Put on your thinking caps and y’all may recall that Yolanda blabbed about a very big (and very unique) Bel Air compound that would (allegedly, according to your gurl) soon be hitting the market with an elephantine $125 million pricetag.
Well, nearly three months have passed since we wrote that story, and the compound remains unlisted. But we can now guarantee that it will soon be publicly available for purchase with that billionaires-only asking price — provided it is not sold quietly off-market beforehand. And we have some excellent evidence, too. You see, Yolanda happens to know that Mr. & Mrs. Bronfman Hauptman — the owners of the Bel Air property — have already forked out a fat $16,000,000 to downsize their residential circumstances.
For those who missed Yolanda’s last story, the Bronfman-Hauptmans are a low-profile but inordinately wealthy family who have long resided in Los Angeles. Our Mr. Hauptman is a Harvard MBA who was formerly a Universal Studios exec and is now the owner of the Chicago Fire, a Major League Soccer team. He is also the owner of Andell Entertainment, which has produced several big-screen feature films.
However, it is Mr. Hauptman’s wife Ellen Bronfman Hauptman who has the real big bucks. This lady, y’all, is an heiress to the multi-billion dollar Seagram Company liquor fortune. Her father, Charles Bronfman, is a legit billionaire philanthropist (according to Forbes).
According to Architectural Digest, the Bronfman-Hauptmans have a hardcore affection for some delicious real estate minimalism, as is plainly evident in the custom-built Bel Air mega-mansion that they just vacated. Designed by John Pawson, the 20,000-square-foot boxy main house sits on several acres of land and also features a 6,000-square-foot guest house (originally designed by Paul Williams). For many more photos, click here.
And while their new house isn’t quite on the same architectural level as all that, it is fairly minimalist (as LA spec mansions go).
The house is located in the fancy-pants Brentwood Park neighborhood, one of the wealthiest areas in all of Los Angeles. Built by prolific Westside mansion developer Ken Ungar, the 11,935-square-foot Traditional porker sits behind a long gated driveway on a high knoll overlooking the street. There is a three-car garage that faces the motorcourt, and a short row of steps leads up to the front door.
Inside the residence, blonde hardwood floors and crisp white walls set the tone. The living room has treetop vistas and a coffered ceiling, and elsewhere is a glassy (and temperature-controlled) wine cellar.
The formal dining room is elegantly spacious, and the kitchen is equipped with a marble center island and high-end appliances. An attached informal eating area casually opens up to a generous family room that itself opens up to the backyard (via a disappearing wall).
The mansion has a total of 8 bedrooms and 8.5 bathrooms. Espeically sweet is the master suite, which features his-and-hers bathrooms, his-and-hers walk-in closets, a sitting room, and a private office.
There is also a lower sub-basement level to the structure that sports a host of luxury amentities: a pool table that sorta looks like a James Perse design, another family room w/ a wet bar, a gym, and a professional-grade screening room.
The .48-acre lot is spacious but not overwehlmingly big. Naturally, there are grassy lawns, a large saltwater pool/spa, an outdoor kitchen w/ bbq, and a shaded outdoor dining area.
Although the estate is brand-spankin’-new, it is Yolanda’s understanding that the Bronfman-Hauptmans are or were doing some sort of interior remodel to the place to suit their persnickety tastes. When you’re rich enough to afford a $16 million house (before even selling your old house), you can afford to indulge your every architectural whim, kiddies.
Anyway, if you’ve got $100 million lying around and you fancy a spot of minimalism in Bel Air, give Mr. & Mrs. Bronfman Hauptman (or their real estate agent) a ring-ring. Yolanda is certain they will be happy to hear from you. And you might even get a personal tour of the Bel Air spread from the Bronfman-Hauptmans, but don’t quote Yolanda on that.
Listing agent: Gary Glass, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
Andrew & Ellen Bronfman Hauptman’s agent: Jeffrey Hyland, Hilton & Hyland
