Stacy Gottula, one of the premier luxury real estate brokers with the Agency, a firm located in Beverly Hills, has officially redirected her career toward working with the Eklund and Gomes team associated with Douglas Elliman.
This is just three months after the Eklund-Gomes team expanded into Los Angeles, where Frederik Eklund, the long-time star of the hit TV series “Million Dollar Listing New York,” moved in order to dominate the West Coast.
“I’ve been chasing her and we’ve been talking for a long time,” he said of Gottula to The Real Deal. “What she’s bringing, which is something I really need at this point is the experience pitching big, big listings.”
Photo courtesy of Tigran Tovmasyan, One Sixty Studios
Gottula credits her decision to transfer onto the Eklund-Gomes to wanting to work in a team atmosphere again. At the Agency, she worked solo on most projects — and she told The Real Deal that after seeing the team at Douglas Elliman, “it felt right.”
This is another big hit for the Agency, as Stacy Gottula brings the firms’ lost brokers to a count of 45 in Los Angeles.
REAL ESTATE EXECUTIVE TAMI HALTON PARDEE IS COMMITTED TO GIVING BACK, EMPOWERING THOSE WHO HAVE NO ROOF AT ALL.
Founder and CEO of Halton Pardee + Partners, Tami Halton Pardee is one of the nation’s premier real estate entrepreneurs, leading her Los Angeles-based firm to sell more than $3.8 billion worth of properties since its inception in 2004. Halton Pardee is also a prominent philanthropist who created the Life Change Warriors foundation in 2017 after years of promoting a culture of giving at her company.
In 2001 Halton Pardee was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), a devastating blow to a vibrant young woman just entering her thirties, but she drew inspiration and energy from this adversity. “That call from my doctor taught me I had to start planning my life, not just letting it happen,” recounts Halton Pardee, who adds, “I needed to start living my best life.”
Photo courtesy of Halton Pardee + Partners.
Halton Pardee founded Life Change Warriors to help people move beyond their own traumas, whatever those may be, and as a real estate professional and mother of four she focused her attention on homeless women and at-risk kids. The real estate executive had always been committed to returning some of her good fortune to the community, and Halton Pardee + Partners maintains a policy of donating a portion of all commissions to local charities, totaling more than $1.3 million over 14 years. But with her newfound sense of purpose, Halton Pardee yearned to be more hands-on in her giving, and those charitable proceeds are now directed primarily to Life Change Warriors.
The foundation translates Halton Pardee’s long-held philosophy of creating one’s best life through human connections, but presents it through a more structured methodology. Life Change Warriors offers six weeks of classes — she teaches them herself along with two life coaches — for people unable to get beyond their respective traumas, often relegated to living on the streets.
“Everybody lives in the past and believes that it dictates their future, but it doesn’t have to be that way,” insists the entrepreneur, who personally overcame her own traumas. “I want them to live their best lives,” reports Halton Pardee, who hosts students at her home for graduation dinners. The graduates receive a monetary gift to use as a deposit for an apartment or to pursue a degree or career goal, finally breaking the cycle of homelessness with a newfound sense of empowerment.
One of Life Change Warriors’ many success stories was a single, homeless mother named Sylvia, who after graduation from her six-week class went on to receive her high school equivalency certificate and was placed by the foundation in a job with a nonprofit affordable housing developer, where she has since been promoted to property manager.
“After selling a $10 million home, how can any agent not think of giving a portion of that commission to people who don’t even have a roof over their heads?” asks Halton Pardee, who notes the real estate industry is ideally suited to this kind of charity. “When you believe in someone, it can really change their life,” she says, noting that until many of her students begin classes, they have never before had anybody truly believe in them. “They need to know they’re worthy and that there’s a way out of homelessness, that they can escape whatever happened in their past,” explains the inspiring philanthropist.
Capturing the charm of Silver Lake, Vica is a unique mixed-use real estate offering that will be the first new condominium development in the Los Angeles neighborhood in 10 years.
Vica, meaning “the life,” was developed to complement the eclectic vibe of the neighborhood and the community, according to Justin Barth, principal of Los-Angeles based developer Barth Partners. Barth, alongside Ireland’s Barry Leddy Developments, aims to fulfill the housing demands of the community and to create a living experience that articulates the style and personality of Silver Lake.
Vica is prominently located close to Hollywood and Downtown, amidst some of the most spirited coffee shops and contemporary eateries in the area. Designed by Killefer Flammang Architects, the development will boast 31 exquisite residences, as well as five penthouses, which will each feature an interior staircase that leads up to a private rooftop terrace.
Designer Laura Derland and the Loraline Design team have also created interiors that strike the perfect balance between masculine and feminine and dark and light within the communal spaces and residences.
