While the talented singer may be relatively young, Taylor Swift certainly has an eye for real estate. Last week her Beverly Hills home was designated a historic landmark after she petitioned the city council. The request was passed unanimously by the council and work will now begin on restoring the property to its original glory. So, why was Taylor Swift Beverly Hills home designated as a historic landmark?
History
Taylor Swift acquired the property back in 2015 for $25 million even though the property was originally listed at $39 million. It was built at the quest of film mogul Samuel Goldwyn back in 1934 and passed on to his namesake son who recently died. The property itself was designed by architect Douglas Honnold and you can tell from a distance it took time and thought to build this historic landmark.
What do you get for $25 million?
Well, we will discuss what Taylor Swift gets for her $25 million in a moment but it is well-known that Samuel Goldwyn regularly used the property as collateral to fund his blossoming film career. He was the co-founder of Goldwyn Pictures which eventually became MGM and, as they say, the rest is history. So, what does the property offer?
Set in 1.94 acres of prime real estate this Georgian-esque style mansion has a very distinctive look and many amenities. Sprawled over 10,982 ft.² the mansion has six bedrooms, five bathrooms which include a guest suite with its own private entrance. Above the garage is a self-contained guest/staff apartment offering privacy for everyone. The formal living and dining rooms are complemented by a wood panelled library with wood-burning fireplace. It can’t be too difficult to relax in this kind of atmosphere!
Leisure facilities
In a blast from the past the property has its own card room, gym and you will not be surprised to learn it has a built-in home theatre with fully functional projection system. The terraces look out onto the extensive gardens which contain a solar heated swimming pool, pool house, kitchenette and a tennis court. When studying pictures of the property it is difficult to know where to look!
Restoration
As you might guess with a property first built back in the 1930s there are a number of areas which need some tender loving care. Taylor Swift and architect Monique Schenk have promised to preserve the character of the property as much as possible during their restoration project which is set to last about 12 months.
While very often the “young of today” are accused of not appreciating history this is not an accusation which can be thrown at Taylor Swift. She skilfully negotiated a significant discount on the original listing price, seems to appreciate the history of the property and her restoration plans will ensure the character prevails for many years to come. The fact the property has now been deemed a historic landmark will ensure that its character and presence are protected in the future.
At a cost of $25 million we can safely assume that Taylor Swift will at some point replicate the party lifestyle often associated with the mansion over the years.