Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw are selling a Los Angeles property they bought nearly three decades ago. The asking price is $29.9 million. They paid $5.75 million for the 2.8-acre estate in 1999, when they bought it mainly for their horses and the riding opportunities around Sullivan Canyon.
The property has never been the couple’s main home. Instead, it became a private equestrian retreat in the Santa Monica Mountains area. That makes its history a little different from the usual celebrity mansion story. Spielberg bought the land with a particular use in mind, and that purpose has stayed visible through the years.
The estate is now known as Dogwood. It includes a large main house, several barns, a riding arena and a separate guesthouse. Yet the most interesting part of its history happened before many of those features took their current form.
Spielberg once planned a much larger horse facility for the property
Soon after buying the ranch, Spielberg proposed a project that would have changed the property dramatically. His plan called for a 27,000-square-foot riding facility with five stories and a retractable domed roof. The proposal also included underground horse stables, a guesthouse and a three-story guardhouse. The construction was expected to cost more than $7 million.
The scale of the plan did not sit well with some Sullivan Canyon residents. Neighbors raised concerns about what such a large structure would mean for the area. The proposal became a local zoning fight rather than a straightforward home improvement project.
The property still revolves around horses
Dogwood remains unusually focused on equestrian use. The main property has a six-stall barn with staff quarters, grooming areas, a feed kitchen and storage. There is also a roughly 20,000-square-foot riding arena with an observation deck and mirrored wall. The setup can accommodate both dressage and jumping.
The lower parcel adds another four-stall barn and a 5,400-square-foot turnout area. There is a one-bedroom guesthouse as well, with a kitchen, rooftop deck and basement office and storage space. The arrangement feels closer to a private compound than a standard Los Angeles estate.
The main residence brings the other side of the property into view. It has seven bedrooms and 9.5 bathrooms, along with walnut floors, wood-covered ceilings and multiple fireplaces. The house also includes a chef's kitchen, media room and wine cellar.
What changed between Spielberg’s $5.75 million purchase and today’s $29.9 million listing
Spielberg and Capshaw paid $5.75 million in 1999. The current asking price is $29.9 million. That is roughly 5.2 times what they paid, or about $24.15 million more than the original purchase price.
That comparison does not mean the couple will make that amount as a profit. The property has had nearly 27 years of ownership, improvements and upkeep, and a listing price is not the same thing as a final sale price.
