Map of the Stars – Lake Washington

Hundred Homes Publishing has published the map "Lake Washington Map of the Stars."  It provides a detailed from the water guide for viewing 55 of the most spectacular mansions (some multi-mansion compounds) in Lake Washington 130 Homes.  The map is available in book stores throughout the PNW. (It is not available online.)  The map is 91 cents ($1 including tax) and free with the purchase of Lake Washington 130 Homes.

Paul Allen – Idea Man

Paul Allen’s Campus on Mercer Island

Please see the 12/28/10 post for the guide for viewing the $150 million, 9.6 acre campus.

Paul Allen’s new book, Idea Man, has created a lot of controversy.  Some of the local headlines are:  Paul Allen goes public with hard feelings toward Gates, Paul Allen's attempt to shape his legacy may backfire, Paul Allen says book not revenge against Gates, and Paul Allen's book: Shaping legacy with a chainsaw?

An interesting article (Seattle Times by Kristi Helm) discusses a lengthy interview with Paul at his MI campus and discusses Paul’s relationship with Bill while also describing the author’s tour of Paul’s campus.  Helm’s description of the main controversy in the book is:  “Allen accuses Gates, along with Chief Executive Steve Ballmer, of trying to cheat him out of Microsoft shares while Allen was being treated for cancer in 1982. Allen said he overheard the two conspiring to dilute his shares by issuing options to themselves and others. (Ballmer went to Allen's house later to apologize.)  ‘My partner was out to grab as much of the pie as possible and hold onto it,’ Allen writes."

Most of the book is about the creation of Microsoft and the eight years Paul was with Microsoft.  The headlines are grabbing the obvious rift between Allen and the team of Gates (house guide) and Ballmer (house guide).

Medina West Coast Home For Sale - $8.8 Million

Waterfront home with tram up to garage

From Windermere’s (Rondi Egenes) and Big Dog Realty’s (Bruce Gunnels) MLS listing: (includes numerous photos): “A masterpiece in construction, design, and finished detail. 130 front feet facing due west. 3200 square foot garage. State-of-the-art tram down to exquisite home, featuring 180 degree views of lake, mountains and Seattle Skyline. Augercast pilings at every bearing point under all structures. Invisible retaining walls, natural springs and waterfalls. Georgian heart pine floors and beamed ceilings, river rock fireplaces. Custom built by commercial contractor. The ultimate in privacy and solitude.”

Most of the homes in this area are on the bluff with a tram to the waterfront and dock. This home is on the waterfront level with a tram up to the garage. The home is 4,540 sq ft on 1.0 acres with 130 feet of waterfront. This home is below and to the immediate north of the LW 130 Homes page 107 Gaudette home (for whom the Fancis J. Gaudette Theater in Issaquah is named). The Gaudette home is on the bluff with a tram down to the waterfront.

Waterfront Home Sales Surge In 2011

Bruce McCaw’s Former Groat Point Mansion Sold For $15.3M

This is the most expensive home sold so far in 2011 and was featured in our 2/13/11 post.

The Puget Sound Business Journal reported in the March 31, 2011, edition sales of homes over $1 million are surging. This, of course, includes the premier waterfront homes featured in Lake Washington 130 Homes. The March 254 pending and closed sales for homes over $ 1 million in King County are up 63% year over year. Slightly less half the 254 had closed at the time of publication.

Tere Foster of Foster Realty and Windermere was quoted in the article: “It’s significantly different than last year. There’s some energy in the market.” Tere has the “Harmony” – Glazer Mercer Island $26.9 M listing featured in our 3/20/11 post.

The article also featured a former Microsoft exec who moved from Sammamish to a $3.6M 6,670 sq ft mansion adjacent (but not on the water) to Michael Mastro’s former mansion on Medina’s Evergreen Point.

Michael Mastro in the News

Mastro’s Former Medina Mansion Sold for $9.1 Million

Michael Mastro is back in the news. The Seattle Times 4/6/11 article stated, “Judge Marc Barreca turned down a bid by the guardian for the now-incapacitated Mastro to pay her, and her lawyer, from funds administered by Mastro's chief adversary, court-appointed trustee James Rigby.” Further details are in the article. The Mastro bankruptcy, with debts of $570 million, is the largest in Washington state’s history. Many “family and friends” lost their fortunes when his commercial real estate investment funds failed. Mastro was incapacitated following a head injury from a fall in his Palm Springs home two months ago. More information about Mastro and his former Medina Mansion is in previous posts on 11/10/11, 10/11/10 and 11/12/09 and Lake Washington 130 Homes on page 126.

Stroum Philanthropy Legacy

Proctor Landing Tudor on the left and Harmony on the right

Marsha Stroum Sloan and Jay Glazer’s Mercer Island waterfront family compound (Lake Washington 130 Homes page 58), “Harmony,” is for sale for $26.9 million (3/20/11 post). It is next to the landmark “Proctor Landing Tudor” that sold in 2009 for $15.7 million (2/16/10 post). Marsha is the daughter of the late Sam and Althea Stroum. Her sister is Cynthia Stroum (3/21/11 post). Sam and Althea Stroum were prominent area philanthropists. Sam and Marsha’s former husband, Stuart Sloan (page 34, LW 130 Homes), were former co-owners of Schuck’s Auto Supply. Marsha and Jay have moved to Santa Barbara where there is a new Stroum family compound.

