s for a brand-new or freshly rehabbed residence.
Still, those other homes lack a Tadao Ando pedigree. West’s Brutalist white elephant remains one of only a handful of U.S. buildings designed by the 82-year-old, who’s been called “Hollywood’s favorite starchitect” and whose homes are “the hottest must-have[s] among the super wealthy.”
Last year, Jay-Z and Beyoncé paid $190 million for a different—and substantially larger—Malibu estate designed by Ando, an amount that remains the most ever paid for a California home. Kim Kardashian is planning to built an extravagant Ando-designed vacation mansion near Palm Springs. In 2021, Slack co-founder Stewart Butterfield and his wife Jen Rubio dropped $40 million to buy a Tom Ford’s Ands-designed New Mexico ranch.
West, who remains one of the world’s most successful record producers and one of the best-selling musicians of all time, seems to be shifting away from real estate ownership—when he’s not out traveling the globe with wife Bianca Censori, he frequently bunks up for months at a time in some of L.A.’s poshest hotels, including the oceanfront Nobu Ryokan. More
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Former Google Cloud CFO Picks Up Midcentury L.A. House With Jetliner Views
Veteran finance and technology executive Steffan Tomlinson has found a new place to hang his hat, having picked up a midcentury-modern gem in the steep hills directly above L.A.’s bustling Sunset Strip. On and off the market since spring of last year, initially for $4.6 million, the home’s listing price was reduced three times before going to the current Stripe CFO for a smidge over $4 million.
Property records reveal the seller was Katie Goldsmith, the daughter of retired City National Bank CEO Russell Goldsmith and his wife, TV producer Karen Mack, who purchased the place for almost the same exact price almost six years ago, back in summer 2018. The premises also were occupied at one time by the late singer-turned-stage and screen actor Richard Eastham, who is probably most known for starring on Broadway opposite Mary Martin in South Pacific and appearing in the 1950s TV western Tombstone Territory.
Hidden away behind a privacy wall and tall hedges, amid a secluded dead-end street, Tomlinson’s newly acquired post-and-beam structure is nestled on less than a quarter-acre parcel of land offering picturesque ocean and city lights views. Built in 1956 and “upgraded with no expense spared” since then, per the listing, the single-level residence features three bedrooms and a matching number of bathrooms filtered across a little more than 2,600 square feet of treehouse-like living space rife with dark hardwood floors and vast expanses of glass.
A wood deck off the main living area is ideal for al fresco lounging with its fire-pit and breathtaking skyline views.
Jeremy Spann
Highlights include a spacious living room resting beneath a high wood-paneled ceiling, and displaying a striking marble-clad linear fireplace, built-in bookshelves and walls of glass overlooking the eye-catching vistas. The dining area adjoins a galley-style kitchen, which is outfitted with sleek cabinetry, a subway tile backsplash, wine refrigerator, and top-tier KitchenAid and Sub-Zero appliances.
There also are secluded sleeping wings on either side of the house—one with a pair of bedrooms that each have their own bath, and another holding a primary suite that comes complete with a floating-hearth fireplace, walk-in closet, and spa-inspired bath equipped with dual vanities, a soaking tub and large shower. Outdoors, the leafy grounds host an expansive glass-enclosed deck warmed by a fire-pit, as well as an attached two-car garage.
Tomlinson, who worked at corporations such as Palo Alto Networks, Google Cloud and Confluent before joining Stripe last summer, also still maintains a 1950s Andrew Skurman-renovated home in the affluent Silicon Valley enclave of Atherton that he paid $12 million for back in spring 2017.
The listing was held by Zach Goldsmith of The Agency; Tori Horowitz of Compass repped the buyer.
Click here for more photos of Steffan Tomlinson’s house.
Jeremy Spann More
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Facebook’s Former CFO Drops a Record $52 Million for a Mansion on Malibu’s Point Dume
Three years ago, after many years of living in California‘s Silicon Valley, Gideon Yu traded his Atherton mansion for the bright lights of Los Angeles. The veteran technology executive and his longtime wife Susie dropped $9.5 million on a large house in the suburban neighborhood of Sherman Oaks, where the couple has quietly resided ever since.
