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Antiquity and Silicon Valley are two concepts that are often incompatible. The very name of the region formed roughly by San Francisco Bay, the Santa Cruz Mountains to the west, and the Diablo Range to the east is synonymous with technological innovation, where the future, not the past , is king.
The legendary Green Gables Estate in Woodside, California sits on 74 acres of park-like grounds.
However, a hundred years ago this was not the case. At the beginning of the 20th century, the region was mainly dominated by agriculture, known then as the “Valley of Heart’s Delights”, in reference to the popularity of fruits grown in the many orchards of the region. It was at this time that a San Francisco industrialist Mortimer Fleishhacker Sr. began searching for the perfect site that would eventually house Green Gables, his grand estate, says his great-grandson Mark Fleishhacker.
With two private roads, wooded trails and endless tranquility, the estate is considered one of the … [+]
“When my great-grandfather started looking for a property, he wanted two things: he wanted to get away from San Francisco‘s infamous summer fog and he wanted to get away from his in-laws,” says the marketing manager. based in Florence.
Whether the purchase of 45 acres in the heart of Silicon Valley was the result of extreme fortune or forethought is still unclear, says Fleishhacker. “When you build a magnificent estate in the center of Silicon Valley in 1911, it either means you’re really lucky, or you have a vision, or you have a bit of both.”
At the heart of the estate is an exquisitely scaled main residence surrounded by world-class gardens
Fast forward to today and the Silicon Valley of 1911 would be unrecognizable even to longtime residents.
The Green Gables estate, however, remains largely unchanged.
The land includes six additional houses, a beautiful stone tea house, a large reservoir fed by a spring … [+]
While updates have been made over its 100-plus-year history, including the addition of 29 acres and additional structures, the 74-acre estate has preserved its pristine landscape, free from overdevelopment or traffic.
Now, after serving as the Fleishhacker family’s summer home for more than a century, Green Gables is on the market for $125 million.
Some of the details to note include the French windows with tiles and the furniture selected by the famous New York … [+]
Only 20 minutes from San Francisco at 329 Albion Avenuethe sprawling estate resides in Woodside, a small, unincorporated pocket in San Mateo County known for having one of the wealthiest ZIP codes in the United States.
A combination of natural and manicured beauty, the grounds seamlessly blend miles of unbroken forest, rolling hills and streams into manicured gardens, orchards and vineyards. Irrigation is almost exclusively provided by a spring-fed reservoir of approximately 50,000 square feet.
The nearly 10,000 square foot home has retained much of its turn-of-the-century elegance.
If that’s not enough for you, the estate also has three pools, including a stunning 1,800-square-foot Roman pool bordered by a lily pond and framed by mossy stone stairs and vaulted grottos.
A total of seven houses make up the estate’s residential structures, including the English mansion-inspired main house. Sitting atop the property’s central hill with views of the Santa Cruz Mountains, the nearly 10,000-square-foot home retains much of its turn-of-the-century elegance, with thatched roofs, sliding doors, and paned windows and furniture curated by New York designer Elsie de Wolfe.
A park-like setting creates a stunning backdrop for the property’s Roman-style pool.
With such a high price, the marketing of the Woodside estate takes a more targeted approach, says listing agent Zach Goldsmith from Beverly Hills Hilton & Hyland.
“Obviously there’s a very specific demographic that we’re trying to reach here,” Goldsmith explained. “There are probably only around 10,000 people in the world who could afford to own a property like this. So we reach out to the richest and most influential people in the world.
In addition to the Roman pool, there are three other pools on the grounds.
The agent added that due to the size of the property and its proximity to San Francisco, potential buyers could include not just individuals but businesses as well. “The property should remain residential, but there is definitely a market for a business to buy it for some sort of retirement. With orchards and wide open spaces, it really is a place that fosters creativity.
For Fleishhacker, the domain speaks for itself. “The real challenge is getting the buyer to set foot on the property. Once you have found the right qualified person, there has always been significant interest as the property is outstanding.
Hilton & Hyland is a founding member of Forbes Global Propertiesa consumer marketplace and member network of elite brokerages selling the world’s most luxurious homes.
