Century-old villa in Bel-Air sells for $35M

A century-old mansion in Bel-Air designed to look like a villa on Italy’s Amalfi Coast has sold for $35 million – $14.5 million less than its asking price.

Corporate-housing magnate Howard Ruby, who lived there with his late wife, the actress Yvette Mimieux Ruby, sold the 1.6-acre estate at 500 and 512 Perugia Way in Bel-Air Country Club, the Wall Street Journal reported. The buyer was an unidentified businessperson in California.

500 Perugia Way in Los Angeles (Zillow)

The six-bedroom, seven-bath home hit the market in April 2021 for $45 million. The price was bumped to $49.5 million after a smaller house next door was added to the deal.  The Italianate villa, built in 1928, was named Il Sogno, which means “the dream” in Italian.

The Rubys, who bought it in 1979, traveled throughout Europe and Asia buying antiques for the property, including a marble statue made for Madame de Pompadour, mistress of Louis XV. The furniture wasn’t included in the sale.

500 Perugia Way in Los Angeles (Zillow)

The 10,600-square-foot main house includes a grand living room with hand-painted beamed ceilings, arched windows and a tall, carved stone fireplace.

The villa was designed by architect and city planner Mark Daniels, who helped lay out Bel-Air, San Francisco’s Forest Hills and Pebble Beach’s 17 Mile Drive. The interior was decorated by the late design legend Kalef Alaton, who designed the interiors for the Hotel Bel-Air.

The home includes a ballroom-sized party room, a hand-lacquered library with a central skylight and chandelier, a formal dining room and a wine cellar. One bedroom has a domed ceiling covered with frescos.

Outside, there is a swimming pool with built-in seating and fountains.

The three-bedroom, Balinese-inspired cottage that came with the sale spans 4,900 square feet and comes with five baths.

In a 2021 interview with the Journal, Howard Ruby compared the property to a bejeweled egg designed by Fabergé.

“Much like a Fabergé egg, it’s not for everyone,” he said. “It’s not the style that’s in vogue right now, but someone out there is going to understand it and accept it. There’s someone out there who doesn’t want a white box.”

Ruby founded the extended-stay apartment provider Oakwood Worldwide. Mimieux Ruby, who died in January, had been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards for her work in television, including for her role in the drama series “Dr. Kildare.”

Linda May of Hilton & Hyland, Kurt Rappaport of Westside Estate Agency and Jade Mills of Coldwell Banker Realty held the listing.

Jason Oppenheim of the Oppenheim Group, who represented the buyer with colleague Mary Fitzgerald, said the purchaser was a California businessperson, but declined to name their client. He said the buyer plans an extensive remodel of the home.

— Dana Bartholomew

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