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Concierge

September 8, 2016 By barnes

5 Best Rooftops From Downtown to Beverly Hills

By Kelsi Maree Borland

Photo courtesy of The Peninsula Beverly Hills

09.02.16

rooftop_pool

1. Ace Hotel

Take the elevator next to L.A. Chapter, Ace Hotel’s ground-floor restaurant, for a direct route to the rooftop lounge. At the peak, you’ll find Upstairs: Les Deux Café-inspired lounge with a craft cocktails (from $13) and, of course, views of downtown. 929 S. Broadway, L.A., 213.623.3233

2. Hotel Erwin
For the best ocean views, head to High Rooftop Lounge on top of Hotel Erwin, the only rooftop bar in Venice. Panoramic views of the Pacific are the backdrop for a beach-party scene with crafted cocktails ($15), fresh seafood and local DJS. Think of it has an elevated beach party. 1697 Pacific Ave., Venice, 310.452.1111

3. The London West Hollywood
The views stretching from downtown to the Getty Center are only the start of this rooftop oasis. Outfitted with all of the necessities—a pool and cabanas, lush gardens, an all-day restaurant and, of course, concierge services—you may never want to leave. 1020 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, 310.854.1111

4. Mama Shelter
The rooftop of this Parisian import is all fun and games. Designed by Thierry Gaugain, Mama’s new rooftop features, comfy couches, tables and chairs in a mix of vibrant colors and delicious mediterranean bites, like grilled pizzas ($13) and avocado hummus ($7), are the perfect accouterments to the stunning vistas of Hollywood. As if you need another reason to go, the rooftop just launched Mama’s Boozy Brunch ($39 buffet) last Sunday. 6500 Selma Ave., L.A., 323.785.6666

5. The Peninsula Beverly Hills
This rooftop retreat is nestled among the skyscrapers of Century City. Take in the skyline views from one of the 12 poolside cabanas, which are equipped with phones, TVs and iPod docks, while tucking into a meal from Naturally Peninsula. 9882 S. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310.975.2855

Filed Under: Concierge Tagged With: #bestrooftops #bestofLA #rooftoppool #barnes #barneslosangeles

September 1, 2016 By barnes

Making Waves: 10+ Luxurious Resorts Accessible By Yacht

Forty 1° North (Newport, Rhode Island)

41° NorthNewport’s freshest waterfront destination presents an eco-conscious, boutique-style nautical ambiance, chic lounges and restaurants, and a refurbished state-of-the-art marina offering new floating docks for yachts up to 250 feet. Amenities include concierge service, dockside dining on-yacht, pump-out connections at all slips, and even complimentary wireless Internet. The LEED-certified hotel features suites, cottages and lofts with contemporary furnishings, floor-to-ceiling windows, balconies, gas fireplaces, full wet bars, and integrated media (including IPads).

Montauk Yacht Club Resort & Marina (Montauk, New York)

MontaukThis nautical-themed Hamptons resort boasts 106 guest rooms, suites and villas (including beachfront bungalows) as well as an award-winning marina (232 slips) for cruisers, sports fishing boats and mega yachts. Home of the Canyon Challenge fishing tournaments, this resort hosts sailing and surf lessons, sunset paddle board excursions, lighthouse boat cruises, and fishing expeditions. The property’s relaxed ambiance includes showers for boat dockers, a spa, indoor and outdoor heated pools, cabanas, landscaped lawns, and a private lake beach where guests can bask in the scenics of sails, sunsets, nightly S’mores bonfires, and an iconic lighthouse.

Hyatt Chesapeake (Cambridge, Maryland)  Hyatt Marina Main

From the land of crab cakes and the shores of the Underground Railroad sits the Hyatt Chesapeake. Built in 2002, this Hyatt’s River Marsh Marina offers special packages and 150 slips for every vessel type—for docking overnight or adventurous cruising along the Chesapeake Bay’s 4,000 miles of shoreline, marshes and waterman villages. Dockers can access the luxury resort’s amenities—an 18-hole golf course, spa, bike trails, three pools (and dive-in movie), hot tub, restaurants, pier crabbing, mini beach, jet skiing, kayaking, and an outdoor S’mores fireplace. Hyatt guests can tour nearby Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge where eagles nest, historic St. Michaels, Frederick Douglass’ birthplace or the historic Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center which debuts next spring.

