Bel Air, CA

Oct 2023

Powerball Winner Mansion Los Angeles, Luxury Californian house photos, Modern US property images

Architect: Alex Kadavi

Location: Bel Air, California, USA

Photos courtesy of Joe Bryant

Powerball Winner Mansion, USA

America’s largest-ever Powerball jackpot winner of almost $1 billion, Edwin Castro, has chosen to remain largely private after his life-changing win. He declined to appear at a press conference announcing the win and released a brief statement: “I am shocked and ecstatic to have won the Powerball drawing. As someone who received the rewards of being educated in the California public education system, it’s gratifying to hear that as a result of my win, the school system greatly benefits as well.”

The brand-new billionaire is making a much bigger statement with his purchase of a stunning Bel Air Mansion.

Once listed for $87,777,777, the contemporary home known as ‘Palazzo di Vista’ was designed by reconstructive surgeon-to-the-stars, Alex Kadavi, in collaboration with Ali Rad Design Group. Castro scored the seven-bedroom, eleven-bathroom hilltop mansion for a cool $25.5 million, leaving him with an estimated $600 million still left after taxes on the Powerball lump sum.

Photography: Joe Bryant

Powerball Winner Mansion, California images / information received 060923 from TopTenRealEstateDeals.com

Location: Malibu, California, USA

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Bel Air Mansion

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Comments / photos for the Powerball Winner Mansion page welcome

The winner of America's largest-ever Powerball jackpot of $2 billion is accumulating real estate and just bought a seven-bedroom, eleven-bathroom hilltop mansion in L.A.'s Bel Air neighborhood.

Edwin Castro chose the lump sum payment of $997.6 million after winning the jackpot in November. Castro previously bought a $25.5 Hollywood Hills home and a $4 million Altadena home.

Once listed for $87,777,777, the newest home purchase is a contemporary home known as 'Palazzo di Vista' and was designed by reconstructive surgeon-to-the-stars, Alex Kadavi, in collaboration with Ali Rad Design Group. Views from the home span from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Channel Islands.

The modern home is said to be ideal for entertaining with a dark marble and glass aesthetic, with a DJ table, glass elevator, pool-sized koi pond, an infinity pool, champagne tasting room, and a theater large enough for a crowd.

There's also a tequila bar, a glass-walled wine room, multiple dining venues both inside and out, additional lounge areas, and a suspended glass floor walkway.

The primary suite includes a floating wrap-around deck and a resort-style bath. The massive kitchen offers an open floor plan with access to the outdoors via glass walls. Seated on over an acre of grounds, the mansion offers privacy and seclusion.

For further details of the home, visit TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.

KCAL-News Staff

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While it’s hard to imagine that an undeveloped property topping out at a whopping 260 acres could still exist in Los Angeles, just such a parcel is currently up for auction. The private Senderos Canyon spread is located in Bel Air and represents 6 percent of the total land mass of the ultra-pricey L.A. neighborhood.

“It’s about three times the size of Disneyland,” says co-listing agent Scott Tamkin of Compass’ Tamkin Real Estate Group. (Note: While Disneyland theme park itself is around 85 acres, the entire Disneyland resort including hotels and California Adventure is about 500 acres.)

The seller, who is unidentified, has set a minimum bid of $39 million for the crown-jewel property, which was last on the market in March for $60 million. It had first hit the market back in 2013 with a price tag of $125 million. Senderos Canyon is being auctioned by Paramount Realty USA and bidding for the 260-acre Bel Air property is open through March 15. “We feel now is the ideal time to let the market bring the best offer,” says Tamkin. Adds Paramount Realty founder Misha Haghani, “This property falls into a category we commonly refer to as unique and difficult to value — these types of properties really make great candidates for an auction. There aren’t many comps for a property like this. We were shocked to learn when this assignment first crossed our desk that there were 260 acres of property that hasn’t been developed in Bel Air.”

On Feb. 17, the Los Angeles City Council, responding to a motion filed by council member Katy Yaroslavsky, voted to explore purchasing the Senderos Canyon tract.

