Former Muhammad Ali estate in Hancock Park lands on auction block

A century-old mansion in Hancock Park once owned by heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali is set to sell at auction, with a current bid of $8 million.

The 14,500-square-foot Italian Renaissance estate is up for auction at 55 Fremont Place, USA Today reported. Live bids are accepted via Concierge Auctions through May 15.

The seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom home was bought by Los Angeles attorney Michael Lawson and his wife, Mattie McFadden-Lawson, in 2001 for $2.5 million, according to the Robb Report.

Lawson, former CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League and a U.S. ambassador during the Obama administration, had listed the home in early 2019 for $16.999 million, before pulling it and relisting it many times for the same price.

Mattie McFadden-Lawson worked as a philanthropist and served as a super delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2016. Her interior design firm MML Design Group oversaw the mansion’s restoration.

The 1.6-acre estate was listed in January last year for $15 million, pulled, then relisted in February and in April for $13.5 million, the listed auction reserve price. Bidding began on April 26.

The home is also subject to a nonjudicial foreclosure, with a notice of default on Feb. 7, according to Zillow. Whether it’s being sold in a foreclosure auction wasn’t immediately confirmed.

The three-story mansion, built in 1916, was designed by John Austin, the architect behind the Griffith Observatory and Los Angeles City Hall. 

It sits on a corner lot within the gated Fremont Place, whose 70 estates were once home to A.P. Giannini, founder of Bank of America, and King Gillette, founder of the razor firm. The neighborhood has been home to Shonda Rhimes, Mindy Kaling and Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne.

Ali, whose boxing career ran from around 1960 to 1980, bought the mansion in 1979. He lived there until 1986, according to USA Today. He later focused on social activism and philanthropy. He died at age 74 in 2016.

The home has hosted such luminaries as Michael Jackson, Sylvester Stallone, Clint Eastwood and President Barack Obama, according to the listing.

The mansion is split into public and private areas, according to Robb. It includes a grand entry foyer, salon and circular-shaped conservatory, living room and dining room. The lower level was made for entertaining. 

A large stained-glass window designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany is set on the second floor, along with original stone fireplaces, French Empire crystal chandeliers and wood paneling.

The mansion includes two offices, as well as a ballroom and a full-sized bar. A large master suite has its own fireplace and a column-lined deck.

The home is surrounded by a large swimming pool, landscaped gardens, fountain-filled patios and pergola-covered walkways, in addition to a 1,000-square-foot guest house. 

Elsewhere in Hancock Park, the former Spanish Revival estate of Howard Hughes was listed in August for $23 million at 211 South Muirfield Road.

— Dana Bartholomew

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