Vice Media’s Shane Smith Sells Santa Monica Estate for Nearly $49M
In 2015, Vice Media mogul Shane Smith and his wife Tamyka paid $23 million to purchase Santa Monica’s Villa Ruchello estate from filmmaker Henry Jaglom and his ex-wife, actress-director Victoria Foyt. Now, the Smiths have officially sold the stunning 3.35-acre spread — featured in the film Beverly Hills Cop and comedy series Entourage — for $48.67 million. And though that’s $2 million less than the eye-popping $50 million price tag the couple placed on the Mediterranean-style compound back in early February, it’s still an all-time record for L.A.’s Westside communities of Santa Monica, Brentwood and Pacific Palisades.
Jaglom and Foyt picked up the compound in 1994 for almost $3.2 million, and first put it up for sale at $29.5 million, around the time of their 2013 divorce. Originally built in 1932, the 14,000-square-foot dwelling had since become somewhat rundown. It underwent a multimillion-dollar, Kerry Joyce-designed revamp during the Smiths’ tenure there, however, with careful attention paid to restoring and retaining the property’s period details and classic grandeur, while at the same time adding a wealth of modern updates.
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“At this property, you feel like you go a little bit back in time,” says listing agent Santiago Arana of The Agency. “The home has incredible history. It shows it, it feels it. But with the comfort and standard of today’s living.”
Nestled on one of the largest residential lots in Santa Monica, and secluded from its site on a private cul-de-sac behind a soaring hedge and antique iron gates, the structure features a total of 13 bedrooms and 12.5 baths spread across three structures, including the main residence and a duo of guesthouses.
Just some of the many standout features: a towering foyer highlighted by a striking staircase clad in Moroccan ceramic tile and white oak; living and dining rooms sporting hand-painted, beamed ceilings, carved mantels, in-laid flooring and arched glass doors and windows overlooking the grounds; a library boasting a secret bookshelf that opens to reveal an onyx-walled speakeasy bar custom made by Mj Atelier; and a secret stairwell that descends to a wine cellar by Shamshiri.
There’s also a traditional-style chef’s kitchen with hexagonal floor tile from Clé and Wolf appliances, plus a sumptuous master retreat outfitted with dual dressing rooms and baths. The grounds, meanwhile, hold a 74-foot pool; a Japanese-style cedar hot tub; a bocce ball court; citrus tree groves; edible gardens; a children’s play area; private water wells; and a pool house equipped with a pizza oven, an Argentinian grill and a full bath.
Smith, 51, co-founded Vice Magazine in 1994 and helped transform it from a print magazine into a digital giant with $1.7 billion in funding, catapulting the company’s value to $5.7 billion. The Canada native served as the firm’s CEO until 2018, when he stepped down to become executive chairman. His current net worth is estimated at $1 billion.
Richard Ehrlich of Westside Estate Agency represented the buyer.
This story first appeared on Dirt.com.
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