These days, spacious complexes with plenty of land and many different buildings are in high demand to house and entertain family and friends. Easier said than done, though, as building one of these enclaves can take a significant amount of time. So for those who would rather simply buy a place that already has it all, in an ideal neighborhood, there is Tower Grove Estate, which is just listed for $ 60 million.
Located on – you guessed it – Tower Grove Drive, just a mile and a half from Sunset Blvd., the address is close to LA’s busy thoroughfare, while still feeling a world away. It includes three acres of private land, with gardens and landscaping by Christine London. Included is an 8,700-square-foot main house, a 5,700-square-foot tennis court building and entertainment space, conservatory, and pool house.
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The interiors are by the famous Michael Smith, perhaps best known for decorating the White House private residence for the Obamas. The owners, investor Bruce Karsh and his wife Martha, commissioned Smith to design their home after meeting his job in a Santa Barbara residence. Prior to their ownership, the Tower Grove Estate was in the hands of composer Maurice Jarre, who wrote the score for Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and many other films.
“People often hire a designer and just want to come back when the house is installed,” says Linda May of Hilton & Hyland, who is listing the property alongside Joe Cilic of Sotheby’s International Realty. “That’s not this couple. They wanted to be part of every aspect of the vision of this house. They loved collaborating with Michael and being in his world. “
The result of their partnership is a house that looks like a classic English estate both inside and out. The living room has a Georgian plaster ceiling, the library features a marble fireplace and high coffered ceiling, and the dining room is accented by Zuber’s scenic wallpaper.
The master suite has two walk-in closets and a bathroom that resembles a full-service sauna. The views from here extend to the Pacific Ocean. Elsewhere on this floor are a handful of guest bedrooms – the estate has five beds and seven and a half bathrooms in all.
One of the property’s biggest and most outstanding features, however, is its tennis court. Right on the sidelines is a building that can serve as both an entertainment space and a guest house. The Karshes used it for the first time, so it currently contains a home theater, pool room, recording studio, golf simulation room, home office, and lounge plus bar.
Elsewhere on the property there is a two-story guest house with two suites with one bed and one bathroom. There is also a conservatory, a smaller building made entirely of stone and glass, with a fountain and fireplace inside. Like the tennis court annexe, it can easily be reused as a home office or even as a gym – currently it serves as a living room.
Of course there is also a swimming pool. The pavilion that surrounds it includes a hut and a fire pit. Stroll a little further in the gardens and you’ll find a heated gazebo perfect for alfresco dining.
And who will be the buyer? “It’s always been a family home,” says May. “When we first spoke with the owners about the sale of the house, it was before Covid. Now, the elements that are so amazing about it, like the house of tennis, we suddenly see the market respond to that thanks to the opportunity to work from home. “
See more photos of this WFH private resort, below:
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