Charleston Harbor Resort Marina (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina)

Screen Shot 2016-08-31 at 2.58.01 AM

This resort showcases the largest in-water marina in South Carolina (17,000 lineal feet of floating dock)—boasting fishing services, sailing lessons, boat lifts, 459 deep draft slips (with no height limitations) accommodating vessels up to 120 feet, and water taxis to historic Charleston. The property includes two luxury hotels—Harborside, and Leading Hotels of the World’s brand new 92-room waterfront hotel, The Beach Club. The Beach Club (interiors by firms Haute and D. Shakil Designs) offers sprawling pools, a movie theater and a grand porch. Harborside has nautical-themed suites, two restaurants, a poolside tiki bar, and a rooftop bar with live music—the ideal venue to make friends in what some call the “friendliest city in the USA.”

Bluewater Resort and Marina (Hilton Head, South Carolina)

Screen Shot 2016-08-31 at 2.32.46 AMIf you’re in the timeshare game, Spinnaker’s luxury resort may be your family’s style—especially if plans include kayaking, dolphin watching or playing the area’s famous golf courses. Located on the Intracoastal Waterway and overlooking the lowcountry nature preserve, this gated resort offers the city’s only timeshare with nearby slips, a private dock, a waterside pavilion, barbecues and loungers, indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, sauna, fitness center, 18-hole golf course and close beaches. Each unit (one, two and three bedrooms) displays Key West-style decor, contemporary furnishings, full kitchens, living rooms and dining rooms, and a relaxed vibe for vacationers.

Naples Bay Resort (Naples, Florida)

Naples Bay Resort Main

This boutique luxury waterfront hotel along southwest Florida’s Paradise Coast offers Tuscan-style architecture, tropical surroundings, and for cruisers and dockers, a 97-slip marina (and on-site fuel dock) with direct access to Naples Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Deluxe lodging features suites and cottages with full kitchens while amenities include a Euro spa, four pools, a lagoon lazy river, Captain’s Lounge, and tennis courts—just minutes from the Florida Everglades, golf courses, high-end shopping, and the art district. Naples Bay may be Tuscan but the marina resembles Italy’s famous Venetian waterways.

Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village (Cape Coral, Florida)

WestinLocated near Fort Myers within the Tarpon Point Marina, this tropical resort overlooks the Gulf of Mexico and San Carlos Bay. Its deep-water marina (175 slips) is accessible via 400 miles of navigable canals and waterways, offering fishing charters, kayaking, paddleboarding, dolphin & sunset cruises, and BBQ Donut Party Boats. The resort features nautical-themed restaurants, apartment-style rooms (with kitchens), an outdoor lagoon pool, clay tennis courts, 24-hour fitness facility, and Westin Kids Club.

The Ritz-Carlton (Marina del Rey, California)

Screen Shot 2016-08-31 at 12.38.38 PMLocated near world-famous Venice Beach, this pet-friendly luxury resort is highlighted by its proximity to one of the USA’s largest recreational marinas. The hotel boasts 304 guest rooms and suites with private Juliet balconies, a terraced restaurant, poolside cabanas, rose garden yoga, spa, firepit, and Los Angeles’ only waterfront pool and whirpool.

Kona Kai Resort & Spa (San Diego)

Kona Kai 3Luxury boutique hotel proprietor Noble House reimagined John F. Kennedy and Charlton Heston’s former playground on Shelter Island into a casual southern California getaway (with whimsical Spanish decor) for families, yachters or Kenny Chesney-style “pirates.” The resort still rocks with pools, guitars and Tiki bars via live music in the lounge or on the beach—an ideal relaxer after a day of power boating, Jet skiing, paddle boarding, kayaking or Segwaying in and around expansive marina (which accommodates large and small vessels). Guests can cast off, lounge on the resort’s private beach, unleash their inner Kerrie Walsh Jennings via beach volleyball or camp out by the beach S’mores firepit—just a few waves away from San Diego’s Gaslamp District. There’s even a Bloody Mary Bar. Yum.

