Casa Systems CEO Pays $15.3 Million for Striking La Jolla Mansion
By James McClain
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – One of the San Diego area’s most visually dramatic homes recently sold for just over $15 million, placing it among the biggest local transactions on record. Deeds and documents reveal the La Jolla property was acquired by Boston-based tech tycoon Jerry Guo , the longtime president and CEO of telecommunications juggernaut Casa Systems, and his wife Lucy Xie , Casa’s SVP of operations.
Built in 2003 and designed by local architect Ken Ronchetti, the knife-edged contemporary isn’t for the stylistically faint of heart, boasting boldly maximalist lines, soaring walls of glass and a uniquely triangular infinity pool. From inside, the entire 8,600 sq. ft. mansion appears magically suspended over the Pacific Ocean far below.
Vertigo-inducing views stretch for miles, drinking in the aqua sea and also capturing the ruggedly beautiful mountains that define La Jolla’s coastline. More tangible amenities include a three-car garage, nearly 3,000 square feet of stone terraces and balconies — perfect for large-scale entertaining — a lush rose garden, a detached studio/office with its own private bathroom plus a separate, one-bedroom detached guesthouse.
This is also a state-of-the-art modern “smart” home, with a lavish Savant automation system that allows its owners to monitor and control the security cameras, TVs, lights and audio from the touch of their smartphones, or from various wall-mounted iPads scattered throughout the house.
For better or worse, however, and despite all the snazzy visual dramatics, this $15.3 million property is rather overshadowed by its next-door neighbor in terms of price, style and sheer scale. That estate, the famously unreal-looking Razor House , was purchased last year for $20.8 million by Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz. The two homes are so close that they actually share a communal driveway, though each property also sits behind its own gate and private drive.
Guo and Xie appear to have a thing for futuristic-looking contemporary homes. Back in 2016, they paid about $5.3 million for a high-floor condo in Boston’s fashionable Millennium Tower skyscraper, a shimmering glass structure with views over Boston Harbor.
Casa Systems, founded in 2003, has since grown to 600+ employees, and become noted for its software-centric approach to communications. The NASDAQ-listed company currently sports a market cap of approximately $276 million.
Bob and Terri Andrews of Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty held the listing; Craig and Marc Lotzof , also with Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty, repped Guo and Xie.
