Philanthropist Glorya Kaufman’s Beverly Hills ‘Chateau’ Is Listed for $25 Million

California philanthropist Glorya Kaufman‘s longtime Beverly Hills estate has been brought to the market for $25 million—less than a year after the famed patron of the arts died at the age of 95.

Proceeds from the sale of the property, which Kaufman named Château de Liberté or “house of freedom,” will be donated to her eponymous Glorya Kaufman Foundation, which is dedicated to the support of performing arts programs.

Kaufman, who was raised in Detroit, had lived in the sprawling estate for more than a decade when she died—having purchased the property for $18.2 million in 2012, when she renamed the dwelling to better reflect the “independence and intention that defined her second chapter” after the death of her husband, homebuilder Donald Bruce Kaufman, according to a press release shared with Realtor.com®.

The Beverly Hills estate remains a testament to Kaufman’s incredible life—one that was defined by a deep respect for the arts and a love of socializing.

​To that end, the single-story Tuscan-style villa was designed for both an intimate, romantic lifestyle and epic entertainment. The dwelling features a grand living room with towering ceilings accompanied by striking skylights, a bar, and elegantly oversized French doors that open into a resort-level outdoors.

Built in 1989, the primary residence at the heart of the 0.86-acre spread spans 5,889 square feet, capturing gorgeous city views that mix European style with California luxury. 

​Outside, winding pathways roam the land through luxurious gardens, a pool, a spa, and various outdoor living spaces with a covered loggia and a fireplace.    

Set at the end of a long, winding drive that is accessed via one of Beverly Hills’ most exclusive streets, Laurel Way, the estate offers the utmost privacy and seclusion—perfect for those who enjoy wining and dining high-profile guests away from prying eyes.

“Built in 1989, the exceptional Château de Liberté embodies the romance of a European villa with the scale, privacy, and amenities expected of a world-class Beverly Hills residence,” the listing crows.

The primary suite offers the perfect private getaway when gatherings become too much, equipped with dual bathrooms and custom walk-in closets. Guests can stay in the two additional bedroom suites or in the detached two-story guesthouse that contains one bedroom.

A vast kitchen is perfect for celebrations, set with both formal and informal dining rooms, a snug sitting room, and a private paneled study.

European sophistication fills the residence, which has been decorated with Venetian plaster, limestone floors, grand chandeliers, and seven fireplaces that are scattered across the main dwelling. The home is finished with a three-car garage and a bay-turned-security hub.

However, real estate agent Kelly deLaat, who is listing the home with her Douglas Elliman colleague Rachelle Rosten, noted that the property offers so much more than what can be conveyed in photos, explaining that the legacy dwelling comes complete with a kind of vibrance than only someone like Kaufman was able to bring to life.

“This is more than a real estate transaction,” deLaat explained. “It is the opportunity to become the next steward of a truly elegant home. Glorya Kaufman lived a life full of philanthropy, purpose, and extraordinary intention, and every detail of this classic residence reflects that.”

But Château de Liberté is not just appealing to buyers because of its elegant construction and rich history, but also because Beverly Hills, as an independent city, is exempt from Los Angeles’ Measure ULA transfer tax, otherwise known as the “mansion tax.”

The tax applies to all properties sold in Los Angeles for more than $5.3 million—but not to those located in Beverly Hills.

The policy adds a 4% tax on the total transaction for property sales of $5.3 million to $10.6 million and a 5.5% rate for sales above $10.6 million. That tax is on top of a 0.45% tax Los Angeles already levied on all real estate deals.

“Beverly Hills continues to command the attention of the world’s most sophisticated buyers,” Rosten noted.

“When they compare Beverly Hills to London, Monaco, or Manhattan, they quickly realize this is the rare world-class market where prestige and value still coexist, offering a true private estate experience with land, scale, and lifestyle that those markets simply cannot match.”

Before purchasing Château de Liberté for $18.2 million in 2012, Kaufman had been living in nearby Mandeville Canyon, where she and her husband owned a sprawling ranch for many years. However, after his death, she made the decision to pursue a new life in Beverly Hills.

Kaufman sold the couple’s 48-acre ranch at auction for $14.6 million in 2014, two years after she bought Château de Liberté, having dedicated her life to philanthropic endeavors, particularly those related to the arts, a cause that she’d had a passion for since early childhood.

Raised in Detroit by her father, Samuel Pinkis, a production manager of Automotive News, and her mother, Eva, who was a leader in the local Jewish community, Kaufman fell in love with dance before she could even walk—and would regularly frequent the city’s local jazz clubs in her teenage years.

In the early 1950s, she met her husband, who co-founded Kaufman & Broad, now commonly referred to as KB Home. It was the first homebuilding company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

​She contributed to his success by selling her car and jewelry to help him purchase building lots. In 1960, they moved to Phoenix to further grow Donald’s business before relocating to Huntington Harbor, CA, in 1963, and then to Beverly Hills in 1966.

​In 1969, she and her husband purchased the ranch in Mandeville Canyon they called “Amber Hill.”

Kaufman went on to revolutionize the American arts philanthropy scene for more than four decades of her life, starting with raising money to honor her late husband and build the Donald Bruce Kaufman Brentwood Library, now one of the most popular libraries in Los Angeles.

​In the arts, she donated $25 million to the University of Southern California to fund the creation of the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, the largest donation in the school’s history.   

She also gave $20 million to the Music Center, which launched the Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance series that featured both Alvin Ailey and Juilliard. Additionally, she donated to UCLA, the Juilliard School, Inner-City Arts, The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Venice Family Clinic, and the Geffen Playhouse.

Kaufman was also named as an honorary doctor of humane letters by USC, Fordham University, and Juilliard, and sat on the USC Board of Trustees.

In 2008, she founded the Glorya Kaufman Foundation, where the estate proceeds will be donated to continue to support the arts, and more recently opened the Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Center at Vista Del Mar in 2023.