San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Bay Area’s costliest property is for sale again
The Bay Area’s most expensive property has returned to the market after a two-year hiatus, now listed with a revised price tag of $110 million.
Nestled in Woodside, one of Silicon Valley’s most affluent neighborhoods, the storied Green Gables estate was listed for the first time ever in 2021 for $135 million but failed to secure a buyer.
The 74-acre estate, steeped in a century of history, consists of seven houses offering panoramic views of the western hills and the Bay. More than just a residence, it stands as a testament to luxury living, positioned about half an hour south of San Francisco, complete with multiple gardens, a tennis court and a Roman pool the size of a football field, all set amid expansive grounds.
Originally erected in the early 20th century by Mortimer Fleishhacker, founder of the Anglo California Bank and the Great Western Power Co., the property at 329 Albion Ave. served as a summer retreat for his growing family. Comprising nine parcels in the then-rural and unincorporated Woodside, the estate was a respite from city life and familial obligations.
Marc Fleishhacker, Mortimer’s great-grandson and co-owner of Green Gables, told Forbes: “My great-grandfather built the estate to escape the city — and his in-laws. He was looking for a place to build a generational family compound. Starting in 1908, his driver would take him to look at properties where the fog stopped and found Woodside, a beautiful environment against the Santa Cruz mountains. In the summer, the mountains keep the San Francisco fog at bay, allowing daytime highs to hit right around 80 degrees.”
Having failed to secure a buyer in 2021, the Green Gables estate was relisted at $125 million in 2022. Now, celebrity broker Mauricio Umansky of The Agency, along with Helen and Brad Miller of Compass, have been engaged by the owners in the hope of finding a buyer at the adjusted price of $110 million.
Even at this reduced rate, it remains the most expensive real estate listing in Northern California.
“There may not be another estate of this size in the country which can offer its owner such an unusual combination of privacy and jaw-dropping scenic views,” Brad Miller said. “I remember that first evening we drove up the long estate driveway to the main house, to be greeted by a sensory experience we will never forget. … It was mind-boggling!”
At the heart of the compound stands a nine-bedroom, 9,200-square-foot Cotswold-style main home, built in 1911 by renowned Bay Area architects Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Greene. Green Gables, also known as the Mortimer Fleishhacker House, pays homage to the brothers and the novel “Anne of Green Gables,” capturing the essence of its lush surroundings.
Six additional homes, constructed during the 1960s and 1970s to accommodate the expanding Fleishhacker family, dot the estate. The secondlargest, a six-bedroom dwelling for Fleishhacker’s daughter, was designed by the modernist architect William Wurster, a notable figure in the Bay Area.
The property boasts a range of amenities including outdoor entertainment venues, a lily pond, olive groves and a dedicated water reservoir with rights to the nearby Kings Mountain. The meticulous landscaping gives it an ambiance reminiscent of an expansive European royal estate, providing a stark contrast to its proximity to the largest tech hub in the United States.
Over the years, the estate has hosted various events, including the 20thanniversary celebration of the United Nations in 1965, as well as corporate retreats and weddings.
“The Green Gables estate has undergone a strategic price adjustment to $110 million, presenting an unparalleled opportunity for prospective buyers,” Umansky, who has been featured on several real estate reality shows, said in a statement to The Chronicle. “Whether it be a visionary tech magnate seeking a secluded retreat, an entrepreneur envisioning the birthplace of the next great think tank, or a forward-thinking family aspiring to create a timeless compound for future generations, Green Gables offers endless possibilities for the next buyer.”