Paul Allen’s Epic Funicular-Equipped Beverly Hills Estate Seeks $55 Million
A palatial estate in the mountains above Beverly Hills, long owned by Microsoft’s late cofounder Paul Allen, has finally hit the market — nearly three years after his death. The asking price? A princely $55.5 million, though that amount seems far less outrageous when you consider the property’s lavish quirks and features — and there are many.
The reclusive tech billionaire and philanthropist reportedly purchased the spread from Hollywood director John Landis in April 1997 for about $10 million, before embarking on a lavish customization of the premises. Situated in the so-called Crest Streets neighborhood in the Beverly Hills Post Office area, the estate includes a 1920s Spanish hacienda-style main mansion and multiple other structures spread across three parcels of land totaling 3.2 acres, replete with jaw-dropping vistas stretching from Downtown L.A. to the Pacific Ocean.
Perhaps most famous for its funicular — an epic, all glass showstopper that ferried the homeowner and his guests from the pool deck to the tennis court below — the hilltop home is also notorious for being the final residence of movie star Rock Hudson, and the location of his death from AIDS in 1985.
It’s also one of myriad personal residences spanning the entire globe — plus his superyacht Octopus, which came equipped with a basketball court, music studio and massive owner’s suite — that Allen left behind following his October 2018 death from complications of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Among Allen’s vast assemblage of homes: a 4,000-acre Idaho retreat overlooking the Grand Tetons, valued at upwards of $50 million; a mansion-sized Manhattan penthouse worth about $50 million; and hundreds of acres on a peninsula in Washington state’s San Juan Islands with a village-like compound of custom homes, gyms and pools, libraries and music studios, estimated to be worth $130 million, just to name a few.
As for his Los Angeles residence, the estate is fully ensconced by gates and lush greenery. A bougainvillea-clad courtyard opens to the five-bedroom main house, which offers 8,000-plus square feet of living space highlighted by a fireside living room with a vaulted and beamed ceiling; professional chef’s kitchen outfitted with a marble-topped center island and high-end appliances; and an opulent master retreat with dual walk-in closets and a limestone bathroom. There’s also a gym with massage room and a movie theater that seats at least 11.
Additional structures include a two-bedroom guesthouse, two-bedroom staff quarters, a glass-and-steel recording studio, detached private office with its own entrance, and a security building for guards to monitor the premises 24/7. There’s also the spectacular resort-inspired grounds, showcased by a sparkling pool, championship lighted tennis court and several patios ideal for grand-scale entertaining. Altogether, the various buildings boast more than 24,000 square feet of covered living space.
The listing is held by Kurt Rappaport of Westside Estate Agency.
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