Scott Z. Burns has been busy. The veteran Tinseltown writer/producer, 59, has been toiling away on his latest project — the climate-change drama “Extrapolations” for Apple TV+ — and on the Los Angeles housing front, he’s also been engaging in some behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing. Records reveal Burns has paid music exec Gary Gersh exactly $7 million for a Zen-like retreat in the picturesque Santa Monica Canyon neighborhood. Concurrently, he also sold his canal-front Venice home to commercial real estate developer/investor Nhan Nguyen Le of Valiance Capital for $3.8 million.
Though you might not be familiar with Burns’ name, you’ve probably seen some or many of his films — “The Bourne Ultimatum,” “The Informant,” “Contagion,” “The Report” and the Oscar-winning “An Inconvenient Truth,” just to name a few. His newest offering, “Extrapolations,” will feature a star-studded cast that includes Edward Norton, Matthew Rhys, Meryl Streep, David Schwimmer, Tobey Maguire, Gemma Chan and Forest Whitaker. Currently in production, the show is set to present interconnected stories about how upcoming planetary changes will affect love, faith, work and family. (Before film and TV writing, Burns got his career start in advertising and was part of the team that created the legendary “Got Milk?” campaign.)
Burns’ newly acquired Santa Monica home is hidden from the street, tucked away behind gates, on a quarter-acre parcel of land bordered by attractive Ipe wood fences surrounded by tropical gardens, mature sycamore trees and clusters of bamboo. Built way back in 1940, but extensively renovated and expanded with a contemporary treehouse aesthetic in 2008 by architect David Hertz, the property has five bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. A dramatic bridge entrance leads to the massive wooden front door, which pivots into more than 4,800 square feet of lavish living space punctuated throughout by mahogany ceilings and skylights. Sustainability is front and center, complete with eco-friendly and novel features like denim insulation and natural “milk-based” paint, per the listing.
Elisabeth Halsted of Berkshire Hathaway handled both sides of both the Santa Monica and Venice real estate deals.
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Image Credit: Realtor.com Highlights of the Santa Monica house include a cozy yet spacious fireside living room sporting built-in seating and bookshelves, plus a sleek Poliform kitchen outfitted with an eat-in island, open shelves, high-end stainless appliances and an adjacent dining area. Both spaces open to a large wood deck ideal for al fresco dining and entertaining.
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Image Credit: Realtor.com -
Image Credit: Realtor.com -
Image Credit: Realtor.com -
Image Credit: Realtor.com An expansive master suite rests under a pitched wood ceiling, and features a fireplace, showroom-style closet and secluded patio. A luxe bath equipped with a rectangular soaking tub and huge glass-encased shower is accessible to a Zen garden boasting water features and an outdoor bamboo shower.
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Image Credit: Realtor.com -
Image Credit: Realtor.com -
Image Credit: Realtor.com -
Image Credit: Realtor.com -
Image Credit: Realtor.com Elsewhere in the main house are three additional guest bedrooms — one with a Murphy bed and loft — along with a plush media room that flows outdoors to the grassy lawn, decks and firepit areas. Rounding it all out is a separate guest house with a bath, plus an oversized garage.
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Image Credit: Realtor.com -
Image Credit: Realtor.com -
Image Credit: Realtor.com -
Image Credit: Realtor.com As for his former Venice home (below), Burns acquired that place in 2001 for $1.6 million. Built back in 1998 and designed by architect Glen Irani, the modern waterfront property features three bedrooms and an equal number of baths in nearly 2,900 square feet. Located just minutes from the beach, and sited on a compact 0.06-acre parcel, the three-story structure boasts a double-height living space accented by a striking fireplace and glass doors that open to a small al fresco dining area, plus a gourmet kitchen outfitted with high-end appliances. The primary suite has a walk-in closet, balcony, and blue-tiled bath with dual vanities and a soaking tub, while the backyard holds a fireside conversation pit and built-in barbecue. Other amenities include a screening room/office, and a roof deck with a hot tub and steel-and-glass solarium. There’s also a dock and two-car garage.
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Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin