The futuristic Palm Springs mansion once owned by legendary entertainer Bob Hope and his wife, Dolores Hope, sold for $13 million in November 2016, far below its original $50 million asking price.
The massive property, designed by renowned architect John Lautner, attracted attention for its unusual shape, enormous size and striking views of the California desert.
Billionaire businessman Ron Burkle purchased the estate after it spent years on the market. The final sale price was nearly $37 million below the original asking price. It was also considerably lower than the property’s most recent asking price of $24.999 million.
Despite the steep drop, the sale ranked among the most expensive home sales in Palm Springs, a California city known for its modern architecture, sunny weather and connections to Hollywood celebrities.
American comedian and actor Bob Hope (1903 – 2003) pictured nose to nose with Gonzo the Muppet at Elstree Studios in London.Photo by UPI/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images
According to Los Angeles Times, the property sits on 6.2 acres overlooking the Coachella Valley. Built for Bob and Dolores Hope in 1979, the 23,366-square-foot residence is the largest private home designed by Lautner.
Its unusual design has led people to compare it to a spaceship or a UFO. The house combines concrete, steel and glass beneath a large, curved copper roof. Its sweeping design and huge windows set it apart from traditional luxury homes.
The Hope estate was designed to offer both generous living space and wide views of the surrounding landscape.
The home has 10 bedrooms and 13 full or partial bathrooms. A large great room and the main bedroom each have a fireplace, adding to the property’s extensive living spaces.
Curved walls of windows provide broad views of the city, nearby mountains and the desert valley below. These windows also bring natural light into the home and connect its unusual interior design with the landscape outside.
The estate features artwork by Garth Benton, a muralist known for his work in Malibu. Benton created murals on the main floor and around the swimming pool, adding distinctive artistic details to the property.
Outside, the grounds include a swimming pool, a tennis court and a large pavilion with an outdoor fireplace. A pond and waterfall add to the landscaped setting, which also features lawns and desert plants.
The size and design of the house made it a notable example of modernist architecture. However, its distinctive appearance also meant it stood apart from more conventional luxury homes.
According to Realtor, the property had attracted 60 showings before its eventual sale. Stewart Smith, who co-listed the home with Patrick Jordan, said the buyer had been interested since the property first quietly came to market.
“That person stuck with us through the years and ultimately was the buyer,” Smith said.
The long wait ended with Burkle’s purchase, giving the unusual desert home a new owner after years of efforts to sell it.
Patrick Jordan, one of the listing agents, previously explained the challenge of understanding the property’s size before seeing it in person.
“People don’t understand the scale of the property until they walk in it,” Jordan told Mansion Global.
The house had also undergone changes after its original design. Smith said the Hopes had modified parts of the property during the 1990s, including enclosing some patios to make the home more suitable for the climate.
According to Smith, the new owner planned to “take back” the house to “what John Lautner originally envisioned.”
Burkle was already familiar with Lautner’s work. He had previously owned the Elrod House, another Lautner-designed property made famous by its appearance in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. That house sold to fashion designer Jeremy Scott for $7.7 million earlier in 2016.
Bob Hope built a career that lasted nearly eight decades, working in film, radio, television, theater and live entertainment. He appeared in more than 70 short and feature films and starred alongside Bing Crosby in the popular Road to… comedy film series.
He also became widely known for entertaining American military personnel overseas through the United Service Organizations, commonly known as the USO. Between 1941 and 1991, he made 57 tours to entertain service members around the world.
Hope hosted the Academy Awards ceremony 19 times, a record for an individual host. His long career made him one of the most recognizable entertainers of his generation.
He died on July 27, 2003, at age 100. Dolores Hope died in 2011 at age 102.
Related: Dolly Parton sold her Bird Streets hillside home for $1.2 million in 1990; the longtime country star’s former home is now listed for $7,950,000
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