The Hollywood Hills mansion that became a magnet for squatters, taggers, and late-night parties is finally for sale again, listed for $4.4 million after being scrubbed clean inside and out. The 11,152-square-foot estate at 1754 Sunset Plaza Drive spent years as a symbol of urban decay in one of Los Angeles's priciest neighborhoods before crews stripped away the graffiti that once covered its walls.
The property hit the MLS on September 17, according to the New York Post. The 1949-built home includes six bedrooms, twelve bathrooms, an elevator, a ballroom, two gourmet kitchens, a spa room, and a primary suite with dual bathrooms and closets, per the listing details cited by the Post. Property disclosures published by Coldwell Banker also list a screening room, staff quarters with private access, and glass pocket doors opening onto dual indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
A Producer's Investment Turned Vacant Eyesore
The mansion was owned by John Powers Middleton, who bought the property in March 2013 for approximately $6.9 million before leaving it vacant and tax-delinquent, according to property records reported by Realtor.com. A Phillies spokesperson said John Powers Middleton owned the Los Angeles properties, with no other family involvement.
The mansion became infamous in 2024 for repeated vandalizations, as squatters and taggers covered its exterior in bright graffiti and neighbors branded it a nuisance and an eyesore, per the seed reporting. Neighbor Alexander Gorbis said the mansion's condition was tragic, and the LAPD reported 17 calls for service on the 1700 block of Sunset Plaza Drive so far that year, as of September.
A Second Middleton Property Faced the Same Fate
Middleton's troubles were not confined to one address. A second property he owned a few miles away at 7571 Mulholland Drive, which he bought in 2012, had previously been owned by singer Mary J. Blige and served as the set for Sean Diddy Combs' 2007 Last Night music video, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. That home was also overtaken by squatters and decorated with graffiti. The Los Angeles Police Department arrested two suspects at the Mulholland Drive mansion in September 2024 after officers recovered several spray paint cans and a loaded, unregistered handgun from a suspect's purse following a vandalism report, per CBS Los Angeles.
Hollywood Hills residents told local reporting outlets that squatter activity across Middleton's abandoned estates generated safety threats, including an alleged assault on a neighbor involving steel rebar and a beer bottle, as reported by the Independent. The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety eventually issued formal nuisance abatement orders and placed tax liens against both homes after years of unpaid property taxes and repeated breaches of city-installed security fencing, according to CBS News.
City Pressure and an Apology From the Owner
Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman publicly criticized Middleton over the conditions of both properties, saying irresponsible property owners must take accountability or face city action. Middleton responded by apologizing to Los Angeles residents and neighbors for the condition of his properties, saying he would compensate community members for fees incurred because of his homes and promising to repay taxpayer funds used to gate, fence, or board the houses and pay tax bills.
Hoodline reported on the community outcry and Raman's enforcement demands in a September 2024 report on the mansions. Two years later, the Sunset Plaza Drive property's return to market marks the next chapter in the saga, with the estate now offering sweeping views of Los Angeles rather than spray-painted walls.
A Steep Discount for a Once-Troubled Trophy Home
The $4.4 million asking price equates to roughly $394 per square foot. The asking price is about 36% below the roughly $6.9 million Middleton paid for the home in 2013.
