In 2010, an investor bought Bel-Air founder Alphonzo Bell’s 1928 estate for $5.5 million; after a five-year restoration, the 10,600-sq-ft mansion is asking $32.5 million
In 2010, an investor bought Bel-Air founder Alphonzo Bell’s 1928 estate for $5.5 million; after a five-year restoration, the 10,600-sq-ft mansion is asking $32.5 millionA 1928 mansion that Bel-Air’s founder built for himself has hit the market, with an asking price of $32.5 million. The sale comes after a comprehensive five-year restoration, according to a report by Platinum Tribune.The current owner, Michael Wexler, bought the estate for $5.5 million eleven years ago. The 10,600-sq-ft Spanish-style estate is on one of Bel-Air’s most coveted perches, with a lineage tracing back to the neighbourhood’s founder himself. Wexler had no plans to flip the property when he bought it. He bought it to live in, and he did, for roughly a decade before deciding the house deserved something more ambitious: a complete resurrection. After that, the estate at 10772 Chalon Road was rebranded as Maison de La Reine, and this month it hit the market, asking $32.5 million.
Landmark estate
Real estate developer and oilman Alphonzo Bell, who established the surrounding neighbourhood and the Bel-Air Country Club, built this mansion in 1928 for himself. Bell went to architect Mark Daniels, the same man who helped him create Bel-Air itself. By then, Daniels had laid out the neighbourhood’s streets and planted thousands of trees to frame them. He’d engineered underground equestrian tunnels so riders could navigate the hills without mixing with automobile traffic. This house was Daniels applying that same precision and vision to a single residence.The Spanish-style design reflected 1920s LA, when Mediterranean-inspired homes were a symbol of luxury and fashion. The craftsmanship of the mansion spoke for itself. The house features built-in millwork, hand-carved stone fireplaces, and terrazzo floors laid by hand.
The renovation
Pic credit: Beverly Hills estate
Over the years, the 1928 mansion has had many famous owners, including Queen Noor of Jordan and the late film producer Steven Reuther, who built a private cinema and editing suite on site.In 2010, Maple Leaf Capital CEO Michael Wexler purchased the property for $5.5 million. He lived there for a decade before renovating it in 2021. Rather than gut-renovate, he asked designers Kendra Sosothikul and Paula Press of Studio Berosso to approach the project with a scholar’s attention to detail. The original 1928 checkerboard terrazzo foyer was preserved and restored in place. The hand-painted Gracie wallpaper adorning the breakfast room ceiling was either conserved or recreated to match period specifications. He also added some modern flair: custom Gucci wallpaper now lines the private office and theatre powder room, while a Calacatta Viola marble fireplace anchors the formal living room. A new wine cellar was built with hand-laid mosaic flooring. The original indoor pool was reimagined as a climate-controlled fitness space. The outdoor terraces were expanded to frame views towards Century City and Downtown Los Angeles. These upgrades only added a contemporary flair to the historic estate. Listing agent Chris Soffer of The Beverly Hills Estates described the renovation as a continuation of the home’s historic character. They managed to find a balance between comfort and history.Chris Soffer holds the listing alongside Trenton Armitage, Rayni Williams, and Branden Williams. The asking price is $32.5 million. The buyer will also have to pay a special 5.5% transfer tax under Los Angeles’ Measure ULA. This tax applies to property sales above $10.9 million. For a $32.5 million sale, that would be about $1.78 million in additional tax at the time of the sale.
