Then, last July, Bezos appeared to make another purchase, this time right next door: a US$10 million home that shares a hedge line with the Warner estate. According to property records viewed by Variety, Bezos became the new owner of the 1930s-era home on a side street in Beverly Hills’ Benedict Canyon neighbourhood. 

While there are few photos of the estate and the adjacent home, Los Angeles County has plenty of aerial views of the property that give us our best look yet at the massive compound Bezos is amassing in the hills above LA. A spokesperson for Amazon did not respond to request for comment on the sale – but here’s what we know so far ...

The Warner estate was built by Jack Warner, the co-founder and one-time president of Warner Bros., in 1937. Warner began with three acres (1.2 hectares) of what used to be farmland, and slowly but surely, added parcels of adjacent land. He also built out the grounds of the estate, adding a golf course and two ponds.

What’s the big deal?

Warner liked to throw extravagant parties that were attended by stars like Olivia de Havilland and Jimmy Stewart, and moguls like Howard Hughes. An invitation to a party at the estate was apparently one of the most sought-after in Hollywood in the late 1930s and early 40s.

Warner filled the estate with expensive art, including a portrait of his wife, Ann, painted by Salvador Dali.

Warner died in 1978, and Ann Warner owned the house until she died in 1990. That year, the music and movie tycoon David Geffen bought the whole estate, including the art, for US$47.5 million, according to Forbes. The sale set a record at the time.

Geffen, who is worth an estimated US$9 billion, has a multimillion-dollar real estate portfolio that includes homes in Malibu, California, New York’s East Hampton and Manhattan.

In February 2020, Bezos became the new owner of the Warner estate, according to The Wall Street Journal, reporting that Bezos bought the property for US$165 million, making it the most expensive home sale in California history.

What’s it like inside?

The Warner estate spans eight acres (3.2 hectares) and is situated in the Benedict Canyon neighbourhood of Beverly Hills.

The estate promises the utmost privacy. It’s surrounded by tall hedges, blocked off by a large gate, and completely hidden from view from the street.

The compound is home to multiple dwellings, including two guest houses and a 13,600 sq ft mansion.

The Georgian-style home has eight bedrooms and nine bathrooms. It includes a floor that was once owned by Napoleon, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Photos shot of the interior of the estate by Architectural Digest in the early 90s show a screening room, an expansive bar, and a dining room that could easily fit 14 guests.

The grounds also include a tennis court and manicured gardens. Geffen spent US$45 million renovating the property, including US$20 million on landscaping alone, The Journal reported.

At one point, the property also included a nine-hole golf course and a “motor court” with a garage and gas pumps, according to Architectural Digest, though it’s not clear if those amenities are still on the property.

Need something bigger?

Bezos reportedly bought an adjacent property in July for US$10 million. That property is on Tropical Avenue, which is perpendicular to the Warner estate. It shares a hedge with the compound, though it is currently accessed from a different street.

That adjacent property was built in 1930 and was last sold for US$5.45 million, according to Variety. It features three bedrooms and five bathrooms, six fireplaces, a rear patio, and rose and vegetable gardens.

It’s not clear what Bezos would want with an adjacent property, but he has a history of snapping up homes near his larger estates. In 2017, he bought the house next door to his previous Beverly Hills mansion for US$12.9 million. His ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, was granted both homes in the couple’s divorce.

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This article originally appeared on Business Inside