But with the heat of summer approaching, the Yus have done what countless other wealthy L.A. families before them already did—they’ve bought an expensive vacation home in the seaside town of Malibu. Records indicate the Yus were the buyers who recently shelled out $52 million—in cash—for a blufftop estate on Malibu’s Point Dume.
Never on the market, the $52 million house recently underwent a major contemporary remodel.
Google Earth
That sale price ranks as the most ever paid for a single-family house on Point Dume, a neighborhood known for its many famous faces. Current residents include Bob Dylan, Sean Penn, Chris Martin, Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson; also in the area are high-profile businesspeople and political figures—Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Jordan’s King Abdullah, billionaire hedge fund manager Chase Coleman and Jeff Bezos, who rents a compound owned by Kenny G.
Because Yu’s new house was never on the market, photos are scant and current details few. But the 0.76-acre property last sold in summer 2020 for $22 million to Stuart and Stephanie Liner, the married real estate developers who have bought and flipped dozens of other luxury estates in the Los Angeles area.
At the time of the Liners’ acquisition, the blufftop compound was an extravagant fixer, supremely well-located but saddled with dated interiors and amenities. The couple subsequently embarked on a multi-year, multimillion-dollar remodel that transformed the 1980s modern-style structure into a chicly contemporary home that happens to feature unobstructed ocean views.
The house sits behind gates and a full-size, lighted tennis court.
James McClain
Robb Report is not sure if these figures are still accurate, but tax records say the house offers five bedrooms and seven bathrooms in about 6,000 square feet of living space. There’s also a full-size tennis court and a backyard swimming pool overlooking the Malibu coastline. Naturally, the residence also transferred with a coveted key to Little Dume Beach, the semi-private and difficult-to-access beach that lies just below the cliffs of Point Dume.
The clifftop property happens to sit right next door to Johnny Carson’s former compound, which was sold in 2019 for $40 million to billionaire Juul investor Riaz Valani. The previous Point Dume sales record was held by another blufftop mansion that transferred for $49 million in early 2022.
Yu, 52, has held multiple high-level tech executive positions over his career, including at both Yahoo and YouTube. However, he’s perhaps best-known for serving as CFO of Facebook from July 2007 until March 2009. Despite Yu’s relatively short stint as CFO, unconfirmed reports say he may have left the social media giant with as much as $500 million in stock.
Today, Yu is a private investor and a member of the ownership group that controls the San Francisco 49ers football team. In 2012, he became the first president of color in NFL history. More
- in Luxury
Rosie O’Donnell Faces a Loss on Her New York City Penthouse
In spring of last year, Rosie O’Donnell hoisted her New York City penthouse onto the market for $8.3 million amid an announcement that she was relocating to the West Coast, specifically a rented beachfront home in Malibu that she shares with her youngest daughter Dakota. Now, following its removal from the market in December, the comedian and talk show host’s lofty digs tucked away in Midtown Manhattan’s Turtle Bay neighborhood have once again resurfaced for sale, this time asking a discounted $7.5 million. The listing is held by Caroline Bass of The Corcoran Group.
Acquired by O’Donnell for $8 million in 2017 after an extensive renovation by its previous owners, the duplex rests on the top two floors of the 33-story Sterling Plaza tower, a 172-unit development built in the mid-1980s, and offers four bedrooms and three baths spread across roughly 3,600 square feet of two-level living space boasting Russian wide-plank oak floors, decorative millwork, designer lighting, a Guggenheim-inspired staircase, and Savant and Nest home-automation systems. A spacious roof terrace also has plenty of room for al fresco lounging and entertaining amid sweeping views of the East River, as well as the Chrysler and Empire State buildings.
The 1,620-square-foot roof terrace comes complete with an enclosed pantry and kitchenette.
Russ Ross Photography
Among the highlights: a small entryway that flows to a window-lined great room holding a living area centered around a massive honed black granite wood-burning fireplace and wet bar-equipped dining room displaying a built-in window seat, along with a streamlined Boffi kitchen sporting Corian countertops, an eat-in island, and top-tier Gaggeanu and Miele appliances.
Elsewhere is a Swedish sauna, plus a secluded primary bedroom brandishing six custom-designed closets, an additional walk-in closet, and a luxe marble bath equipped with heated floors, dual vanities, a freestanding soaking tub and glass-encased steam shower; and topping it all off is a hefty $5,119 monthly maintenance charge, which allows owners access to a 24-hour doorman and concierge.
