Pasadena’s most expensive home complete with its own Tiki bar and putting green, has hit the market for a whopping $38.5million.
Known as the Knoll House, the sprawling property sits on two-and-a-half acres in an exclusive cul-de-sac featuring only eight homes next to the iconic Langham Huntington hotel.
It features two separate buildings connected by an underground tunnel — the 12,300-square-foot home and an adjoining 20,000-square-foot commercial-grade museum-like sculpture that has been converted into an entertainment center.
Among the many amenities homeowners could enjoy are a 46-seat movie theater, a spa and a pool pavilion complete with two fireplaces, two sets of dressing rooms and a full kitchen outfitted with a barbecue and pizza oven.
This is the most expensive home in the affluent Pasadena section of Los Angeles County
The marble floored entrance to the mansion home
The home is spread across more than 30,000 feet featuring two adjoining buildings, a main home and an entertainment center
The luxury home has hit the market for a whopping $38.5 million
It is currently owned by philanthropist John Vidalakis, who is said to be moving out of the state
Over the past decade, Vidalakis sought to restore the six-bedroom, 13-bathroom 1916 Colonial Revival, designed by Myron Hunt and Gordon Kaufman, and constructed by Peter Hall
A 46-seater movie theater comes as part of the property
A tiki bar is a feature of the mansion home while the attached wine cellar can hold 2,500 bottles
One of the six spacious bedrooms that are contained inside the opulent residence
It is currently owned by philanthropist John Vidalakis, who is said to be moving out of the state.
Over the past decade, Vidalakis sought to restore the six-bedroom, 13-bathroom 1916 Colonial Revival, designed by Myron Hunt and Gordon Kaufman, and constructed by Peter Hall.
The home comes with five fireplaces and a furnished, 2,700-square-foot basement outfitted with a temperature controlled wine cellar that has the capacity to hold 2,500 bottles.
Other amenities include an in-home pub, a breakfast room with its original marble floor, a wood-paneled library and a wood-paneled grand staircase that is illuminated by a custom chandelier.
A four-car garage is also attached with space to charge a Tesla, and the entire property is outfitted with a Crestron system —an automation system that automatically locks doors, and uses high-tech surveillance cameras and facial recognition.
The home can be reached via a driveway made of over 13,000 square feet of hand-set reclaimed historic brick pavers from Chicago.
Adjoining the spacious mansion is a museum-like structure, designed by architects Ladd and Kelsey, who also designed the nearby Norton Simon Museum.
Vidalakis used the area as an entertainment center, with a 38-foot high atrium, the movie theater, as well as an arcade and cardroom.
The 2.6 acre ground feature and in-ground swimming pool and spa along with a pavilion which features a pizza oven
Vidalakis bought the enormous property in 2011 for $7.294million from the widow of Dr. Gene Scott, a popular televangelist who died in 2005 at the age of 75
Scott, in turn, purchased the property in 1985 from the estate of philanthropist and arts patron Virginia Steele Scott. The two were not related
An art museum is also attached, it was constructed to host Virginia Steele Scott’s condition
There is also a gym inside the structure, conference rooms, lounges, a catering kitchen and a separate guest apartment.
And, of course, there is a Tiki bar inside.
‘Our client utilized the foremost Tiki bar fabricator, and all the furnishings and decor have been sourced from different Tiki bars or museums with artifacts,’ real estate agent George Penner, who is handling the sale, told Realtor.com.
He added that Vidalakis primarily uses the gallery as ‘an event space for philanthropic events,’ noting ‘it can host hundreds of people.’
But Vidalakis really wanted to preserve the integrity of the home, Carol Chua previously told Mansion Global, describing his efforts as a ‘labor of love’ with ‘no expense spared.’
‘If original details could not be restored, they were duplicated because this was meant to be a forever home, but the sellers are relocating out of state.’
Her partner, Darrell Done also noted that the two structures are designed to complement each other, and added that the construction of a commercial-grade structure like the gallery is no longer allowed on residential property in the wealthy California city.
Vidalakis bought the enormous property in 2011 for $7.294million from the widow of Dr. Gene Scott, a popular televangelist who died in 2005 at the age of 75.
Scott, in turn, purchased the property in 1985 from the estate of philanthropist and arts patron Virginia Steele Scott. The two were not related.
Virginia had first purchased the property in 1968, and in 1974 she completed the building of the private museum to house her collection of European modernist works, which are now in the Virginia Steele Scott Galleries of American Art at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens.
Now, Vidalakis is hoping to sell the property to another art or car collector.
‘We’re specifically targeting that avid collector,’ Penner said. ‘That may be a collector of fine paintings or even a car collector.’
And, along with the property, whomever buys the estate will be the proud owners of two sculptures believed to be from Virginia Steele Scott’s original collection.