David Hertz’s ‘Californication’ house in Venice sells for a record $14.6 million

A Venice residence made famous on the series “Californication” has sold for $14.6 million, a record for the beachfront neighborhood, public records show.

The home that sits on a lot of 7,500 square feet in the Silver Triangle consists of four permanent structures connected by three bridges that surround a lap swimming pool. The compound has a combined 5,000 square feet of living space that includes seven bedrooms, a media room and a pool room. An outdoor kitchen, a fire pit, a rooftop deck and a basketball area make up the grounds.

The seller was architect and environmentalist David Hertz, who designed the home in 1995 and describes it as “somewhat of a living laboratory.”

“The house might look contemporary, but imagine it back in ’95,” Hertz, a pioneer in the field of sustainable design, said. “Nobody really had solar-thermal systems and natural ventilation, and certainly not of that period.”

A building material called Syndecrete Surfaces, which Hertz invented and later sold, was used to create the countertops, sinks and floor tiles. Concrete floors, recycled and sustainable wood and expanses of glass speak to the home’s eclectic style, which draws from Bali, Craftsman and modern styles.

Already a local landmark, the home gained a global following in 2007 after it was used as a primary filming location on the series “Californication.” Scenes from the film “Adaptation” were also shot at the property.

Hertz identified the buyer as a real estate investment group led by Venice-based sustainable builder Nick Valencia. The pair are collaborating on other ecological homes, said Hertz, who will also oversee a restoration of the house he just sold. His architecture firm will remain in Venice.

“It’s the end of this chapter, but it’s also the start of a new one,” Hertz said.

The sale, which closed off-market, bests the previous price record for a single-family home in Venice. That record was set by the sale of the former home of sculptor Robert Graham and actress Anjelica Huston three years ago for $11.15 million.

Justin Alexander of Halton Pardee + Partners attributes the record sale to both architectural pedigree and property size.

“When people see [Hertz] designed a home, it creates an immediate premium,” Alexander said. “Plus this is a generously-sized compound on a double lot, which is much larger than your typical Venice home.”

Alexander, along with Tami Pardee of Halton Pardee + Partners and Tim Mullin of Partners Trust, represented the seller in the sale. Mullin, Pardee and Katie Pardee, also of Halton Pardee + Partners, represented the buyers.

neal.leitereg@latimes.com

Twitter: @NJLeitereg

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