South to North
Medina’s West
Coast is Know as CEO Row. Many of the CEOs and founders of the area’s leading
companies have homes on Medina’s west coast between Dabney Point and the SR520
Bridge. Bill Gates is the best known. At the southern end of this coast,
side-by-side, are three of the most prominent homes on some of Medina’s largest
waterfront estates. Dabney Point is home to Medina’s beach park, city hall and
police department. Around the point and to the north, on the western shore of
Medina, are the side-by-side (pages 110-112) expansive Bezos, La Haye and
Grinstein multi-mansioned estates.
Presidential
Candidate Mitt Romney attended fund
raisers in Medina on June 4, 2012. The evening $25,000 per person event was at the waterfront mansion of Wayne and Christine Perry. More information is in Seattle
Mansions 12/17/12 Post. Wayne is National President of the Boy Scouts
of America and former President of McCaw Cellular and a co-founder of the Seattle-based
Monroe & Perry law firm which evolved into the prominent Stokes Lawrence
firm. He was a Cub Scout as a young boy and has been involved with the Boy
Scouts of America ever since. Previous Boy Scouts positions include president
of the Chief Seattle Council and president of the Western Region. He was named
International Commissioner in 2006 and National President in 2012. He also has
an ownership interest in the Seattle Mariners. The mansion is 9,450 sq ft on
0.7 acres with 92 feet of waterfront.
Gerald Grinstein (page 110) is the former CEO of Delta Airlines
and Burlington Northern Railroad. This is the site of one Jack Sikma’s (NBA
star) former homes. Bill Gates rented here when his house was being built. The mansion is 14,030 sq ft on 2 acres
with 175 feet of waterfront.
Peter La Haye (page 111) is the deceased inventor and developer
of cataract implant lenses. He tagically died in a 1999 private plane accident.
At the time the complex was listed for sale for $45 million and was written up
in The Wall Street
Journal as one of the most expensive U.S. homes for sale. The mansion is 24,130 sq ft on 5.1 acres
with 372 feet of waterfront.
Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s CEO and founder, (pages 105 and 112) is the
northern most of these three famous estates. Bezos recently completed a $28
million home improvement. More information is on the Seattle
Mansions blog. Two
mansions and a caretaker’s home total 29,000 sq ft on 5.3 acres with 310 feet
of waterfront. This and another (Reed, page 100) lot of the same size are the largest
waterfront lots in Medina.
This
home was listed for sale in 2011 for $5.4 million. It was taken off the market
in 2012. The home was listed by Wendy
Lister, CBBain: “Many say it ~ few can claim it ~ On the 50 yard line at
waters edge! Medina's finest seat. Adventure films of tag in the
sky...mysteries of rich red rubies at dusk...jagged ice blue peaks. Parading a
NW strength; forming a bond with nature. Oak floors; fir trim; main floor guest
ste. Formal dinner room; library; convertible bonus; lovely updated kitchen.
Rare, ample cul de sac accommodates colossal private parking...at base of
privacy hill. Plan your parties. 150ft dock ~ 5000lb lift; 2nd slip.” The home
is 4,050 sq ft on 0.8 acres with 106 feet of waterfront. The property is owned
by Dr. Robert H. Rudolph. He is
retired and specialized in oncology (cancer) with Virginia Mason and was a
professor at UW.
This
home was listed for sale in 2009 for $7.8 million. It was sold 3/31/11 for $6.4 million. The home was listed by Kathryn Lister, CBBain: “A Tuscan
treasure sited at the 50 yard view line focused on spectacular cityscapes of
towers and neonic hues, snowcapped Olympic peaks, full breadth of Lake Washington. 115’ of superb level shore lands; new dock being
installed. An interior arcade of satin smooth Doric columns, Roman arches
heeding a sense of scale and light. Incorporating the framework for a home that
should be lived in; terrific indoor play spaces; a fresh air pool pavilion and
fireplace at waters edge. The genius of privacy.” The mansion is 6,320 sq ft on
0.7 acres with 116 feet of waterfront. It is about ½ mile south of Bill Gates’
compound. The property is owned by Chun
Yang and was purchased from Hung
Nguyen.
Further north is the must
see, Bill Gates compound (pages 118
and 119). More information about his annual
very exclusive “CEO Summit” and his personal “Convention Center” are in a separate
post.
Other CEOs/Presidents who own homes on this coast
include James Sinegal (Costco and
page 108), Mark Piggot (PACCAR and
page 113), and Jon Shirley (former
Microsoft and page 120).