Simmons ready to kiss it goodbye
After 34 years in Beverly Hills, Gene Simmons of KISS fame is ready to bounce. His amenityloaded mansion in Benedict Canyon is on the market for $ 22 million.
That’s quite an uptick from the $ 1.34 million he paid for the property back in 1986, records show.
It’s the rock star’s second listing in Southern California this year. Over the summer, he put his hillside home in Laurel Canyon on the market for $ 2.2 million.
The Beverly Hills estate is the more impressive of the two by far, centering on a 16,000- square- foot mansion. High- end amenities fill out the rest of the compound, including a swimming pool with a 60- foot slide, a tennis court and parking for 35 cars.
A tree- lined driveway winds toward the custom residence, which is entered by a pair of sweeping staircases. Inside, a 40- foot foyer sets a dramatic tone.
The voluminous living room is brightened by a three- story wall of windows, and other spaces include a chandelier- topped dining room, center- island kitchen, library and family room under ornate coffered ceilings. Seven bedrooms are spread across the f loor plan — many of which open to decks and balconies overlooking the landscaped grounds.
Josh and Matt Altman of Douglas Elliman hold the listing.
A native of Israel, Simmons, 71, co- founded KISS in the early 1970s and serves as the band’s bassist and vocalist. Known for over- thetop makeup and costumes, the New York- based group has released 20 studio albums and is one of the bestselling bands ever with more than 75 million records sold.
Forte sheds a fort
It was smooth sailing for Will Forte in Santa Monica’s Ocean Park neighborhood, where the “SNL” veteran sold his 107- year- old Craftsman for $ 2.475 million. He found a buyer a month after listing and hauled in $ 25,000 more than
he was asking.
The comedy actor nearly tripled his money on the deal; records show he paid $ 840,000 for the property shortly before joining the cast of “Saturday Night Live” in 2002.
For fans of Forte’s work, the 1913 home holds a special place in his career. The dining room is where the actor and his team penned the first episode of his sitcom “The Last Man on Earth,” as well as some of the feature film “MacGruber.”
True to its style, the two- story Craftsman features tapered brick columns supporting a covered front porch. Wood fills the living spaces inside, lining the f loors, doors, windows and ceilings.
A brick fireplace anchors the living room, which opens to a
sunny eat- in kitchen. Elsewhere are three bedrooms and two bathrooms in about 1,900 square feet, including an owner’s suite with vaulted ceiling and a guest room under a skylight.
The front porch wraps around to a dining area on the side of the home, and out back, there’s a sun deck.
A native of Alameda, Calif., Forte enjoyed an eight- year run on “Saturday Night Live” before more recent projects including “Nebraska” and “The Last Man on Earth,” which he created, wrote and produced. A TV show based on his MacGruber character is set to start next year.
Michael Grady and Jagger Kroener of the Agency held the listing. Mystoura Afolabi of Redfin represented the buyer.