High above the Pacific Ocean on the cliffs of La Jolla Bay, Darwin Deason's mansion is set to make history.
The architectural masterpiece, known locally as The Sandcastle, is hitting the market at $108 million, compass agents Brett Dickinson and Ross Clark told The New York Post.
If sold at its asking price, The Sandcastle — reminiscent of Versailles — would shatter the current San Diego County real estate record of $44 million paid by billionaire Egon Durban paid earlier this year for a Del Mar oceanfront property.
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Spanning nearly 13,000 square feet, Deason's estate features stone columns, large balconies and a private elevated beach.
Inside, the mansion is a lavish tribute to old-world Europe, featuring intricate mosaics, marble floors, and rooms adorned with solid gold accents. The guesthouse, inspired by Versailles' Le Petit Trianon, adds to the estate's grandeur.
Deason, who founded Affiliated Computer Services and sold it to Xerox for over $6 billion in 2009, acquired The Sandcastle and a neighboring parcel for $26 million that same year.
While primarily based in Dallas, where he is a prominent Republican donor, Deason uses the La Jolla estate as a vacation retreat.
Built in 2005 by San Diego developer Doug Manchester, the mansion has sweeping ocean views, but Deason wanted a more opulent retreat. He spent $60 million stripping the house to its foundation and completely rebuilding it, adding the Versailles-inspired guesthouse.
Deason's vision was to create a fusion of French elegance and the iconic Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, a long-time favorite destination. To bring his vision to life, he enlisted renowned designer Timothy Corrigan, whose clientele includes Hollywood celebrities and royalty.
The 0.8-acre compound has 10 bedrooms and panoramic views.
The main house's grand living room features coffered ceilings and arched windows overlooking the bay, leading to a wraparound terrace. The formal dining room, which accommodates up to 16 guests, is adorned with a crystal chandelier, gold-leaf detailing, and antique cabinets.
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The nautically themed guesthouse has a bar mirroring the one on Deason's yacht, complete with marine-inspired paintings and a pair of 18th-century mermaid statues.
Deason wasn't content with California's natural sand. To achieve the perfect beach experience, invested about $40,000 to import sand used by the same source used by the prestigious Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.
"Everyone who watches the golf tournament knows it is a spectacular shade of white," he told The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the listing.
The property also features two cabanas and a beachfront boathouse equipped with a kitchen. The slate roof tiles for the boathouse were selected from a Chinese quarry, with Deason securing as much of the desired color and pattern as could be mined.
The property, which has two natural caves, also has a swimming pool and fitness center.
Because he doesn't use The Sandcastle as much as his homes in Dallas and Cabo San Lucas, it's time to let it go.
"In the history of La Jolla, there has never been and never will be another property built in the waterfront like The Sandcastle due to the present oceanfront construction standards established by the state of California," the agents told The New York Post in a statement.
The opportunity to adjoin the two parcels in this location is so rare, and this fact, coupled with the seller's no-expense-spared vision to bring the French Riviera to La Jolla's oceanfront makes The Sandcastle a real estate gem.
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