Make way for a returning champ
NHL Hall of Famer Wayne
Gretzky has reclaimed his former estate in Thousand Oaks, paying $13.5 million for the sprawling compound.
The 6.5-acre property has had quite the journey since Gretzky sold it to ex-New York Mets star Lenny Dykstra in 2007 for $18.5 million. Dykstra, struggling with financial problems, unsuccessfully tried to sell the home before declaring bankruptcy, causing him to lose the property to foreclosure.
The estate sold at auction in 2010 to Index Investors for around $760,000. More recently, the property changed hands a year ago for $13.5 million, records show. The transaction involving Gretzky was recorded last month and occurred off-market.
Set in the guard-gated Sherwood Country Club community, the Richard Landry-designed home is fronted by a gated entry and a circular driveway. A remodel has brought a renewed elegance to the 12,000-square-foot floor plan, which opens to a grand foyer with a sweeping staircase.
Inside, stately crown molding and Venetian plaster walls accent spaces such as the living room, formal dining area and chef ’s kitchen. Other living spaces include a theater room, a gym, an office, six bedrooms and eight bathrooms. A second-story terrace takes in views of the Santa Monica Mountains.
Out back, a covered patio with pillars leads out to a pool and spa. Elsewhere are a lighted and fenced tennis court, an outdoor kitchen, a rose garden and two guesthouses.
Gretzky, 57, spent 20 seasons in the NHL, and his record for most goals and assists in league history has earned him the nickname “The Great One.” After he hung up his skates in 1999, the league retired his number, 99; it’s the only time that’s been done in NHL history.
Last month, Gretzky and his wife, Janet, sold another home in the same neighborhood for $4.2 million.
Neutra classic is set to be protected
In Hollywood Hills West, the Chuey house has returned to the market at $8.3 million — with plans in place to preserve the Richard Neutra-designed residence in the event of development.
The glass-and-steel home, built in 1956, sits atop a prime 1.52-acre knoll on Sunset Plaza Drive with 360-degree views stretching as far as the eye can see.
Simply put, in Los Angeles’ red-hot luxury market, it’s the type of location that developers dream of — and dream big. But preparations have been made to ensure that the Modernist house itself will
be spared, according to listing agents Neville Graham and Elizabeth Donovan of Pacific Union International.
The current owners have reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Conservancy on a plan “that provides a path forward for the historic Chuey Residence,” according to a statement. As part of the agreement, the home will remain in place or be moved to a new location that will allow it to be designated a local landmark by the city in the future.
An outside party has already expressed interest in buying and relocating the structure, allowing for the new property owner to develop, Graham said. A company to properly transport the historic home — something of a rarity in this day and age — has also been
identified.
“We’re glad we could find a way to take demolition off the table,” Adrian Scoot Fine, the Los Angeles Conservancy’s director of advocacy, said in the statement. “We now need a preservation-minded buyer to step forward and ensure the long-term preservation of this significant home.”
Designed for painter Robert Chuey and his wife, poet Josephine Ain Chuey, the singlestory home has two bedrooms and one bathroom within its 1,900 square feet of living space. Long walls of glass line the exterior to bring in views on either side of the home.
Decking, drought-tolerant landscaping and swaths of lawn make up the grounds.
Straight into Calabasas
Dr. Dre has gone shopping in Calabasas, buying a custom home in a gated community for $4.9 million.
The 1997 Mediterranean-style mansion has in its nearly 9,400 square feet of living space a game room, a snazzy home theater and a potential workspace for the hiphop mogul: an acoustically engineered studio/office. A total of six bedrooms and 5.75 bathrooms includes a large master suite with a fireplace.
The three-quarter-acre lot contains grassy areas, a free-form swimming pool and spa, a fire pit and a barbecue center. Elsewhere on the grounds is a lighted and fenced tennis/sports court.
Unobstructed views from the property take in the surrounding mountains.
The property had been listed since January for $5.25 million, records show. It previously sold seven years ago for $3.925 million.
Marc and Sara Shevin of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties were the listing agents. James Cavanah of BrokerInTrust represented Dre, who made the purchase through a trust.
Dr. Dre, 53, is also the founder and chief executive of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics. The Grammy winner and record producer has worked with Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent, among others.
He owns a number of properties
in Los Angeles County, including a massive Brentwood compound that he purchased four years ago from New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, for $40 million.
His new scene is a traditional one
Duncan Jones, director of the
video game crossover film “Warcraft” and the new Netflix movie “Mute,” has found a quiet spot to kick back in Sherman Oaks, buying a traditional-style home in the neighborhood for $3.55 million
The gated estate, set on threefourths of an acre, is approached by a wide motor court. The 5,800square-foot house features an eat-in kitchen, five bedrooms and a billiards room with a wet bar.
Floors lined in dark hardwood and terra-cotta tile, as well as a dose of red-brick accents, draw the eye throughout.
Outside, the idyllic grounds hold a brick-lined pool and spa, detached office, putting green and a teahouse with a fireplace. A guesthouse adds another bedroom.
Marcie Hartley and Donovan Healey of Hilton & Hyland were the listing agents.