O’Donnell, 62, began her career as a stand-up comic in the late 1970s and early ’80s, and went on to host her eponymous talk show from ’96-2002 and then The View. The Long Island-born actress, who recently starred in Showtime’s American Gigolo reboot, previously bought a modern farmhouse-style mansion in the Beverlywood area of Los Angeles for $4.6 million in late 2021, only to sell it a short four months later for a $300,000 profit.
Click here for more photos of Rosie O’Donnell’s New York City penthouse.
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A ‘Shark Tank’ Star’s Sky-High N.Y.C. Penthouse Seeks $38 Million
About a year ago, Robert Herjavec made heads spin when he forked over $26 million for an estate in Hidden Hills, the same gated Los Angeles suburb known for serving as home base to most of the Kardashian family members and various other celebrities. That sale price represented the most ever paid for a home in the exclusive community.
So perhaps it’s not entirely surprising that Herjavec, a veteran Shark Tank judge and the founder and CEO of an eponymous IT security company, has now opted to sell one of his several other extravagant homes—this one a sky-high penthouse in the Big Apple.
The penthouse is on one of the highest floors at the super-tall One57, one of N.Y.C.’s most well-known skyscrapers.
Evan Joseph Images
Listed at $38.5 million, and soaring high above nearly every other apartment in the city, Herjavec’s New York home spans an entire upper floor of One57, a much-publicized, 75-story skyscraper set on Manhattan’s so-called “Billionaires’ Row.” Herjavec acquired the penthouse nearly three years ago, paying about $32 million.
Accessed via a private elevator landing, the mansion-sized condo’s visual drama starts at the entryway, where a 26-foot-wide foyer boasts two separate entrances to the home’s so-called “grand salon,” a great room with dizzying views framed by floor-to-ceiling walls of glass. This space boasts 58 feet of linear frontage overlooking Central Park, plus nearly the entire New York skyline and beyond.
Naturally, all finishes and furnishings are bespoke and top-of-the-line, with Venetian plaster ceilings overlooking glossy Brazilian herringbone wood floors. The kitchen’s custom lacquered millwork will certainly impress, as will the premium Miele and Sub-Zero appliances; a built-in banquette and a separate, more formal dining area both have dramatic views overlooking the city.
The primary suite itself is larger than many Manhattan apartments.
Evan Joseph Images
The 6,240-square-foot residence also includes four ensuite bedrooms, among them a 1,350-square-foot primary suite ensconced in its own wing, and complete with an elegant sitting area, a sumptuous dressing room and a hand-carved marble bathtub. All of the home’s bathrooms are done up in travertine or exotic slabs of marble, and every room on the premises features custom motorized shades for tranquility at the touch of one’s fingertips.
Other amenities include a state-of-the-art home automation system, while building amenities are not limited to valet parking, a health club with a gym, private pool and spa, various dining and screening rooms, a library and billiards room, 24/7 concierge and even a pet spa. All of those ritzy features—and many more—are covered by a monthly HOA bill that tops $11,800.
In addition to his relatively new Hidden Hills estate, Herjavec also owns several other multimillion-dollar homes. Among them are a bayfront getaway in California’s Newport Beach, a $15 million mansion in Sydney, Australia, and a waterfront residence in the Canadian township of Muskoka Lakes.
Jorge Lopez of Compass holds the listing. Images by Evan Joseph Photography.
Click here for more photos of Robert Herjavec’s Manhattan penthouse.
Evan Joseph Images More
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‘Rustin’ Star Colman Domingo Picks Up a Glassy Ed Niles-Designed Architectural in Malibu
Last summer, a particularly striking Malibu residence crafted by modernist architect Ed Niles popped up for sale in the coastal hills of Ramirez Canyon with a $6.4 million price tag. Now, nine months and a couple of price chops later, that place has officially sold to veteran stage and screen actor Colman Domingo for a discounted $4.4 million.
