I fell down a rabbit hole on the internet today and read about Harold Lloyd and his estate Greenacres which has been called, "the most impressive movie star's estate ever created." The specifications, which can be read in the Wikipedia article, are staggering; 44 rooms and 45,000 square feet. I would like to know if anyone has had occasion to visit the place. I found it interesting to read that after his death, when tours were conducted, everything was the same as when they moved in in 1929, even "the appliances in the kitchen."
Greenacres Harold Lloyd's Estate
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No tours since the mid 70's
It also said "the estate was sold at auction in 1975. The entire property, grounds and all furnishings, was purchased by a retired Iranian businessman for $1.6 million". He subdivided the 15 acre estate into approximately 15 lots, keeping the mansion on 5 acres.
In 1986 the property sold for $6.5 million and the buyers <span style="text-decoration: underline;">extensively updated and renovated the entire home and grounds, replacing all the electrical, plumbing and modernized the kitchens and bathrooms</span>. They restored everything except the original theater-size forty-rank pipe organ (which remains today behind the 80-foot living room wall). In 1993 the estate sold for $20 million. In 2001, the mansion was estimated to be worth $50–60 million.
The link below is another website with detailed info on Harold Lloyd and the properties he owned including this one.
myloveofoldhollywood.blogspot.in
It also said "the estate was sold at auction in 1975. The entire property, grounds and all furnishings, was purchased by a retired Iranian businessman for $1.6 million". He subdivided the 15 acre estate into approximately 15 lots, keeping the mansion on 5 acres.
In 1986 the property sold for $6.5 million and the buyers <span style="text-decoration: underline;">extensively updated and renovated the entire home and grounds, replacing all the electrical, plumbing and modernized the kitchens and bathrooms</span>. They restored everything except the original theater-size forty-rank pipe organ (which remains today behind the 80-foot living room wall). In 1993 the estate sold for $20 million. In 2001, the mansion was estimated to be worth $50–60 million.
The link below is another website with detailed info on Harold Lloyd and the properties he owned including this one.
Hollywood at Home: Harold Lloyd's Greenacres Estate
For anyone who has been following my Hollywood at Home series you've read my previous posts on Valentino's Falcon Lair , Mary and Doug's Pi...
I thought someone might have toured it as a "youngster" or might have been to an event there. Updating the the 26 bathrooms much have taken a chunk of change. I'm glad the organ was not tampered with.
Greenacres is the place to be
I Googled Harold Lloyd kitchen and found this:
Very nice
Cue the HGTV Mantra
Oh, how awful! That wall has got to go so I can have an open concept and see the kids playing while I cook.
Oh, how awful! That wall has got to go so I can have an open concept and see the kids playing while I cook.
How right you are Ralph! HGTV has been the reason for the destruction of far too many beautifully preserved, vintage homes. For the life of me I’ll never understand what this obsession with the ubiquitous “open concept” is. If these unimaginative home buyers want an open concept, why not buy a newer home that already is laid out that way, or build a new home?
And I’ll bet in the near future, once everyone has open concepts, granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances and glass tiled back splashes there will be a sudden demand for separate rooms, tile counter tops, white or other colored appliances and more traditional looks. What goes around comes around.
Whenever I’ve looked at a home or apartment to buy or rent I’ve always first looked at ways that I could make what was already there work. I never had a first thought about “blowing”out walls or a “complete gut job”. For crying out loud, isn’t the landfill already over taxed with peoples needless and wasteful discards? How about an appreciation of architectural history?
Thats just my two cents worth.
Eddie
And I’ll bet in the near future, once everyone has open concepts, granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances and glass tiled back splashes there will be a sudden demand for separate rooms, tile counter tops, white or other colored appliances and more traditional looks. What goes around comes around.
Whenever I’ve looked at a home or apartment to buy or rent I’ve always first looked at ways that I could make what was already there work. I never had a first thought about “blowing”out walls or a “complete gut job”. For crying out loud, isn’t the landfill already over taxed with peoples needless and wasteful discards? How about an appreciation of architectural history?
Thats just my two cents worth.
Eddie
Thank you, Ken and Kevin.
twintubdexter
Well-known member
open floor plan...bah humbug!
<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">My house has what's called an "open floor plan" and I'm not fond of it at all. I can bake fish sticks in the kitchen and my bedroom...a very long ways from my oven...smells for a good day or two. Thank goodness I know longer "entertain" in there. There's a reason why when I cook something "smelly" I usually do it out in the patio on the barbecue island. </span>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">My house has what's called an "open floor plan" and I'm not fond of it at all. I can bake fish sticks in the kitchen and my bedroom...a very long ways from my oven...smells for a good day or two. Thank goodness I know longer "entertain" in there. There's a reason why when I cook something "smelly" I usually do it out in the patio on the barbecue island. </span>
vacerator
Well-known member
Yes, however,
a recent Million Dollar listing Los Angeles episode featured a Beverly Hills elderly seller who refused to sell to a developer. She insisted the home be preserved and sold to a lower bidder whose family will live in it with minor changes, as a kitchen update, but keeping the historic integrity. Her family had lived in it for over 50 years.
I saw the Mrs. Dodge Grosse Pointe estate torn down and five smaller homes built on the subdivided land.
Thankfully, the Meadowbrook estate of the Dodge family has been saved.
a recent Million Dollar listing Los Angeles episode featured a Beverly Hills elderly seller who refused to sell to a developer. She insisted the home be preserved and sold to a lower bidder whose family will live in it with minor changes, as a kitchen update, but keeping the historic integrity. Her family had lived in it for over 50 years.
I saw the Mrs. Dodge Grosse Pointe estate torn down and five smaller homes built on the subdivided land.
Thankfully, the Meadowbrook estate of the Dodge family has been saved.
