Historic John Hudson Thomas-Designed Berkeley Hills Estate Listed for $11 Million

A historic Berkeley Hills estate with connections to UC Berkeley and renowned architects, including John Hudson Thomas, has hit the market with an $11 million price tag. The property, known both as the Wintermute House and "The Rocks," is situated at 227 Tunnel Road. It boasts an extensive 1.55-acre compound that has only changed hands once since its completion in 1913.

Designed by John Hudson Thomas, a UC Berkeley alum who studied under architectural greats such as Bernard Maybeck and John Galen Howard, "The Rocks" was built as a grand 11-room frame dwelling. An email from listing agent Julie Nachtwey of Compass, shared by SFGATE, elucidates that this commission was Thomas' largest in budget and scale. Architectural historian Daniella Thompson, commissioned by Nachtwey, notes that the initial building permit was submitted on May 22, 1913, for a property owned by "Mrs. E. J. Culver Bell."

The estate features a main house with six bedrooms, seven and a half bathrooms, a formal dining room, a conservatory, and a wine cellar, as stated in a historical overview on the property's website. Additional components include a pool, pool house, tennis court, tennis pavilion, and a private gym. The grounds also encompass a connected carriage house/garage with a studio apartment, enhancing the compound's luxurious appeal. It's worth noting that the current owner, economist and UC Berkeley professor David Teece, purchased the property in 1983 and has since implemented modern renovations.

Teece has added a range of facilities that complement the estate's original features, including a spa and a two-story pool house designed by Bay Area architect Hiroshi Morimoto. The pool house, featuring a kitchenette, sauna, gym, and indoor and outdoor showers, "was featured in a book about America's greatest small houses," Teece told SFGATE. Moreover, an extensive subterranean living space was developed, connecting the main house to the carriage house apartment/garage and providing additional bedrooms, baths, a family room, office space, and other amenities.