Jones, 46, is the son of late singer-songwriter David Bowie and model-actress Angela Bowie.
He won the BAFTA award for outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer for his 2009 film “Moon,” which remains
his most celebrated work. In 2011, he also directed the science-fiction film “Source Code,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal.
The beach is in his offseason plans
Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors has paid $12.05 million for his own slice of beachfront in Malibu.
Set on a privately gated street, the multilevel contemporary home was built in 1976 and extensively remodeled five years ago. Features include open-concept living and dining rooms, wide-plank French oak floors and vaulted ceilings — a likely must-have for the 6-foot-10 basketball player.
Sliding walls of glass and terrace balconies on three levels survey a sandy cove on Broad Beach.
Also within more than 5,100 square feet of space are an updated kitchen finished in
Calacatta marble; a media room with a glass wine wall; a library, a movie theater; a wet bar; four bedrooms; and six bathrooms. A lofted space doubles as a massage and exercise area, and an elevator serves each floor.
An outdoor spa and dining patio finish off the indoor-outdoor setting.
The property hit the market in late January for $12.45 million, records show.
Susan Monus and Chris Cortazzo of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage were the listing agents.
“Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles” personalities James Harris and David Parnes of the Agency represented Durant.
Durant, 29, is a nine-time AllStar and was the NBA’s most valuable player in 2014.
The star forward was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player last year after helping the Warriors to a title over the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 68 games this season, he averaged 26.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and a career-high 1.8 blocks.
He’s shed some steel in Venice
Actor Don Cheadle, who appears as War Machine in the Marvel blockbuster “Avengers: Infinity War,” has sold his home in Venice for $2.415 million.
Sheathed in rust-colored CorTen steel, the contemporary-style house was completely renovated and expanded by Cheadle’s partner, designer Bridgid Coulter , to its current footprint of 2,400 square feet — about three times its original size.
Entered through a fenced courtyard, the house features nautical undertones, radiantheated floors, high ceilings and open-plan living space on the main floor. There are three bedrooms and three bathrooms, including a master suite with a separate sitting room.
A rooftop deck and a cozy outdoor living room create additional space for living and entertaining outdoors.
The garage currently doubles as an art studio.
Cheadle and Coulter bought the place two years ago for $894,000, records show. The property had been listed since January for $2.445 million.
Rhonda Payne of Rodeo Realty and James Coulter of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage were the listing agents. Beatrice De Jong of OL Realty represented the buyer.
Cheadle, 53, is set to reprise his role as War Machine in the next Avengers installment, “Avengers: Infinity War — Part II,” next year. To date, he has appeared in five Marvel films.
His other credits include films “Ocean’s Eleven” (2001) and “The Guard,” as well as the TV show “House of Lies.”
Guess who’s looking to sell
Burton Cummings, singersongwriter and former member of the Guess Who, has put his Tudorinspired home in Studio City up for sale at $4.95 million.
The mountaintop home, built in 1976 and since renovated, is a world away from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood life.
The estate, reached by a winding cobblestone drive, spans nearly 2 acres overlooking Wilacre Park and the Santa Monica Mountain Reserve. Views from the property extend from the San Fernando Valley to the Sierra Pelona Mountains.
Inside, the 5,000-square-foot house features high ceilings, exposed beams, rustic wood floors and four fireplaces.
There are three bedrooms and three bathrooms, including a master suite with a claw-foot tub. The updated kitchen centers on a stone-clad island/breakfast bar.
Balconies and paver patios extend the living space outdoors. The property, which is dotted with walnut trees and mature oaks, also has a kidney-shaped swimming pool.
Cummings bought the house five years ago for $1.75 million, records show. Timothy di Prizito and Joyce Rey of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage hold the listing.
The 70-year-old Cummings joined the Guess Who in 1965 as a keyboardist and lead singer. During his decade with the Canadian rock band, he contributed to the hit songs “American Woman,” “No Time” and “Laughing.”
As a solo artist, Cummings has released a dozen albums. Two years ago, he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
Producer’s final blockbuster
The Beverly Hills home where late Hollywood producer and talent manager Jerry Weintraub lived for decades has sold for $17.8 million.
Set behind polished steel gates, the contemporary-style home was renovated about a decade ago and has five bedrooms, seven bathrooms within its slightly more than 7,600 square feet of living space.
Among features are walls of windows, a media room with a wet bar, a temperature-controlled wine cellar and an elevator. A sitting room, a study, a gym and his and hers closets and bathrooms make up the multi-room master suite.
The property encompasses just over an acre of grounds that include a swimming pool and spa, water and fire features, formal gardens and lighted tennis facilities.
A guesthouse and a three-car auto gallery complete the setting.
Weintraub, who died three years ago at 77, promoted and managed such stars as John Denver, Frank Sinatra and Bob Dylan. As a film producer, he has scores of blockbuster credits including “Karate Kid” and the “Ocean’s” film franchises.
He and his wife, Jane Morgan, bought the property in 1974 for $165,000, public records show.
David Findley and Mauricio Umansky of the Agency were the listing agents. Victoria Risko of Sotheby’s International Realty represented the buyer.