Roche Harbor Resort (Roche Harbor, Washington)

Screen Shot 2016-08-31 at 3.51.08 AMNow for something completely different. Roche Harbor Resort presents bygone seaside charm amid picturesque Northwest natural wonder. Near the San Juan Islands, against a mountain, lake and harbor backdrop are 28 historic (and renovated) accommodations originally built in the late 19th century. Hotel de Haro is Washington’s oldest continually operating hotel (circa 1886) with 19 rooms (including the John Wayne Suite) and upper floor balconies overlooking the marina. Meanwhile historic and quaint cottages line the hillside slope east of the marina which has morning dockside greetings and 377 slips accommodating vessels up to 150 feet.

Island Gardens (Miami)

Screen Shot 2016-09-01 at 2.37.02 PM

Bonus: Okay, so yacht enthusiasts must wait a little longer for Island Gardens resort to open (specifically 2018). But owners of mega yachts can afford to wait (in fact, they can afford anything). Plus, these yachts offer ample room for family and guests to sleep. Fortunately, they can still dock at the operational Deep Harbour—a 50-slip facility dedicated exclusively to mammoth yachts (vessels from 80 feet to 550 feet). With deep drafts from 18 feet to 21 feet, the marina currently offers in-slip fueling, 24-hour video surveillance, on-site security and The Deck (a hospitality lounge). There’s also water taxi transport to downtown Miami and its world famous beaches. By 2018, Island Gardens will be a mixed-used resort on Miami’s Watson Island, boasting two luxury hotels, residences, and of course, Deep Harbour.

Ocean Resort Residences (Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida)

Screen Shot 2016-08-31 at 4.07.42 AMAnother bonus future resort that’s on deck. Designed by Michael Graves in the image of a “1950s luxury cruise liner” (tucked between the bay and the ocean) ,this luxury Conrad condo-hotel is a nod to nautical enthusiasts with a crystal blue marina, 181 hotel resort apartment-style residences, and 109 luxury condominium residences and beachfront villas. While the oceanfront structure is architecturally grounded, yachters can anchor away at their leisure. Coming soon.

 

Keith Flamer ,  FORBES

CONTRIBUTOR

Filed Under: Concierge Tagged With: #Yachts #luxury #Resorts #laborday #labordayweekend #luxuryresorts #luxuryyachts #barnesinternational #barnes

July 26, 2016 By barnes

The 25 Most Expensive Homes For Sale Right Now in the U.S.

Real estate in 2016 is bananas. Not only have we seen a home hit the market for $200 million and become the new most expensive home for sale in the United States, but we saw that same house—the infamous Playboy Mansion in Holmby Hills—find a buyer. The final price has not yet been revealed, but it’s poised to become the country’s most expensive residence ever sold.

So it’s not really a surprise that in the latest iteration of our list of the 25 priciest houses for sale, compiled by Point2Homes, the “cheapest” option is now $75 million, up from $69 million in March. The bonkers listings on this list all have to be on the open market with a public price tag, and include a main building of some sort. Perhaps none too surprisingly, many are concentrated in the New York and Los Angeles metro areas, but neither city claims the current most expensive offering.

For those interested in the most expensive listings in specific cities and regions, here they are:

Boston • Chicago • Detroit/Michigan • Hamptons • Los Angeles • New Orleans • New York City • Philadelphia •San Francisco • Seattle • Ski Country • Washington, D.C.

1 Manalapan Megamansion

$195M

This 16-acre estate, which has been quietly on the market since April 2015 is the epitome of opulence. With 33 bedrooms and 47 bathrooms, you can entertain your entire extended family and then some. The estate features 1,200 feet of private ocean front, a botanic garden with 1,500 species of tropical trees and plants, a sports complex, a treehouse, and so much more. The main mansion was built in 1940s and was once the home of Gloria Guinness, a twentieth century style icon and one of Truman Capote’s ‘Swans.’

2000 S Ocean Blvd
Lantana, FL 33462

2 Le Palais Royal

$159M

Once the country’s most expensive listing, this Florida megamansion modeled after the Palace of Versailles in Paris recently got a $20M price bump. A project seven years in the making, the 4.5-acre estate with the 60,500-square-foot main house is still a work in progress, with guesthouses and an entertainment complex still to be built. But here’s what’s already there: a $2M marble staircase, over $3M worth of 22-karat gold leaf, a massive underground garage, and the first-ever IMAX theater contracted for private use.

