Obama at Sinegal Hunts Point Mansion

President Obama is attending two fundraisers today at the Hunts Point mansion of James D. and Janet Sinegal. More information, including a video, is in yesterday’s and today’s KING-5 news. James is the co-founder, with Jeffrey Brotman, of Costco and former President, CEO of the company. Two previous Obama fundraisers were held at Brotman’s Medina LW waterfront mansion (click for more information). James started his retail career in 1954 as a bagger for FedMart. He worked with Sol and Robert Price in San Diego to form Price Club in 1976. In 1993 Costco and Price Club were similar in size with about $8 billion each in annual sales and the two companies merged. In 1994 and Price Club stores became Costcos. The Sinegals are next door neighbors to a Nordstrom family mansion and Scott Oki’s mansion. Oki is the area’s golf mogul. More neighborhood information is on a LW Cruising post. The Sinegals’ mansion is 8,370 sq ft on 1.56 acres with 165 feet of waterfront. (The page numbers in the photos refer to LW 130 Homes.)

President Obama – Bill Gates

Bill Gates supported President Obama with his attendance at the fundraising lunch at the mansion of Jeff and Susan Brotman on February 17, 2012. This event was reported today in The Seattle Times. The Times reported the $17,900 per plate brunch was attended by approximately 70 people. Natalie Cole performed and the lunch was prepared by renowned chef, Tom Douglas. An earlier post has more information on the event.

Gates and Brotman are Medina neighbors with Jeff Bezos’ mansions in between. The Brotman mansion is in the exclusive cove of Medina that includes Nathan Myhrvold’s T-Rex house, Charles Simonyi’s Windows 2000 house and Gary Reed’s former estate. Cruising, boating and viewing this area is featured in Lake Washington Cruising blog posts (5/8/11 and 5/4/11).

Jeff is the Chairman and co-founder of Costco. The mansion, as reported in the New York Times and my earlier post, is known as “Their Art House.”

The A through F letters in the above picture of Gates’ mansion and convention center refer to a “Guide For Viewing Gates’ Mansion From the Water.” The page number on all the above mansion pictures refer to Lake Washington 130 Homes.

Obama – Brotman Brunch

President Obama will return to the Brotmans for a fundraising brunch on February 17, 2012. This was reported in the Seattle Times in an Associated Press article on February 1. The $17,900 per plate brunch will be at the mansion of Jeff and Susan Brotman. The funds will be used for Obama’s reelection campaign and to support the Democratic National Committee. The Brotmans previously hosted a $7,500 per plate Democratic fundraising lunch with Michelle Obama on October 25, 2010. The mansion is in the exclusive cove of Medina that includes Nathan Myhrvold’s T-Rex house, Charles Simonyi’s Window 2000 house and Gary Reed’s former estate. The mansion is on page 98 in Lake Washington 130 Homes.

Jeff is the Chairman and co-founder of Costco. The mansion, as reported in the New York Times, is known as “Their Art House” that includes monumental pieces by Richard Serra and James Turrell. The house was designed by Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects who are known for designing art-galleries-cum-residences. The louvers on the front (water side) and roof of the house adjust to provide the optimum natural light on the extensive art collection.

Richard DiCerchio Costco Mansion For Sale - $11.3 million

Richard DiCerchio’s Medina Groat Point Mansion

Costco’s Richard DiCerchio’s Medina Groat Point Mansion is for sale for $11.3 million. From the listing agent’s (Wendy Lister, CBB) summary: “Gold Coast Royalty! Standing ovation spectacles...Olympic peaks, Seattle's spires, incomparable Mt. Rainier cone. A Demetriou signature: a fusion of home, lake and R David Adams' symphony of blooms. An early greatroom inspiration for your circle of friends...tremendous, sleek overscale cuisine center. The Nano wall at waterside level a Malibu inspiration opening the brilliant fireside Nutron lit pool for fresh air moonlight/sunshine swims. Astonishing! Movies, sport bar. Deep water dock.”

The estate has 9,000 sq ft on 0.65 acres with 118 feet of waterfront, 4 bedrooms and 5.25 baths. DiCerchio is Senior Executive Vice President and COO of Issaquah-based Costco. He joined the company in 1983 as VP, Operations. He was appointed Executive VP in 1986, COO – Western Region in 1992, and his current position in 1997.

More information is in Lake Washington 130 Homes on page 90.

Groat Point Medina

J. Lennox Scott’s Mansion

Looking across tip of Groat Point east towards Bellevue

Groat Point marks the Medina entrance to Meydenbauer Bay. This has been the site of many famous mansions. The first (McGilvra) house was built in the 1800s. In 1928 Miller Freeman purchased and moved into a 14 room mansion on this site. Miller was the owner of a Seattle publishing house and several journals. He was instrumental in getting the Lake Washington Ship Canal built in 1916. He is the father of Kemper Freeman and grandfather of Kemper Freeman, Jr. The Kempers have been responsible for major development of Bellevue. Kemper Jr. founded Kemper Development Company which is the major developer of downtown Bellevue.

The Point was subdivided into multiple lots. The property and mansion on the southwest corner of the Point is owned by J. Lennox Scott. Lennox is Chairman and CEO of John L. Scott Real Estate. The company was founded in 1931 by his grandfather and has become one of the largest and most successful regional real estate companies in the nation.

The next lot to the northwest is for sale for $11.3 million (2/15 post). It belongs to Richard DiCerchio, Senior Executive Vice President and COO of Issaquah-based Costco.

The property and mansion on the southwest corner of the Point was owned by Bruce McCaw and sold in January 2011 (2/13 post) to Michael V. Griffith, Trustee, for an undisclosed buyer for $15.3 million. Last year I received a rumor that J. Lennox Scott was negotiating to buy the property for investment purposes and to consolidate the tip of the Point and use part of the site for income-producing lavish events. This is a spectacular event site with 300° views that include downtown Bellevue, Mt. Rainier and the Olympics with the top of the Seattle skyline in the foreground. The location is only minutes from downtown Bellevue.

More information is in Lake Washington 130 Homes on pages 88 to 90.

Jeff Brotman Hosts Michelle Obama

Jeff and Susan Brotman hosted lunch with Michelle Obama at their Medina mansion on October 25, 2010. The lunch was a fundraiser for US Senator Patty Murray’s (Democrat Washington) reelection. Table captains pledged $7500 each. The mansion is in the exclusive cove of Medina that includes Nathan Myhrvold’s T-Rex house, Charles Simonyi’s Window 2000 house and Gary Reed’s former estate. The mansion is on page 98 in Lake Washington 130 Homes.

Jeff is the Chairman and co-founder of Costco. The mansion is also known as “their Art House” that includes monumental pieces by Richard Serra and James Turrell. The house was designed by Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects who are known for designing art-galleries-cum-residences (http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/13/magazine/footnotes-100439.html?pagewanted=2). The louvers on the front (water side) and roof of the house adjust to provide the opitimun natural light on the extensive art collection.