10-acre East Bay estate can't find buyer, heads to auction

The Lake Ridge Estate in Alamo, California, is headed to auction after nearly two years on the market. Sitting on 10 acres, the property was originally listed for $19.8 million in July 2020. The listing was later withdrawn and it went back on the market in April 2022 for $17.8 million.

The sellers have decided it’s time to sell, said listing agent Dana Green, and going to auction gives the sale a deadline. Since the auction was announced, she said showings have “increased dramatically.”

“People that had some interest in the property are back making a decision about whether they want to make an offer or not,” Green said. “You either participate or the house is gone. The sense of urgency as well as reaching a broader pool of people is what attracted us to the auction process.”

There are people from all over the world that specifically watch the luxury property auction market, she said, and she also wanted to get the word out to those people.

The Lark Ridge Estate in Alamo is up for auction. The interior of the main home includes marble floors, Venetian plaster, real gold from Italy, a crystal chandelier and a fireplace from New York’s Plaza Hotel.

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The main house spans 11,447 square feet, with seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms, a media room, a 500-bottle wine cellar, and walk-in closets that store more than 400 items. It’s all surrounded by sweeping views of Mount Diablo.

The Lark Ridge Estate in Alamo is up for auction. This 10-acre compound designed by a famous California architect was previously on the market for $17.75 million.

Open Homes Photography

There’s lots of design pedigree within the walls. Renowned Beverly Hills architect Brian Tichenor of Tichenor & Thorp designed the estate and is known for having a hand in buildings like the Los Angeles Times headquarters in Los Angeles and the interior of the Cecil B. DeMille estate in Los Feliz.

There’s also a one-bedroom carriage house, a one-bedroom “tennis house,” an outdoor kitchen and bar, a pool, a tennis court and a 14-car garage on the grounds. Two gates protect the property.

322 Lark Lane is within walking distance of downtown Alamo, a suburb about 30 minutes east of downtown Oakland.

“It is rare to see an estate of this quality check all the boxes for today’s lifestyle,” Green told SFGATE in April. “The ability to retreat to privacy, while remaining part of a true community, less than a mile away, is extraordinary.”