935 Hillsboro Mile
Hillsboro Beach, FL 33062

3 Los Angeles Spec House

$150M

Located on the grounds of Barbara Streisand’s former Mon Reve Estate, this Holmby Hills palace offers a private hiking trail, multiple guest dwellings, a private theater, a wine room, and a ten-car garage, with parking for 60 cars. There are three pools, a spa, and an entertainment complex.

301 N Carolwood Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90077

4 Palazzo di Amore

$149M

Developed by noted L.A. megamansion builderMohamed Hadid and currently owned by real estate investor Jeff Greene, this 25-acre estate with city and canyon views comes with a 35,000-square-foot main house, a 15,000-square-foot entertainment center with a bowling alley, 50-seat theater, and revolving dance floor, plus a vineyard that produces 400 to 500 cases of wine a year. Once the nation’s priciest listing at $195M, the Palace of Love is now $46M cheaper.

9505 Lania Ln
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

5 Briar Patch

$140M

The Hamptons’ priciest listing is this 11.2-acre waterfront estate, which has been on the market since November 2014 with no price cuts. The 10,000-square-foot Georgian Revival main house has six bedrooms, and features handmade wallpaper, four fireplaces, and numerous French doors. The property also includes a 3,500-square-foot, four-bedroom guesthouse, tennis court, pool, hot tub, plus a private pond, woodlands, and lawns.

90 Briar Patch Rd
East Hampton, NY 11937

6 Former Danny Thomas Estate

$135M

Once owned by late comedian Danny Thomas, this18,000-square-foot mansion features a “Moorish design” with intricate gold-leafed ceilings, tile-work, and painted ceilings, not to mention $2.5M worth of Baccarat chandeliers and custom carpets, and 360-degree views of L.A. The hilltop property a pool and pavilions on site has seven bedrooms and 10 baths.

1187 Hillcrest Rd
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

7 Rancho San Carlos

$125M

The 237-acre Santa Barbara County estate went on the market at the $125M ask in fall 2014 and has stayed put since. The property comes with a 30,000-square-foot main house designed by Reginald Johnson in 1931, ten additional residential cottages, equestrian facilities, and acres upon acres of citrus and avocado orchards.

2500 E Valley Rd
Montecito, CA 93108

8 Fifth Avenue Duplex

$120M

New York’s Fifth Avenue is no stranger to top-tier apartments asking incredible sums of money. This duplex co-op at 834 Fifth Avenue hit the market in April, and features Central Park views, a library, 12-foot ceilings, 20 rooms, and a wine cellar. Asking $120M, it is the most expensive home for sale in New York City.

Brown Harris Stevens
834 5th Ave
New York, NY 10065

9 Sycamore Valley Ranch, Née Neverland Ranch

$100M

It’s called Sycamore Valley Ranch now, but make no mistake, this was the infamous Neverland Ranch, Michael Jackson’s onetime playland boasting dozens of structures spread over 2,700 acres. When it was listed in May 2015, the property was already rid of all the amusement park rides and exotic animals that had once been there. What’s on offer now: a 12,000-square-foot main house, guesthouse, pool, basketball court, tennis court, 50-seat movie theater, two lakes, the raildroad tracks and train station, and, for some reason, the giant floral clock spelling out “Neverland.”

5225 Figueroa Mountain Rd
Los Olivos, CA 93441

10 Kings Point Estate

$100M

Located on the Long Island Sound, this eight-acre waterfront compound boasts New York skyline views. With three “palatial” residences, the property includes a bowling alley, a hair salon, wine vault and tasting room, indoor racquetball court, several indoor pools, a “lazy river,” 13 bedrooms, and 35 bathrooms. There’s also a casino and a completely necessary private yacht pier. The sellers bought the estate in 2013 for $15.85 million, and they haven’t done a thing to it. So what makes it now worth $100 million? Great question.

Coldwell Banker
26 Pond Rd
Kings Point, NY 11024

11 Martha’s Vineyard Estate

$100M

Surrounded by conservation land, this 312-acre Martha’s Vineyard “oceanfront kingdom” houses a main residence along with a guest house with additional building sites that can be developed by any ambitious new homeowner. The value here is in the land: There’s a 1,200-foot private beach facing the Atlantic Ocean and a 35-acre private pond, not to mention a tennis court, pool, and horse trails.