Nestled atop a 1-acre parcel of land, within an exclusive gated enclave offering tunnel access to Paradise Cove Beach, the property was completed in the early 1970s and has since been remodeled. Connected via a skybridge and staircase are two separate buildings—one the contemporary steel-and-glass main house, and the other holding a bonus room, bathroom and walk-in closet—for a total of four bedrooms and a matching number of baths in a little more than 4,100 square feet.
As for the primary residence, its minimalist interiors are laced throughout with white porcelain floors, high ceilings and vast expanses of glass framing views of the natural surroundings from almost every vantage point. Upon entry, a spacious living room is spotlighted by a wet bar and central floating staircase, while the rear of the house sports a family room, dining area, and sleekly designed kitchen outfitted with custom cabinetry, white quartz countertops, an eat-in island and top-tier Bertazzoni appliances.
Upstairs, a swanky primary bedroom suite boasts a walk-in closet, as well as a spa-like bath equipped with dual vanities, a large marble shower and an oval sunken tub resting atop a wooden platform; and outdoors, the grassy grounds host a pair of patios, the main one warmed by a fire-pit and another connected to the bonus-room structure. There’s also an attached two-car garage, plus additional parking for four more vehicles.
A Philadelphia native, the 54-year-old actor has spent 30-plus years honing his craft for stage and screen. Domingo’s first leading role came as openly gay black Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin in the George C. Wolfe-directed historical drama Rustin, for which he earned his first Oscar and Golden Globe nods. He’s also appeared in The Color Purple, Selma, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Fear the Walking Dead and Euphoria, the latter of which earned him a 2022 Emmy for “Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.” He’s got a handful of Tony nominations under his belt to boot.
In addition to his new Malibu home, Domingo and his longtime husband Raúl Domingo also own a Jules Salkin-designed midcentury house in the Southern California town of Downey that they paid just over $1 million for back in late 2018. The revamped digs were subsequently featured in Architectural Digest. More
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A Baby Formula Billionaire Just Dropped $27 Million on This Massive Beverly Hills Estate
In a prime pocket of Beverly Hills, just a literal stone’s throw from the longtime 90210 estate of Taylor Swift, this grand Spanish-meets-Mediterranean-influenced house was on the market for nearly a year, originally listed with an asking price of $33 million. The exceedingly lavish spread just sold for nearly $27 million—or $26.8 million, to be exact. Despite the discount, the deal still ranks among the priciest real estate transfers recorded in Los Angeles so far this year.
Records indicate the all-cash buyer is an entity tied to billionaire “Roger” Hua Liu, the vice chairman and CFO of Feihe International Inc. Headquartered in Beijing, Feihe is the largest and most famous supplier of infant formula milk in China, with approximately 20% of the country’s market share. Per Forbes, Liu’s personal net worth tops $1.4 billion.
The 15,000-square-foot house was completed in 2000 and lies just a short walk from Taylor Swift’s home.
Google Earth
According to records, the sizable 90210 property last sold back in 2011 for $17.5 million. The buyer then was Russian oligarch Sergey Sarkisov, who amassed a fortune in Russia’s insurance industry and later dabbled in film production.
If Sarkisov’s name sounds familiar, it’s probably because he also owned the smaller tennis court estate next door to this $27 million compound. Sarkisov’s smaller “spare” property was sold last year for $15 million, and the buyer was prominent Hollywood actress Mindy Kaling, who reportedly intends to radically redesign and refurbish the house.
Set high above the street, the giant house is mostly obscured from public view by a sea of trees and hedges.
Google Earth
As for Liu’s larger house next door, photos are scant and details remain sparse. But tax records confirm the mansion was built circa 2000 and is sited on a knoll-top lot of nearly 1.5 acres. Spanning more than 15,000 square feet of living space, the house is large even for this affluent neighborhood, and includes some 10 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms. Despite its size, the place is mostly invisible from the public roadway out front, carefully cloaked behind big gates, a very long driveway, and a forest-like canopy of mature trees and other shrubbery.
In addition to the main house, there’s a backyard swimming pool and a full-size tennis court on the south side of the There’s also a detached guesthouse or staff building of some sort on the premises, which itself stands some two or even three stories tall. In addition to garaging for four cars, the property features off-street parking for up to 15 more vehicles. The entire property is ringed by a collection of specimen trees, and there are also rose gardens and several patches of grassy lawn. More
