Restaurateur Hungry to Lock Up Mansion Buyer

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Larry Pollack, owner of the Saddle Ranch Chop House restaurant chain, has brought the price down to the bone on his Hidden Hills home listing.

The six-bedroom, 10-bath compound – mechanical bull included – went on the market in January for $27 million. A switch of agents and a lesson in market realities resulted in a more down-to-Earth price of $12 million in October and now the one-of-a-kind estate is listed at $9.95 million.

Pollack bought the property in 2003 for its land value at $2.78 million. He stripped the house down to its studs, added substantial square footage and spent millions remodeling it. The result is pretty magnifico. The estate’s grounds were given the same royal remodeling treatment: They were completely redone to include horse stables, sports courts and a resort-style “water oasis leading to a cave that has seating and wet bars for any occasion.”

The place screams “Play time!” despite the quiet equestrian feel of the gated Hidden Hills community that surrounds the place. In addition to the pool and grotto, there is a riding arena, a sand volleyball court, a 24-seat theater, a game room and “commercial bathrooms.” Wonder if you need a token to enter.

Pollack founded the Saddle Ranch Chop House chain in 1999 and he remains president. The restaurants blend Western-style food with rock ’n’ roll and has earned a place in popular culture, having appeared many times in TV shows including “Sex in the City,” “The Bachelor” and “Desperate Housewives.”

Pollack opened his first restaurant, an Irish pub and sports bar, on the Sunset Strip in 1996. He has also owned a sushi bar on the same street a year later.

The listing agent is Jordan Cohen of ReMax/Olson & Associates in Westlake Village.

Colony Departure

James Castleberry, a former vice president of Wickes Cos. Inc., has listed his Malibu Colony West town home at $1.17 million. The home sits above Broad Beach, has outstanding ocean views and is in a complex of just 14 units. Small, when it means exclusive as it does in this case, is good. Very good.

We would assume it’s nicely decorated inasmuch as Castleberry is the former vice president of Wickes, which, among other things, used to have a chain of furniture stores. He was a member of the company’s turnaround team, led by Sandy Sigoloff, which restructured the conglomerate that holds more than 30 companies in diverse markets ranging from retail operations, home furnishings, auto products, building materials and financial services. Me? I just knew the furniture stores.

Castleberry was also a member of the senior management team after the company was acquired by Blackstone Group Inc.

Castleberry has lived in the condo complex, designed by architect Carl Volante, since 1994. It is gated, and amenities include private beach rights, a pool, spa and tennis courts. His unit has two bedrooms plus a loft. There are two fireplaces, high ceilings and it is priced below the most recent sale.

Gracee Arthur of Sotheby’s International Realty, Malibu, has the listing. She sold the unit to Castleberry 15 years ago.

Model Project

Former model Cathleen Gallagher just sold a spec house in Pacific Palisades that she designed and developed. Sales price: $3.5 million.

The solar-powered three-story house has seven bedrooms, 7.5 bathrooms and is on the Las Lomas Bluffs. Striving to create a home that reminded her of Provence, France, Gallagher used French eBay to find authentic materials, including iron and glass street lamps, 17th century fireplaces, antique doors and reclaimed beams.

Gallagher was just a teenager when she was discovered by the Elite Modeling Agency; she later graced the cover of Italian Vogue. She discovered architectural home design after her modeling career.

Anthony Marguleas of Amalfi Estates, Pacific Palisades, was the listing agent.

Ann Brenoff can be reached at [email protected]

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