One of the challenges in selling the property is finding a moneyed buyer who would either want such a large chunk of land for themselves or who would be willing to go through the complicated process of developing it. The untitled land is zoned residential and equine, according to Tamkin. “Ideally it would be used for residential or perhaps a wellness center. Someone could build up to 17 homes by right,” he says, adding that to build more homes than that number would require a variance.

Attempting to rezone the property and develop it for commercial uses such as a shopping center or hotel would likely be considerably more difficult to pull off. For example, a proposed Bulgari Hotel in Benedict Canyon has already encountered stiff community resistance.

The seller of the Senderos Canyon property, which according to The Real Deal is a limited-liability company called Giro Properties — is also offering a discount of $2 million to a buyer who would close the deal before April 1. That’s the date that the city of Los Angeles’ new Measure ULA transfer tax, which raises money for affordable housing, goes into effect. For real estate sales of more than $10 million, the new tax will add 5.5 percent to the transaction. “Essentially the seller is passing on those savings to a buyer who submits an acceptable bid and closes by the end of March,” says Haghani.

Auctions of multi-million-dollar properties in L.A.’s most expensive residential neighborhoods are not unheard of. In 2021, the Hearst Estate sold at auction for $63.1 million to billionaire Nicolas Berggruen, while last year Fashion Nova owner Richard Saghian submitted a winning $141 million for developer Nile Niami’s mega-mansion The One (initially listed for $295 million).

One of the biggest private land deals in Los Angeles recently was the sale of the late Paul Allen’s Enchanted Hill estate in Beverly Hills; the 120-acre property sold in December 2021 for $65 million.

“This could really be the ultimate playground for the high-net-worth individual,” says Haghani of Senderos Canyon, envisioning that an owner may want to build their own private golf course or plant a vineyard. “We sold a 33-acre property in Pennsylvania for an NHL hockey owner and he put in ATV trails on his 33 acres. Imagine what you could do with 260 acres.”

Updated, Feb. 21: Added information about Los Angeles City Council plans.

At first glance, Villa St. Pierre looks plucked from the European countryside, its castle-like grounds a fit for royalty.

However, the home is actually located in the tony Bel-Air community in Los Angeles. Co-listed by John D. Wood and Co and Joyce Rey, the $52 million home has been on and off the market for the past few years, waiting for the right buyer. The Mediterranean-style mansion spans 36,000 square feet and sits on a 1.1-acre property. No expense has been spared in this lavish estate, from the grand staircases and ornate columns to the marble flooring to the resort-like amenities. The extravagant property even attracted the attention of Prince; the late musician lived in the home for a brief period and occasionally held concerts here.

The eight-bedroom, 20-bathroom abode is set within a guard-gated community and sits behind a private, gated driveway for the ultimate privacy. Though many of Bel-Air’s properties are built within the hillsides, this home is situated on a rare flat parcel of land and features tall gardens and trees to make it hidden from prying eyes. British designer Gavin Brodin led the estate’s revamp, who has worked with Rod Stewart, Sylvester Stallone, and billionaires to create their dream homes, and he struck the perfect balance between modern living and traditional design.

You enter the home through a wrought-iron front door, where you’re welcomed with an airy, double-height foyer and a sweeping spiral staircase. The foyer is anchored by an incredible crystal chandelier hanging down from the high ceiling, and past the room is a magnificent reception room with a floor-to-ceiling marble fireplace and ornate ceiling details. As you meander through the lower level, you’ll find the gourmet designer kitchen, complete with custom oak cabinet, state-of-the-art appliances, a breakfast nook, curved islands, and a marble backsplash.

This level also houses the formal dining room, double-height living room, and some rooms. Nearly every room connects to the outdoors in some way, whether it’s via a terrace (like in the kitchen) or through large windows. Along with high ceilings, those massive windows add volume and plenty of natural light into the space. The primary suite is the size of most people’s apartments, and that includes a fireplace and an en suite, spa-like bathroom. The rooms are spread over two levels.

The lower level is where the amenities—and the fun—is found. There’s a full resort-style indoor pool that feels like an elegant, five-star European spa, with decorative mosaic tiling and illuminated by overhead stained-glass skylights. Grand columns, oversized archways, and more decorative elements make it feel like a true palace. Other amenities include a massage room, a sauna, a steam bath, game rooms, a fitness center, a vintage-style bowling alley, a movie theater, and a full bar. And if that’s not enough activities for you, you can always head to the basketball and racquetball court.

