The historic Villa de Leon, a landmark estate perched on the bluffs of Castellammare (left), is often misidentified by newspapers and magazines outside of Pacific Palisades as the Getty Villa, which is actually the museum complex tucked away in the adjacent canyon. The Villa de Leon was designed in 1926 by renowned architect Kenneth MacDonald and took entrepreneur and wool magnet Leon Kauffman more than five years to build. “This is one of the jewels of the Palisades and it just could never be duplicated today,” said Prudential California realtor Randy Freeman when the Italianate mansion went on the market in August 2005. Listed as 12,000-plus square feet with more than 35 rooms, including nine bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, the asking price was $14,995,000. The Villa eventually sold for $10 million in 2007, and was subsequently remodeled to serve as a venue for parties, movies, photography, weddings and leasing. The Villa eventually sold for $10 million in 2007.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