The development’s amenities include a meditation garden, state-of-the-art fitness studio, The Lounge at Vica, a pool and spa observation deck, and a 3,000-square-foot, ground-floor retail space with unmatched outdoor dining experiences near Sunset Boulevard. Vica’s versatility makes it a standout development for an assortment of buyers, from entrepreneurs and professionals to young singles or couples.
“People longing for more connectivity with one another and the world around them will find Vica unlike any other available new living opportunity within Los Angeles,” Barth affirms. — Kristen Ordonez
Photo courtesy of Vica
Celebrity brokers co-list eight Los Angeles penthouses with The Agency Development Group.
The collection is comprised of four two-bedroom and four three-bedroom residences that range in size from 1,735 square feet to 3,534 square feet with pricing starting at $2.194 million and ranging up to $6.388 million. The residences are well-appointed with expansive floor plans that capture fine sky-high views of LA through floor-to-ceiling windows.
“Greenland USA is delighted to unveil The Penthouse Collection, which will offer residents the finest in luxury, high-rise living and access to top-tier services and amenities,” said Chao Wu, general manager of Greenland USA, Los Angeles. “Located conveniently between Los Angeles’ financial district to the north and the entertainment district to the south, Metropolis brings the excitement and vibrancy of Downtown Los Angeles right to our residents’ front doors, redefining the standard of luxury, urban living.”
Penthouse 3906 was exquisitely envisioned by Michael Erno of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. Erno chose pieces that create an elevated sense of calm as one enters the first-floor living area and transitions upstairs to the bedrooms. He used a glamorous palette of shimmery greys, silvers, neutral tones and a myriad of textures to complement the opulent nature of Metropolis while not detracting from the remarkable jetliner views.
Residents will have access to a 24/7 Lobby Attendant and Dedicated Concierge, Met Six Residence Clubhouse with indoor lounge and chef’s kitchen, resort pool with a Jacuzzi, cabanas and lounge, billiard and game rooms, screening room, meditation garden and a dog park with a bathing station.
“It is exciting to see how the Downtown Los Angeles market has grown over the years and how the demand for high-end product is at an all-time high,” adds Parnes. “With unparalleled amenities and services, Metropolis is among the most sought-after properties in Los Angeles, and we are excited to be a part of this new chapter of the Downtown real estate market.”
Metropolis Los Angeles, developed by Greenland USA, has unveiled The Penthouse Collection, listed by Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles’ James Harris and David Parnes and The Agency Development Group. The unveiling of The Penthouse Collection comes on the heels of the sales success at Tower 1 and the launch of sales for Tower 2.
Among the only two-story penthouses in Downtown Los Angeles, The Penthouse Collection is located atop Tower 1 and features eight residences, with one residence envisioned by the award-winning Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams interior design firm.
“The Penthouse Collection at Metropolis presents a unique opportunity for those seeking the finest in luxury living high above all Downtown Los Angeles has to offer,” said Harris. “These penthouses will raise the bar of luxury living in Downtown Los Angeles, and we are honored to be bringing them to market along with The Agency Development Group.”
Tower 2, which will feature an incredible 3.5-acre amenity deck, will soon launch as well.
Photos courtesy of Metropolis
Pacific Union International, the West Coast’s leading luxury real estate brand and the eighth-largest real estate brokerage in the U.S., has announced its brand launch in the Los Angeles market. The move into Southern California marks Pacific Union’s largest expansion yet and unites a founding team of more than 900 real estate professionals from three of Los Angeles’ most powerful independent luxury brokerages — John Aaroe Group, Partners Trust, and Gibson International — under the Pacific Union International brand.
Nick Segal, former CEO and founder of Partners Trust, will lead Southern California as president of Pacific Union LA, overseeing 20 offices across the greater Los Angeles market.
“This dream team of 900 real estate professionals sharing core values and a commitment to teamwork, trust, and innovation will provide the absolute best client experience possible,” Segal says, “and we now all proudly share the same company name, Pacific Union International.”
Pacific Union International, the West Coast’s leading luxury real estate brand and the eighth-largest real estate brokerage in the U.S., has announced its brand launch in the Los Angeles market. The move into Southern California marks Pacific Union’s largest expansion yet and unites a founding team of more than 900 real estate professionals from three of Los Angeles’ most powerful independent luxury brokerages — John Aaroe Group, Partners Trust, and Gibson International — under the Pacific Union International brand.
Nick Segal, former CEO and founder of Partners Trust, will lead Southern California as president of Pacific Union LA, overseeing 20 offices across the greater Los Angeles market.
“This dream team of 900 real estate professionals sharing core values and a commitment to teamwork, trust, and innovation will provide the absolute best client experience possible,” Segal says, “and we now all proudly share the same company name, Pacific Union International.”
