Tom Girardi Asking $13 Million for Posh Pasadena Mansion
Tom Girardi is a former attorney and the co-founder of the Girardi & Keese law firm. He became a high-profile figure in the legal world after handling major cases against large corporations and the seven major movie studios in Hollywood. Girardi is married to his third wife, singer and actress Erika Jayne, who is best known as a cast member of ‘The Real Housewives of Beverley Hills.’ However, the couple announced their separation in 2020, and they are set to divorce. Girardi was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in early 2021. Both their marital status and Girardi’s illness have contributed to their decision to put their posh mansion in Pasadena, CA, up for sale. They have listed it on the market for $13 million. Here is an overview of what potential buyers will get for the price tag.
Events Leading to the Sale
In addition to the divorce and Girardi’s ill health spurring a sale of the property, it is possible that the former couple needs the money from the sale to pay off debts. In public, the couple seemed happy, so it came as a surprise when they announced their separation. Just after the separation announcement, there were various allegations of infidelity and embezzlement. A month after they separated, Girardi and Erika Jayne were filed in a suit that claims the couple skimmed money off a settlement that was intended for victims. The couple allegedly used the money to finance their extravagant lifestyle, and they are both known as big spenders. At one point, the couple had two private airplanes, and Erika Jayne claimed in a television interview that her budget for clothes and makeup exceeded $40,000 a month. Since the allegations, Girardi’s assets have been frozen, and he has racked up $57 million in debt to two law firms. Further allegations suggest that the divorce is a sham, and it is just an attempt to protect their finances. Regardless of the circumstances, after the sale of the house, Girardi will have just 15 days to vacate the property.
An Overview of the Posh Pasadena Pad
Girardi’s Tuscan-style mansion is down a private lane in Pasadena, positioned above the Annandale Golf Club. The property, which was built in 1928, was designed by architect Myron Hubbard Hunt. It measures just under 10,300-square-feet internally and sits on a 1.75-acre plot. The house has four bedrooms, five bathrooms, and four powder rooms. Girardi and Erika Jayne hope to achieve the asking price of $13 million.
Inside Girardi’s Property
Through the bronze front door of the house, there is a gallery-style entranceway that has marble floors and walnut paneling on the walls. To the left of the gallery is a light and airy foyer with a curved staircase leading to the property’s upper level. A vast living room sits at the end of the entrance gallery, which is elaborately decorated with a coffered ceiling, hand-rubbed plaster walls, a huge fireplace, and floor-to-ceiling French doors that lead to the gardens. There is a large formal dining room at the opposite end of the entrance gallery. This room is equally elaborate, as it has pale yellow silk wall coverings, and the centerpiece is a baronial stone fireplace. The formal dining room offers ample space to accommodate a ten-seat dining suite, above which hangs a chandelier.
A library offers another area for relaxing and dining, says Dirt.com. Fitted bookcases run the full length of one wall, while the opposite wall has floor-to-ceiling windows. At either end of the room, there are stone fireplaces. The library is divided into two spaces, as there is a sitting area and one end of the room and an informal dining area at the other. The eat-in kitchen centers around an island topped with a butcher’s block that offers workspace, storage, and an informal dining area for two. There is cream cabinetry, high-end appliances, a tiled floor, and a beamed ceiling. At one end of the kitchen, there is an informal dining space with views over the garden through the double French doors. One of the four bedrooms is a guest suite with a private entrance on the main floor. The other two guest bedrooms are on the house’s upper level, along with a den, a laundry room, and a private chapel with a vaulted ceiling. The master suite has its own wing, which includes the bedroom, a private sitting room, a study, dual bathrooms, and dual dressing rooms. There are many elaborate features in the master suite wing, such as an antique carved stone fireplace in the bedroom and ornately carved wood built-ins in the private sitting room.
The Grounds of the Pasadena Mansion
The view of Girardi’s property from the private lane is of stone pillars and huge iron gates. Through the gates, there is a long, tree-lined driveway leading to a brick-paved motor court that offers parking for multiple vehicles. Further parking is available in the attached three-car garage with filigree iron doors and vaulted ceilings with chandeliers. On either side of the bronze front door, there is a stone lion and a palm tree. The two-story property has a traditional Tuscan villa style, with a light terracotta stucco exterior, shuttered windows, and a tiled roof. Most of the gardens are to the property’s rear. Directly behind the formal living room is a loggia furnished with an outdoor settee and armchairs. The loggia leads to a large terrace with ample space for entertaining guests or alfresco dining.
Beyond the terrace are steps leading to the swimming pool. Down the center of the stone staircase are cascading water fountains that run into the pool. The swimming pool is lined with a stone-paved area, and there are lawns running along either side that are lined with mature trees for privacy. To the far end of the swimming pool is an open-air dining pavilion with stone columns and archways. The pavilion is flanked by two pergolas draped with vines. Other sections of the gardens include landscaped formal gardens, pergolas covered in wisteria, rose gardens, and several patios. Pathways run between the various sections of the garden.
