A four-bedroom house in Los Angeles' Los Feliz neighborhood that the late actor Paul Winfield had owned until he died in 2004 has sold for $3,650,000.
In a Big Time Listings exclusive, we can report on the sale of the 3,783-square-foot house at 5693 Holly Oak Drive in Los Feliz, which listing information called "a gated modernist pavilion" that was designed by architect Philip J. Brown (and no, we'd never heard of him before; do a google search for Brown yourself, and you'll see that he was a neither prolific nor notable). Records show that an Emeryville, Calif.-based trust called the Economic Trust (which does not necessarily appear to be a celebrity's, although we're open to your thoughts, readers) closed on the purchase of the house from two (non-celebrity) men on July 30, with the deal being recorded on August 29. However, the exact sale price of the house did not clear public records until today. (The two men had purchased the house in 2004 from Winfield's estate for $1,650,000, according to public records.)
Back in early April, we exclusively had reported on the listing of this house, which at that time had been on the market for $4,295,000. The house later was reduced to $3,999,000.
Built in 1977, the house has five baths, a Poggenpohl gourmet kitchen with walls of glass next to the living room, clerestory windows, a free-standing fireplace, and a master suite with a walk-in closet, fireplace, steam shower and tub, according to listing information. A glass and steel bridge doubles as a dining room, and other features include a state-of-the-art security system and whole-house sound, according to listing information. Outside on the walled 0.77-acre (33,540-square-foot) street-to-street property are professionally landscaped gardens, lighted walking paths, rare plant varietals from around the world, a pool, a spa, about 2,000 square feet of terraces and decks, a second driveway, and plenty of parking, according to public records and listing information.
The Los Angeles Times’ Ruth Ryon had reported in her "Hot Property" column in April 1990 that Winfield had purchased the house for $945,000 and that a spokesman for his real estate agent said the actor had moved from a Westside condo because "he wanted a house and he wanted to be closer to the studios."
Check out an online listing sheet for the house -- including photos.