Pacific Union now has more than 1,700 real estate professionals across 51 offices throughout Northern and Southern California, projecting sales volume of $18 billion in 2018. In 2017, Pacific Union became the leading independent real estate brokerage in California, the result of two years of aggressive growth uniting five powerhouse firms, and it is now the top independent brokerage in Los Angeles. The brokerage’s Southern California markets include Beverly Hills, Malibu, Downtown, the Westside, Northeast LA, and the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys. Northern California markets include San Francisco, Marin, Contra Costa, Alameda, Napa, Sonoma counties, Silicon Valley and the Lake Tahoe region.
“Pacific Union’s launch in Los Angeles is a truly historic move that unites LA’s most esteemed and highest-producing real estate professionals under one name with best-in-class technology, marketing, data and research.” — Nick Segal
Mark A. McLaughlin (left) and Nick Segal (right)
“The fact that three firms with shared cultures also believed in our Vision 2020 will have an unprecedented impact on the Southern California real estate market.” — Mark A. McLaughlin
“In the fourth quarter of 2015, Pacific Union established its Vision 2020 to expand beyond the San Francisco Bay Area,” Pacific Union CEO Mark A. McLaughlin says. “Our offering in mergers and acquisitions is based on a shared value system, deep investments in technology, a core principle of managing to the top, and developing programs, tools and resources for our finest professionals. When top performers embrace those programs, tools and resources, our entire organization gets a lift.”
One of those unique resources is Pacific Union’s in-house Chief Economist Selma Hepp, a nationally recognized leader who delivers in-depth analyses of economic trends in real estate. Southern California real estate professionals have access to Hepp’s timely intelligence, which delivers powerful information for Los Angeles and Bay Area housing markets.
Collectively, Pacific Union’s real estate professionals in Los Angeles closed more than $6.8 billion in real estate sales in 2017 and hold citywide record sales, including the highest sale in Beverly Hills, the second-highest sale in history of Malibu’s Carbon Beach and the highest sale in La Canada Flintridge.
To initiate the brand’s introduction to the marketplace, Pacific Union launched a $1 million integrated multimedia campaign titled “Watch What We Do Next” in early January. PacificUnionla.com is also showcasing luxury real estate listings along with real-time market data by neighborhood and suggestive search.
Photos Courtesy of PacificUnionLA.com
The $1 billion Oceanwide Plaza is making its mark as the largest mixed-use development in the history of downtown LA with three never-before-seen offerings.
Oceanwide Plaza recently announced plans to debut the first-ever Park Hyatt branded residences for the West Coast. The new development will offer 164 luxury half-floor and duplex residences and penthouses. Owners will have access to a private amenity floor with ultra-luxury amenities including 24-hour concierge, resort-style cantilevered pool, fitness facilities and more.
The Park Hyatt residences will accompany 504 additional luxury condominiums known at The Residences at Oceanwide Plaza. Last year Oceanwide Plaza announced it will introduce Los Angeles to the first-ever, five-star Park Hyatt hotel — the only Park Hyatt hotel on the Western United States with 184 rooms and 34 suites.
Development is on track for Oceanwide Plaza’s 100-foot high, 2-acre sky-park, never-before-seen in Los Angeles. This urban oasis will feature two dog parks, a basketball court, dozens of fully grown trees, a basketball court, running track, and more.
Development is on track for Oceanwide’s giant 700-foot LED screen, the largest in the United States and the third largest in the entire world.
The building is set to open in 2019, with sales launching early 2018.
Photos courtesy of Oceanwide Plaza
InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown leads the way as the new architectural icon of luxury hospitality.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, proudly announces the opening of the InterContinental® Los Angeles Downtown hotel. As the tallest building west of Chicago, the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown hotel forever elevates the Los Angeles skyline at 1,100 feet and 73 stories.
The InterContinental hotel is part of the billion-dollar Wilshire Grand Center in the epicenter of downtown Los Angeles’ historic financial and arts district, and is mere blocks from the Staples Center and L.A. Live. The flagship property is part of IHG’s westward expansion and overall growth across the portfolio as the largest InterContinental property in the Americas. Eight hundred and eighty-nine elegant guest rooms stretch from the 31st floor to Los Angeles’ first sky lobby on the 70th floor, offering guests a new perspective of the city as they check-in.
“This is a historic moment for the InterContinental brand as we open the largest hotel in the Americas region and redefine the Los Angeles skyline, brought to life through our partnership with Korean Air and Hanjin International Corporation on this new marquee hotel,” said Elie Maalouf, CEO of InterContinental Hotels Group, The Americas.
Sophisticated and metropolitan, the InterContinental hotel was designed to capture the Southern California lifestyle at its finest for travelers and locals alike. With a colorful rooftop showcasing spectacular city views and a 3-story light sculpture of L.A.’s infamous freeways in the sky lobby, the property brings the indoor/outdoor lifestyle to life while drawing design inspiration from the city’s car culture and urban scene, foothills and classic beach towns. The InterContinental hotel is the first LEED Gold-Certified building for design and construction in downtown, with every aspect designed to lead environmental stewardship without detracting from a luxury guest experience.