Jean Athearn Rd
Vineyard Haven, MA 02568

12 Pumpkin Key

$95M

The only private island on this list, the 26-acre retreat in the Florida Keys originally asked $110M when it waslisted in 2014. The property, now $15M cheaper, comes with a 5,000-square-foot home, tennis courts, several cottages, a 20-slip marina, and plenty of lots available for new development.

Key Largo
FL

13 Holmby Hills Villa

$88M

Designed in 1930 by Californian architect Paul Williams, this three-acre property is located within Los Angeles’s prestigious Platinum Triangle. The 30,000 square-foot compound contains 17 bedrooms, 22 baths, and five distinct gardens, and of course a 6,000 square-foot private theater. It’s owned by fashion designer Max Azria, who first listed it in 2015 for $85 million. It returned, inexplicably, in March for $88 million.

Hilton and Hyland
10250 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90077

14 Cher’s Former Beverly Hills Mansion

$85M

Built in 1980, this Beverly Crest mansion has a celeb-studded history. It was once owned by Cher, who sold it to Eddie Murphy. The listing calls it an “incomparable equestrian dream”—across the property’s 16 acres, there are miles of horse trails leading to five deluxe stables and two horse rings. There’s a 20,000-square-foot main residence and Moroccan-style guest house. What’s truly rich is that its in the midst of a renovation, and “a new owner would need to build out the kitchens, bathrooms and finishes.”

Photo by Matt Momberger
2727 Benedict Canyon Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

15 The Atelier 45th Floor Combo

$85M

The entire 45th floor—that’s all nine apartment units—of the sleek Atelier condo tower in NYC’s Midtown West neighborhood is for sale…and it’s been that way since 2013. Making no concessions on the price three years later, the developers are now throwing in some wild, extra perks, including a $1M yacht with docking fees for five years, two Rolls Royce Phantoms, a year of courtside season tickets to the Brooklyn Nets, and a Hamptons summer rental mansion for a year as well. O…kay.

635 W 42nd St
New York, NY 10036

16 Upper East Side Beaux-Arts Mansion

$84.5M

This glittering 1903 Beaux Arts mansion half a block away from Central Park currently belongs to bigwig NYC developer Keith Rubenstein, who just put it on the market in February. The 15,000-square-foot limestone townhouse flaunts fancy touches like red Hermès leather wall coverings, a temperature-controlled vault for furs, a refrigerator for makeup, and marquetry floors inspired by the floors of the Pavlovski Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia.

8 E 62nd St
New York, NY 10065

17 Elk Mountain Lodge, Bill Koch’s Aspen Compound

$80M

Originally listed for an eye-popping $100M, billionaire Bill Koch’s 83-acre Aspen compound just shaved $20M off its price tag last month. The 15,000-square-foot main house includes eight bedrooms done up in a classic ski lodge style—that means a ton of antler chandeliers, stone fireplaces, and timber beams. The property also comes with three additional parcels with smaller cabins.

10080 Castle Creek Rd
Aspen, CO 81611

18 ‘Palladian’ Estate in the San Gabriel Valley

$78M

Set within the guard-gated Bradbury Estates community, this 30,000-square-foot “Palladian” mansion contains a 3D theater, 2,000-bottle wine cellar, poker lounge, and underground firing range. The 8-acre estate also includes an infinity pool,15-person spa, temperature-controlled Trout Pond with 2-story waterfall. An amenities galore!

172 Bliss Canyon Rd
Bradbury, CA 91008

19 Sherry-Netherland Co-op

$78M

Taking up the entire 18th floor of NYC’s opulent Sherry-Netherland Hotel, this 15-room apartment last sold in March 2015 for $67.5 million. Less than a year later, it returned to the market for $18.5 million more, but that didn’t work out. The price has been chopped to $78 million. Highlights here include several terraces that overlook Central Park and midtown Manhattan.

781 5th AveNew York, NY 10022  

20 Thimble Islands

$78M

Located in Branford, the Thimble Islands estate contains eight private islands with eight separate residences. Rogers Island is the largest of this sprawling archipelago, offering eight acres of formal gardens, rolling lawns, and a turn-of-the-century manor house. Considering the hefty price tag of $78M, it is assumed that any potential buyer can afford the 20 minute helicopter ride to Manhattan or the chartered ship to coastal Connecticut.

