Though he exited the top dog role at WarnerMedia over the summer, veteran Hollywood exec Robert “Bob” Greenblatt — the 60-year-old former chairman of NBC Entertainment — can still feel kingly in his supremely grand new mansion, which was acquired at the beginning of 2020 and has been undergoing renovations ever since.
Greenblatt paid $15 million for the hilltop property, which sits in the mountains high above Beverly Hills, in a pricey neighborhood known as Beverly Hills Post Offce. While that’s a lot of money — yes, even for the 90210 — it also represented a $500,000 loss for the seller, Ahmad “Andy” Khawaja, a major political donor and Lebanese immigrant who made his fortune in online payment processing. (But Khawaja’s likely got bigger things to worry about, such as a $110 million federal probe and the fact that as of this fall, he was sitting in a Lithuanian jail.)
Guests will be either impressed or frightened by the property’s elephantine driveway gate, a black metal behemoth that soars at least 10 feet tall. Beyond that, the stone driveway curves gently up a knoll to the circular motorcourt ringed by olive and oak trees. Somewhat surprisingly, despite the estate’s grand scale, the garage has room for only two cars.
Built new in 2016, the monstrous Mediterranean-style manse weighs in with more than 12,500 square feet of interior living space, plus there’s a tile-roofed cabana out back with ample space for entertaining and dining. Inside, soaring columns, high ceilings, parquet walnut floors, and intricate moldings continue throughout the villa, including into the formal living and dining rooms, which both sport fireplaces and Honda Civic-sized crystal chandeliers.
There are five additional fireplaces scattered throughout the giant house, which spans three full floors, all of them conveniently connected by an elevator. Also on the main level are an office, maid’s quarters, a gourmet kitchen capable of catering a political rally, complete with an eat-in breakfast bar for casual dining and commercial-grade stainless appliances, and a more intimate music lounge with a marble wet bar and grand piano.
The 1,700-square-foot master suite is bigger than many American homes and packs in two bathrooms, two walk-in closets, and a bedroom with a bed and sitting area that are practically in different zip codes. Best of all, however, there’s a private outdoor balcony that spans the full width of the house and provides the homeowner with sweeping views over Benedict Canyon and the surrounding hills.
For a COVID-safe nightclub experience, head on down to the partially subterranean lower level. Over there are a massive lounge with a gold-accented wet bar, a games area, wine cellar, steam room, sauna, and a movie theater with leather captain’s chair seating for 12.
Broad patios and stone walkways encircle the 1.5-acre property. The L-shaped swimming pool is an architectural marvel unto itself, treacherously cantilevered over the steep hillside and infinity-edged on three sides. With the tree-filled mountains as a backdrop, and the olive trees and boxwoods surrounding the pool, the place feels more like a grand palazzo or resort in Italy than just another L.A. mansion.
For the moment, Greenblatt continues to own his L.A. starter home of 16 years, a roughly 3,700-square-foot 1930s Craftsman tucked away in the lower Hollywood Hills, just above the bustling Sunset Strip. Records show the hard-charging Tinseltown exec acquired that property in ’04 for $2.4 million.
Phil Seymour of Keller Williams held the listing; Jade Mills of Coldwell Banker repped Greenblatt.