Keeping the sunny climate in mind, the InterContinental hotel features almost 95,000 square feet of state-of-the-art technologically advanced event, meeting, conference and banquet space, both indoor and outdoor space with a 21,000-square-foot, elegant Grand Ballroom and 33 meeting rooms.
The signature Club InterContinental Lounge offers premium service and thoughtful amenities, like priority check-in. All 109 suites feature comfortable living areas, complete in-room entertainment systems and exclusive Le Labo amenities, in addition to the floor-to-ceiling windows. The coveted 2,500-square-foot presidential suite features a relaxing lounge area complete with a spacious dining room, piano, kitchenette, walk-in closets and luxurious soaking tub with city views.
General Manager Jean-Jacques Reibel said, “We set out to create a hotel that not only would forever change the skyline of Los Angeles, but where service and high-design are integral to every luxury guest room, restaurant and amenity. As such, our commitment is that the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown hotel exceeds well beyond our guest’s expectations.”
Guests have five dining experiences and culinary outlets to choose from on property. The Lobby Vodka Bar & Lounge has L.A. modern glamour and provides updated classics in both cocktails and the famed Lobby Burger. The journey continues to Sora on the 69th floor, with a made-to-order omakase or fresh-cut sushi on a conveyor belt, accompanied by imported Japanese whiskey. Dekkadance is an all-day destination also on the 69th, where guests can choose from delicacies and live-action cooking with Neapolitan pizzas, carving stations and baked goods in an international format.
La Boucherie located on the 71st floor is an opulent high-end steakhouse where California meets French cuisine, with private dining booths for special occasions. There is also a wine tunnel with 1,200 labels to complement steaks sourced from around the globe. Dining options top out at Spire 73, where guests can experience the tallest open-air bar in the Western Hemisphere on the 73rd floor with unparalleled 360-degree views of the cityscape and skyline with fire pits, fountains and innovative cocktails.
The hotel, located at 900 Wilshire Boulevard, is owned by Hanjin Group and managed by IHG. The InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand is part of IHG’s diverse family of brands in nearly 100 countries and territories. The scale and diversity of the IHG family of brands means that its hotels can meet guests’ needs whatever the occasion — whether an overnight getaway, a business trip or a family celebration.
Photos courtesy InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown
Lisa Adams, a follower of fashion, style and décor with a passion for interior designer, decided it was time to reinvent closet space. She launched LA Closet Design in 2007 with the intention of revolutionizing the concept of closets, transforming them into spaces that were highly functional, organized and beautiful. Since then, a range of celebrities, designers, architects and homeowners have utilized Lisa’s services to create customized, often high tech and environmentally friendly wardrobe spaces.
We spoke with Lisa about the inspiration behind a few of her favorite designs. Check out what she had to say:
“With the shape and height of this closet (10 feet), I wanted to keep things elongated with the 3-way mirrored doors and upper cabinets for additional storage. The bureau near the center of the closet acts to provide a landing area for folding, looking at jewelry or setting accessories on.”
“I wanted to create a boutique shop-in-your-closet dressing room for my client, so there is a place for every item with shoes and accessory items on display. I incorporated back lighting for the shoes with boots hanging on boot trees, and a glass island top for seeing and admiring bracelets, sunglasses and watches.”
“This was such a fun closet to design because of all of the angles and client’s wish to incorporate every square inch, literally, for his collectibles! I designed pull-up glass top cabinets for his collection of baseball caps and sweaters, pull-out hooks for hanging scarves, custom angled shelves for jeans and magnetic panels for all of his magnets. This is a multi-functional space in every sense of the word: space to dress in, play his guitar in, watch TV and play video games in, do work on his laptop, and simply to relax and unwind!”
Photos courtesy of LA Closet Design
Legendary television writer Norman Lear and wife Lyn are selling their long time Brentwood estate, priced at $39.95 million.
Norman and Lyn Lear have now put their 8.29-acre Brentwood, California estate on the market. Perched on a promontory, it takes in bird’s eye views of the Pacific Ocean, the city of Los Angeles, the Santa Monica Mountains and the Will Rogers State Park. Located just north of Sunset Boulevard, the grounds contain the 14,000-square-foot main house, a guesthouse, executive staff and security offices, a gym, 35-car show garage, tennis court with shaded viewing area, a keyhole-shaped swimming pool, lush mature gardens and terraces that open seamlessly from the interior of the house with a full outdoor kitchen…
Read the full story at toptenrealestatedeals.com
Photos courtesy of Jim Bartsch