Branford
CT 06405

21 432 Park Avenue Penthouse

$76.5M Designed by starchitect Rafael Viñoly, 432 Park Avenue is the tallest residential building in the Western hemisphere. With an asking price of $76.5M, the tower’s penthouse offers five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and over 8,000 square feet of living space. Although the building is known to sway on windy days, how can one say no to 10’ x 10’ windows which provide sweeping views of the metropolitan region? It’s reportedly in contract.

432 Park Ave
New York, NY 10022

22 Ritz Carlton Duplex Penthouse

$75M

What was once a $118.5M triplex penthouse at the Ritz Carlton in NYC’s Battery Park City is now just a duplex asking $75M. With a combined 11,100-square-foot footprint, the residence offers eight bedrooms across the two units, Venetian stucco and silver leaf, plus stellar views of the Freedom Tower and the Statue of Liberty.

10 West St
New York, NY 10004

23 Burnt Point

$75M

Boasting water views on three sides, this 25-acre Hamptons property features a 18,000-square-foot steel-frame house with a double-height entry hall, antique flooring, two elevators, a screening room, and more. The house is being sold fully furnished. The property also includes a pool with spa, tennis court, dock, and altogether 2,024 feet of water frontage. It was originally listed for $95 million in 2015, but is now $20 million cheaper.

38 Mathews Rd
Wainscott, NY 11975

24 European-Style Stone Manor on NY-CT Border

$75M

Spanning the New York-Connecticut border, this 262-acre estate featuring a 20,000-square-foot European-style stone mansion offers tons of ornate fireplaces, antique marble, intricate walls and ceiling, and an extravagant pool indoor pool with Italian mosaics. The 1900-built eight-bedroom property was originally owned by Arthur Hays and Iphigene Sulzberger of the The New York Times Sulzbergers, long-time publishers of the paper. The grounds are pretty impressive, too, with a formal ground formal garden, greenhouse, tennis court, lake, bridge, and life-size chess set.

1233 Rock Rimmon Rd
Stamford, CT 06903

25 Mediterranean Palm Beach Villa

$75M

And the map comes full circle: This $75 million Mediterranean-inspired villa is on the same South Florida street as the country’s most expensive home. The 24,600-square-foot mansion occupies a site that fronts on both the Atlantic Ocean and Lake George, and includes a dock, pool, and private beach. The interiors were designed by Juan Pablo Molyneux.

S Ocean Blvd
Palm Beach, FL 33480
BY JENNY XIE , MATTHEW MARANI AND JESSICA DAILEY JUL 26, 2016, 10:00A

Filed Under: Concierge Tagged With: #MostExpensiveHomesinUS #LuxuryHomes #dreamhomes #luxurylifestyle #celebrityhomes #beverlyhills #belair #barnes #barnesinternational #barneslosangeles #barnesbeverlyhills

July 21, 2016 By barnes

Driveways That Go the Extra Mile

Don’t underestimate the lure of the open road. As landscape architecture becomes more important in home design, some homeowners are taking their driveway the extra mile.

Elegant tree allées become part of the architecture. Forks in the road are avenues for entertaining and for art displays. Winding turns can obscure a nosy neighbor’s view.

But appraisers say that building a long and pricey road to your door doesn’t always pay off at resale time.

Last year, 670 million square feet of residential driveway was laid for new homes in the U.S., according to Home Innovation Research Labs, an independent subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders. That figure is up nearly 80% from 2009, when the market was just recovering from the downturn.

The average length of a luxury driveway last year was 71 feet, the group said. Construction expenses can vary greatly by region, but remodeling site HomeAdvisor says gravel costs about $1.50 a square foot, high-end pavers about $15 a square foot. That doesn’t include landscaping or high-tech add-ons like hidden snowmelt systems, which can run about $25 a square foot.

In Solvang, Calif., a wine-country town in the Santa Ynez Valley, Steve Raftopoulos considers his driveway part of the architecture. His 6,574-square-foot modern mission-style home has an 800-foot approach road that begins with an 80-foot bridge overlooking vineyards and the Santa Ynez mountains. The chip-seal gravel road, a mix of asphalt and crushed limestone, is lined with 80 Italian cypress trees to match the rectilinear style of the home.

