President Obama at Brotmans 2/17/12

President Obama has returned to the Brotmans for a fundraising brunch today, February 17, 2012. This event was first reported in the Seattle Times in an Associated Press article on February 1 and there was a follow-up article today. The $17,900 per plate brunch for 65 people is at the mansion of Jeff and Susan Brotman. The funds will be used for Obama’s reelection campaign and to support the Democratic National Committee. The Brotmans previously hosted a $7,500 per plate Democratic fundraising lunch with Michelle Obama on October 25, 2010. The mansion is in the exclusive cove of Medina that includes Nathan Myhrvold’s T-Rex house, Charles Simonyi’s Window 2000 house and Gary Reed’s former estate. The mansion is on page 98 in Lake Washington 130 Homes.

Cruising and boating this area is in earlier LW Cruising posts (5/8/11 and 5/4/11).

Jeff is the Chairman and co-founder of Costco. The mansion, as reported in the New York Times, is known as “Their Art House” that includes monumental pieces by Richard Serra and James Turrell. The house was designed by Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects who are known for designing art-galleries-cum-residences. The louvers on the front (water side) and roof of the house adjust to provide the optimum natural light on the extensive art collection.

Hunts Point West – Fairweather Bay – Mansions

South to North

The $11 million sale was recorded 1/23/12. The buyer was listed as ERGL LLC whose agent and manager is Eric Bensussen. The sellers, Rodney and Janice Olson, purchased the Hunts Point 2 acre tip on 3/31/11 for $14.8 million (see Seattle Mansions /11/11 post). More information on this sale is in a 2/23/12 Seattle Mansions post. The listing price was $12.9 million at the time of the sale. It was listed by Tere Foster and Becky Gray, Windermere: “The Bellisima on Hunts Point. A grand interpretation of a Mediterranean classic characterized by distinctive quality and design. The carefully curate details have been applied individually preserving the character of the estate and carriage house. A tribute to highly sophisticated taste. A complexity & warmth that is seldom seen together. The nobility & beauty of fine materials. Graceful lines, sensitivity to proportion, a waterfront masterpiece. An extraordinary home. Exclusively Hunts Point.” The mansion is 9,675 sq ft on 1.1 acres with 80 feet of waterfront and is on page 136.

This mansion was listed for $9.5 million in 2011 and $9.0 million in 2012. From the listing by Rondi Egenes, Windermere “Prime Hunts Point waterfront with Olympic Mountain Views. The structures were totally remodeled in 2006. The main house is spectacular with big view windows, a skylight running through the entire home and an atrium in the home center. New kitchen, elevator, and baths; plus sauna. Walls of clear cedar and bamboo floors. The guest house is 1,508 sq. ft. plus 610 sq. ft. of storage, all new with another bedroom and possible 2 additional bedrooms, a gym; and office. Park-like setting on over an acre.” The mansion and guest house total 7,350 sq ft on 1.1 acres with 80 feet of waterfront. It is owned by Reginald S. Koehler III. He is Senior Counsel with the Perkins Cole law firm in Seattle.

This is the home of John N. and Sally Nordstrom. John retired as Director of Nordstrom in 2006. The mansion is 6,300 sq ft on 1.21 acres with 125 feet of waterfront and is on page 143.

This is the home of James D. and Janet Sinegal. James is the co-founder, with Jeffrey Brotman, of Costco and former President, CEO of the company. James started his retail career in 1954 as a bagger for FedMart. He worked with Sol and Robert Price in San Diego to form Price Club in 1976. In 1993 Costco and Price Club were similar in size with about $8 billion each in annual sales and the two companies merged. In 1994 and Price Club stores became Costcos. The mansion is 8,370 sq ft on 1.56 acres with 165 feet of waterfront and is on page 144. President Obama attended two fundraisers 7/24/12 at the mansion (click for more info).

This is the home of Scott D. and Laurie Oki. Scott is the owner of Oki Golf and was Sr. VP of sales and marketing with Microsoft when he retired in 1992 and cashed in stock options for approximately $100 million. He started Oki Golf with the acquisition of a 350 acre parcel that was an 1800s coal and construction waste landfill on top of a hill overlooking Lake Washington and Puget Sound and turned it into The Golf Club at Newcastle, a nationally top rated, high-end public 36 hole golf course with a 44,000 sq ft clubhouse. Oki Golf now owns nine golf course clubs in the Puget Sound area and Scott is known as the area’s golf mogul. The mansion is 7,180 sq ft on 1.85 acres with 259 feet of waterfront and is on page 145.

This property was listed for sale for $22.8 million in 2009, for $19.7 million in 2010 and sold for $14.8 million 3/31/11. It previously sold for $17.5 million in 2006 to Andre and Lisa Radandt from Bakersfield CA where they own Bolthouse Farms. This is the site of the former home of Stan Sayres (1897-1956) “The Legend of Lake Washington.” Sayres’ mansion was demolished in 2008. The current purchaser was Hunts Point Trust (Rodney and Janice Olson whose former home is south of here and the picture and write-up are above). This property was listed by Wendy Lister, CBBain: “Legendary Signature! A merger of nature's uncompromised beauty complemented by this vibrant Hunts Point position. Prominent at the tip, 1.93 acres of flat land. 846 feet of continuous waterfront. Magnificent new teak dock. Owners have also completed refurbishing the strong boulder bulkhead and have constructed two extraordinary granite walls. Two swathes of wade-in beaches. Parklike, the guardian of the peninsula ~ zoned for two lots. North, East and Western exposure. For those that can!” More information is on page 148 of LW 130 Homes and in a 6/11/11 Seattle Mansions post.

(Updated 7/23/12)

(*Page numbers refer to LW 130 Homes. This posting will be periodically updated to add links to the MLS listings and for new sales and listings.)

Cruising Fairweather Bay and Lake Washington

Michael Mastro’s Former Mansion – Sold For $9.1 Million

Olson Mansion – “The Bellisima” – For Sale $14.1 Million

Cruising north along Medina's west coast you cross under the east side of the SR-520 Bridge.  The next point is Evergreen Point, still Medina, with Fairweather Bay on the other side.  Michael Mastro’s former mansion is one of the prominent homes on the northwestern shore of Evergreen Point.  The mansion was sold for $9.1 million by the bankruptcy court in November 2010.  My Seattle Mansions blogs, dated 11/10/10, 10/11/10 and 11/12/09, provide additional information on the Mastro bankruptcy and “family and friends” investors.  His bankruptcy was one of the largest in Seattle’s history. 

Hunts Point is on the east side of the bay where Nordstrom family members, Scott Oki (former Microsoft executive and now the area’s golf mogul) and James Sinegal (Costco co-founder and CEO) have spectacular mansions with beautiful landscaping.

In the center of the western shore of Hunts Point is the 10,000 sq ft Olson mansion, “The Bellisima,” that is listed for sale for $14.1 million.

Hunts Point is the wealthiest community in the state.  Eighty percent of the community’s homes are on the two sides of the point with one acre plus lots extending from the water to the one road in the center of the point.  The lots are low bank and noted for fabulous landscaping.

The above photographs of the mansions are from pages 126 and 136 in my book, Lake Washington 130 Homes.

(This is the eleventh chapter [go to next chapter] of our “Lake Washington Cruising” article. The chapters are being posted in reverse order.  When all chapters are posted they will be in order in this blog with the first chapter at the top.  I will be posting approximately two chapters per month.  You can read and print an abbreviated pdf version of the entire article.)