At 60,000 square feet, Chateau des Fleurs (chateau of the flowers) is one of the largest homes in the tony Bel Air section of Los Angeles. With a ballroom, three elevators, a pool, a paddle tennis court pavilion, a guardhouse, a guesthouse, as well as husband and wife wings, the U-shaped, Versailles-inspired monolith is nearing completion after being under construction five years. According to the latimes.com, one third of the total square footage is underground parking and storage space of the estimated $100 million monolith. Owner Jeffrey A. Kaplan, Los Angeles lawyer turned real estate developer, owns 18 manufactured housing communities with partner Thomas T. Tatum. MHProNews has learned in 1996, Kaplan unsuccessfully spearheaded an initiative to prevent all California communities from adopting new rent-control ordinances. “It’s no question [houses are] getting bigger and being used less often, not as primary residences,” said Jeffrey Hyland, a well-known high-end real estate agent.

(Photo credit: Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times–Chateau des Fleurs)