Designed by his sister Elizabeth Raftopoulos, the home and driveway were sited using feng shui principles. The road curves around the house; Mr. Raftopoulos and his family fish in the pond nearby. Completed in 2013, the 25-acre project cost $6 million, including land and construction—about 15% of which was dedicated to the road, pond and landscaping.

The home is now listed for $7.495 million. “It’s that panache factor,” says listing agent Sharon Currie, about the meandering drive, which she says can make or break a buyer’s decision before they see the home. Mr. Raftopoulos, a retired investment banker who started a Greek herbal-tea company called Klio, is selling because he spends more time at a Santa Barbara home and would like to start a smaller project.

Appraisers say driveways affect resale value, though the exact contribution is hard to measure. “You don’t wear a suit with a big ink stain on the front pocket,” says Michael Hobbs, owner of PahRoo Appraisal & Consultancy in Chicago, noting that shabby roadways can detract from the sales price.

Homeowners are paying attention to their surroundings. In a national survey of its members, the American Society of Landscape Architects reported that 81% of respondents saw stable or growing demand for work in the first quarter this year, much of it in residential projects. That is in line with the past two years and significantly higher than the same period in 2013, when 59.5% of firms reported the same.

Sometimes, real-estate agents explicitly pitch the driveway as a selling point. In the Beverly Hills post office area of Los Angeles, Lacey and John Williams are selling a 2½-acre double-lot property near Sunset Boulevard for $17.5 million. The two homes on the property, built in the 1920s, will almost certainly be demolished, says listing agent Ben Bacal of Rodeo Realty.

Until then, prospective buyers can admire the roughly 200-foot gated driveway surrounded by olive, lemon and palm trees, and blooms of plumbago flowers.

You would swear you’re in the middle of the jungle,” says Ms. Williams, 59, who is retired from a modeling agency. Mr. Bacal says a driveway of this length is unusual for the area and appeals to developers looking for privacy close to a major city hub.

The winding road is part of the sales pitch for Mr. Levin’s Stowe, Vt., compound. “It’s a bit of a magic show,” says listing agent Wade Weathers Jr. of LandVest. “The whole [ride into] the property is an event.”

Mr. Levin and his wife, photographer Petra Levin, bought the property in 1999 for $1.278 million and then spent years transforming the space into a family retreat with features like a minigolf course, a life-size chess board and trails for go-karting and snowmobiles.

The $5 million spent on landscaping and the driveway was just the start: Mr. Levin estimates spending $30 million on the property, including the home, an underground art gallery, photography studio and thousands of trees and shrubs.

Mr. Levin, former chairman of Gold Coast Beverage Distributors, acknowledges that, at $12.5 million, they are selling the home for far less than they put into it, but that his family enjoyed the compound. They are selling now that the children are grown.

Alan Wilzig, on the other hand, built a souped-up roadway to please his inner child. The ¼-mile driveway at his 275-acre property in Taghkanic, N.Y., detours onto a 1.15-mile, 40-foot-wide professional racing circuit.

Mr. Wilzig, 51, a semiprofessional race car driver and former bank chairman, built the Grand Prix track in 2010 at a cost of roughly $7.5 million—roughly half of the $15 million cost for the property. It can’t be rented for commercial use, limiting its ability to defray its cost.

To the average buyer, “one can say it’s a detriment” to devote so much space to the track, Mr. Wilzig says, but he says he uses it whenever he stays at the property. Although he lives in New York City, he hopes to move full time to his Taghkanic home by the end of the year to be closer to his children.

Should he decide to sell, though, he has his pitch: “What better place is there to teach your 16-year-old how to drive?”

 

By
Stefanos Chen

Realtor.com

Filed Under: Concierge Tagged With: Barnes Beverly Hills, Barnes, Luxury, Beverly Hills, Driveway, Grand Prix, Luxurious Drive Way, California

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BARNES Southern CA
9465 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 300
Beverly Hills CA 90212
T: (+1) 424 284 4011​
E: LosAngeles@barnes-international.com
CA BRE 01527053

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