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For Privacy, Hilton Checks Into Gated Life In Swank Beverly Hills

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By RUTH RYON, Los Angeles Times

Published: September 15, 2007

LOS ANGELES - Paris Hilton has a new home, and it's behind gates, not bars.

As the whole world knows, the hotel heiress, 26, wasn't keen on jail life after she was sentenced to 45 days for violating probation on an alcohol-related reckless driving conviction. She also learned that she valued her privacy.

So, soon after she returned to her home in the busy Sunset Strip area of the Hollywood Hills, she listed it for $4.25 million and purchased a home on a street less traveled for $5.9 million. The asking price was $6.25 million. Hilton bought in the Beverly Hills Post Office area and, as she desired, in a gated community.

Her new home was built in 1991 and has five bedrooms and six bathrooms plus separate guest quarters and an office in 7,400 square feet.

Hilton's former residence, built in 1926, has four bedrooms, although one was turned into a mega-closet.

'Merv's Mountain' Comes Around

Activity is brewing on what might be called 'Merv's Mountain,' a hilltop site once owned by Merv Griffin, now that a group of developers is moving toward buying the 157-acre Beverly Hills property for more than $100 million, area real estate sources said.

The plan is to sell the land in parcels of 2.5-acre lots. Each parcel would sell for at least $20 million.

Previous owners of the parcel expected to build one home - or palace - on the property. The late Princess Shams Pahlavi, sister of the last shah of Iran, was one of those owners. Entertainment mogul Griffin was another.

Griffin, who died in August, changed his mind about building on the property after grading 14 acres.

He sold the land to Herbalife founder Mark Hughes, who died in 2000 before getting a construction go-ahead.

Animated Family Relocating

After a thorough renovation, the Beverly Hills home of Al Jean, executive producer of 'The Simpsons' on Fox TV and a writer-producer of 'The Simpsons Movie,' and his wife, television writer Stephanie Jean, has been listed at nearly $3.3 million.

The couple bought another house closer to a school that they want their children to attend.

The Spanish-style house, built in 1933, has four bedrooms, four full bathrooms, two half-bathrooms, a vaulted entry, a chef's kitchen and a master bedroom suite with a fireplace and a bathroom so sumptuous it would make Homer drool. Bathers can watch television, and there is a chandelier.

The grounds have a swimming pool, and the house has a bonus room. The home once belonged to actress Carroll Baker.

CORRECTION: Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks and her husband, actor Adrian Pasdar, have purchased a house behind gates. Hot Property on Sept. 8 incorrectly said it was in a gated community.

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