There’s even more magic to discover outdoors. The massive multi-tiered backyard space can be accessed from the main and lower floors. There are several classical water features and statues, like a large circular fountain. Stone steps lead you to the main pavilion, which features another pool and spa, outdoor dining and lounging, and a vine-covered pool house. It’s surrounded by landscaped lawns and exotic plants and flanked by mature redwood trees.

“This majestic Bel-Air residence has incomparable opulence, sophistication, and class,” says Alasdair Hedley, head of international at John D. Wood and Co. “Brodin designed this impressive masterpiece with his signature ‘luxury with ease’ style, integrating timeless design with phenomenal attention to detail, setting it worlds apart in every aspect from comfort to grandeur. This fine home provides a secluded oasis of indulgent entertainment and lavish living. Anyone who sees it will instantly appreciate its ‘wow’ factor and know that there really was no expense spared. This is luxury defined.”

Click here to see more photos of Villa St. Pierre.

Young ballerinas share the stage with internationally acclaimed alumni and professionals May 26-27

Westside School of Ballet, Brand Partner

|Updated Thu, May 25, 2023 at 1:44 pm PT

This is a paid post contributed by a Patch Community Partner. The views expressed in this post are the author's own, and the information presented has not been verified by Patch.

Westside Ballet will be showcasing the talent of local pre-professional dancers, including eight who live in Brentwood or go to school there, on Memorial Day weekend for their “Masters of Movement” Spring Soirée & Showcase.

The performance will include a soirée event featuring professional dancers. These acclaimed guest artists include Andrea Laššáková and Westside alumnus Adrian Blake Mitchell, who will dance Westside’s Premiere of After the Rain by choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, and Maté Szentes and alumna Lyrica Woodruff, who will perform George Balanchine’s Stars & Stripes. Repertoire also includes a suite from Marius Petipa’s Raymonda and a newly commissioned contemporary work Color of Spring by Vanessa Van Wormer.

Shanghai Kaye, Brentwood, an 11th-grader at Fusion Academy, and her younger sister, Eema Kaye, a ninth-grader at the Brentwood School, along with Ava Cherniss, Westwood, a 12th-grader at the Archer School for Girls in Brentwood, are among the Westside students performing in Raymonda and Color of Spring. They will also appear in Handel Dances and Excerpts from A Chorus Line.

Violette Marie Rice, Brentwood, a seventh-grader at St. Martin of Tours will perform in Garland Dance and Excerpts from A Chorus Line. Another Brentwood resident, Lyla Brugger, an eighth-grader at Paul Revere Middle School, will appear in Friends Dance.

Westwood students performing in another selection, Polka Française include Venice resident Archer Anderson, a seventh-grader at Paul Revere Middle School in Brentwood; Beverly Hills resident Billie Dane, a sixth-grader at Dan Franklin Academy in Brentwood; and Crenshaw resident Linka Tiesiera, a sixth-grader at Paul Revere Middle School.

Polka Française “is unique and fun,” Linka said, noting it is very different from The Nutcracker, which she has also performed. “I like that in the spring we do something that is so creative.”

Billie, who models for IMG Worldwide in addition to dancing, said, “Ballet is like oxygen to me. I couldn’t survive without it. Studying ballet has taught me so much about discipline, commitment, and how to make the perfect bun!”

In addition to dancing, Archer plays the piano and flute and has performed in musical theater.

“I would like to be a scientist and a dancer,” she said. “I spend many hours a week focused on my craft to better myself and put my dance aspirations forward.”

Friday, May 26, 2023, 6 pm Soirée reception and awards, followed by the 8 pm “Masters of Movement” with special performances; -and- Saturday, May 27, 2024, 1 pm and 5 pm shows of the “Masters of Movement” pre-professional Spring Showcases. Both at The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401. Saturday Showcase tickets are $45. The Soirée Friday reception and special performance are $100-300. Tickets for this must-see dance event of the season may be purchased online at www.westsideballet.com or by phone (additional fees apply) at (800) 595-4849 (4TIX).

This post is an advertorial piece contributed by a Patch Community Partner, a local brand partner. To learn more, click here.