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Pasadena landmark estate seeks $11.2M following 7-year restoration

March 9, 2026

An aerial view of the front lawn and mansion. (Photo by Derick Wong)

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An aerial view of the front lawn and mansion. (Photo by Derick Wong)

A 1905 Beaux-Arts-style estate on Pasadena’s famed “Millionaire’s Row” is on the market for $11.18 million following a meticulous, seven-year restoration.

Known historically as “Villa Merritt-Olivier,” this 17,500-square-foot landmark has six bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. It was originally built on 4 acres for steel and railway tycoon Hulett C. Merritt and his wife, Rosaline Olivier.

The estate now known as the Merritt Mansion sits on 1.81 acres within the Ambassador Gardens luxury condo community, offering a blend of private grounds and shared amenities like the community pool and gazebo. Manicured gardens and mature trees surround the mansion, which has undergone several incarnations since its time as the Merritts’ private residence.

In the 1950s, it appeared in the opening of the TV series “The Millionaire.” For 41 years until 1997, it served as part of Ambassador College, run by the Worldwide Church of God, before returning to use as a home.

The owner is 380 Green LLC, a Los Angeles-based limited liability company that bought the property from Merritt Mansion LLC in December 2018 for just over $4 million, according to documents viewed at PropertyShark.com.

That’s down 41% from the $6.88 million it listed for in July 2018.

Records also show the LLC secured a $5 million loan from JPMorgan Chase in November 2020, a period that aligns with the mansion’s restoration and infrastructure overhaul.

Today, the residence blends modern and Gilded Age-inspired luxuries.

The grand entrance features marble steps leading to a terrace.

A wood and glass door opens into a central hall anchored by two winding mahogany staircases, one of which conceals a hidden bar.

Beyond are large gathering spaces like the mahogany-paneled living room with an ornamental plaster ceiling and the formal dining room with its walls of built-in china cabinets. The kitchen holds a large center island, high-end appliances and a butler’s pantry with wine storage.

Elsewhere, there’s a secondary dining room and an office suite with access to a kitchenette.

The upstairs primary suite boasts a walk-in shower and freestanding tub. It shares the top floor with four secondary bedrooms, a family room, a library and a study.

On the lower level is a large, well-preserved walk-in vault where, according to legend, Merritt reportedly hoarded sugar — a scarce commodity during and immediately following World War I. The recreation room has space for a billiards table and a walk-in bar area.

The indoor saltwater pool opens to the sunken garden, which features a large patio secluded by the landscape. Near the pool is a spa room with a sauna and steam room, a high-tech screening room, a music studio, a gym and a salon.

Virtually every system in the home has been restored or upgraded.

Outside, the ornate iron gates, which open to a private motor court, have been fully restored.

As a designated a Pasadena City landmark, the property offers significant property tax savings through the Mills Act.

Janice Lee and Calvin Lo of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties share the listing.

Merritt, who died in January 1956 at 83, was a titan of Pasadena’s Golden Age. He was a multimillionaire by age 18 and the largest shareholder of U.S. Steel. Within the community, he was known as a major benefactor of the early days of the Tournament of Roses, a legacy that lives on every January 1 as the Rose Parade passes by his longtime home.

Pasadena landmark estate seeks $11.2M following 7-year restoration Orange County Register

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Pasadena landmark estate seeks $11.2M following 7-year restoration

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