Two months ago, Spotify revealed it had agreed to acquire The Ringer, the media company founded by veteran sports journalist and podcaster Bill Simmons, in an all-cash deal valued at nearly $200 million. The hefty purchase price reportedly boosted Simmons’ net worth into the nine-figure stratosphere.
And the entrepreneurial firebrand has wasted little time sinking some of that massive cash influx back into Los Angeles, where he’s added to his already bulging portfolio of personal residences by making his biggest property splash yet — shelling out more than $16.1 million for a historic estate sited in the posh neighborhood of Hancock Park, on what is arguably the enclave’s most desirable street.
The $16.1 million splurge ranks as the second-biggest deal ever inked in the area, a few notches below the $19 million mansion deal that shattered Hancock Park records earlier this year. That latter house, acquired by businessman Thomas J. Swan III and his husband Joe Townley, happens to be only two doors away from the new Simmons abode.
Originally built in 1925, Simmons’ sprawling manor was reportedly once home to noted architect Lloyd Wright — FLW’s late son — and had formerly been owned by pioneering cosmetics tycoon Max Factor. The estate changed hands infrequently over the ensuing decades, most recently in 2011, when it sold for a relatively paltry $6.08 million to nursing home tycoon Lawrence Feigen.
Since the Feigen-to-Simmons deal was consummated off-market, the home’s current accouterments remain mostly a mystery. But back in 2011, the grand old dame displayed gorgeous old world craftsmanship — original custom molded ceilings, leaded glass windows, an octagonal breakfast room and acres of opulent, hand-carved wood trim. The 8,100 sq. ft. home has seven bedrooms and a total of 5.5 baths.
The nearly one-acre estate also features lush landscaping, with spacious lawns front and rear. Meandering pathways twist around ancient oak trees and formal gardens, while brick-and-stone pathways lead to the detached guesthouse, a mini-replica of the main mansion. At the far rear of the property is a full-size, lighted tennis court with an adjacent viewing pavilion — nicely shaded from the L.A. sunshine by a thatched roof, of course. And just a quick skip from the pavilion is a large swimming pool surrounded by an expansive brick patio, perfect for sunbathing on a chaise lounge.
Besides his new $16 million estate, property records reveal Simmons continues to maintain a fearsome stable of luxury homes. Back in late 2015, he punted out $7.5 million for an oceanfront cottage on Malibu’s exclusive Carbon Beach, where some of his neighbors include billionaires like Eli Broad, Larry Ellison and Jeffrey Katzenberg. He also continues to maintain his longtime Hancock Park residence, a $3.1 million 1920s Tudor that was acquired back in 2007. There’s also a condo in Westwood — walking distance to UCLA — and last December, the budding real estate tycoon splashed out $1.7 million for a Spanish-style home in L.A.’s Larchmont Village neighborhood.
Launch Gallery: Inside Bill Simmons' Stately English Tudor in Hancock Park