Marsha’s and Cynthia’s mother, Althea, recently (March 14, 2011) passed away (Seattle Times obituary) and their father, Sam, passed away March 9, 2001 (Seattle Times editorial). The Stroum name is on many prominent arts, medical, education and community buildings and halls in the Seattle area. Benaroya Hall, University of Washington, Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center and the Stroum Jewish Community Center of Greater Seattle on Mercer Island are most notable. In 1991 the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle established the Althea Stroum Woman of Distinction Award.

Obama Stroum Connection

A February 4, 2011, a Seattle Times and Associated Press article reported “Big Obama donor Cynthia Stroum quits envoy job [America's ambassador to Luxembourg] amid criticism.” The article starts: “As a supporter of presidential candidate Barack Obama, Cynthia Stroum was a superstar whose financial backing of the campaign landed her a plum diplomatic posting in Europe.” The article reported she was a “disaster . . . management . . . was abysmal . . . fraught with personality conflicts, verbal abuse and questionable expenditures on travel, wine and liquor.” The article strongly implies her appointment was a political reward.

The Puget Sound Business Journal reported on February 7, 2011, Cynthia had filed a rebuttal to the State Department report. She told the Associated Press she did not know whether she could release details of the rebuttal publicly.

The Stroum family has generously contributed to Democratic candidates. Cynthia donated the maximum personal amount to Obama's campaign and previously donated $2,300 to former Sen. John Edwards’ presidential campaign. She was one of the top Obama fund raisers, being responsible for raising at least $500,000 for the 2008 campaign. Some of the fund raisers were held at the Mercer Island compound (Lake Washington 130 Homes page 58) of Cynthia’s sister, Marsha Stroum Sloan Glazer. The compound is listed for sale for $26.9 million (3/20/11 post).

Glazer-Stroum MI Family Compound For Sale - $26.9 Million

Glazer-Stroum MI Family Compound

From Windermere’s MLS listing:

"Resting gently on 2.93 acres, Harmony commands an extraordinary 324 feet of Lake Washington waterfront and sets its vista on the Seattle skyline and Mount Rainier . . . Waves roll gently up on the beach as the sun shines down on two private docks. . . over 14,000 square feet . . living wing plays host to the grotto, saline pool and exercise areas. Upstairs two guest suites each with their own bath and walk-in closets . . . private outdoor spa . . . A world like no other."

Marsha Stroum Sloan Glazer purchased the waterfront home on one acre in 1992 for an undisclosed amount from Bruce Leven, a famous race car driver and former owner of numerous Seattle area car dealerships. The compound now includes an additional four parcels acquired from 2001 to 2005.

Martha, as part of the Stroum family legacy, is a prominent philanthropist and theater patron. She supports numerous causes financially and, as a board member and trustee of many organizations, has hosted fund raisers in this beautiful compound of 14,660 sq ft on 2.9 acres with 324 feet of waterfront. More information is in Lake Washington 130 Homes on page 58.

Mastro and Russo Top The 2010 Most Expensive Home Sales

 Michael Mastro’s Former Medina Mansion

Ray Russo’s Former Hunts Point Mansion

Estately.com has a cool web site and published “The 10 most expensive homes sold in King County, Washington in 2010.”

Russo’s Hunts Point mansion, $11.3 million sale, (posted here 5/13/10) was number one on the list. Mastro’s Medina mansion, $9.1 million sale, (posted here 11/10/10) was number two on the list. Number ten on the list was a Yarrow Point mansion which sold for $5.7 million. Five out of the ten were Lake Washington waterfront homes, which are covered by this blog and were in Lake Washington 130 Homes. Three were in Seattle’s new high rise condo buildings.

Liddell’s Medina Mansion – Resigns From GM

This home is owned by Christopher P. and Patricia Liddell. Christopher, born in New Zealand, had been with Microsoft as Senior Vice President and CFO from 2005 to 2009. He came to Microsoft from International Paper where he was Sr. VP & CFO. He left Microsoft in December 2009 and moved in 2010 to Detroit to take the CFO position with GM. His base starting salary with GM was $750,000 per year and it was publicized he could get up to $5.45 million in stock. (Go to Seattle Times December 24, 2009, article.) The Medina home was listed for sale at $8.8 million in May 2009 but did not sell.

The national press and the Seattle Times announced on March 10, 2011, Chris was resigning from GM after being passed up for the top job. He had been recognized as doing an outstanding job as GM’s CFO.

The estate has 7,365 sq ft on 0.63 acres with 134 feet of waterfront, 5 bedrooms and 5 baths. It is near the tip of Evergreen Point, facing west and about 120 yards north of Michael Mastro’s former mansion. The Liddells purchased the mansion in 2005 for $7 million. This home features a prime view, lush landscaping with a brook and pond, a large game room with a second kitchen, and two docks. More information is in Lake Washington 130 Homes on page 127.