When someone from humble beginnings rises to greatness, they often embrace a life of luxury, creating opulent mansions and acquiring megayachts. Darwin Deason is a prime example of this journey. Starting his career as a mail boy at Gulf Oil after high school, he ascended to billionaire status and lived accordingly. Now, one of his most significant symbols of wealth, the extravagant oceanfront compound in the picturesque community of La Jolla, San Diego, is up for sale.
Known locally as the Sand Castle, this stunning clifftop mansion overlooks the breathtaking Pacific Ocean and is listed for a staggering $108 million, more than double the current record for home sales in San Diego County. However, the Sand Castle represents more than just a price tag; it embodies the beauty of a self-made billionaire’s abode that would put many palaces to shame.
Deason, worth $1.3 billion, estimates he invested around $60 million in renovations, and a glance at the exquisite images reveals the seriousness of his vision. He acquired the Sand Castle in 2009 for approximately $26 million, alongside a neighboring parcel, celebrating the sale of his company, Affiliated Computer Services, to Xerox for $6.4 billion that same year. After pouring so much blood, sweat, and tears into this estate, his luxurious holiday retreat, it’s time to bid adieu to a home inspired by the grandeur of the Palace of Versailles. Let’s take a closer look at its remarkable features.
The stunning Sand Castle of San Diego-
Spanning roughly 13,000 square feet, the home is a masterpiece of carved stone columns and elaborate balconies, complete with a private elevated beach. Aware that California’s coarse sand wasn’t to his liking, Deason splurged on a private beach crafted from $40,000 worth of Georgia sand sourced from Augusta National Golf Club.
The residence boasts 10 sumptuous bedrooms, 14 full bathrooms, and three half baths, exuding enchantment through French-imported fireplaces, crystal chandeliers, and an indoor mahogany bar. Among its most enticing spaces is the elegant wood-paneled bar in the main house. Additionally, a separate guesthouse offers three en-suite bedrooms inspired by Versailles’ Le Petit Trianon and features its own bar akin to that on Deason’s yacht.
The stunning exterior of the main house can be admired from three sides, allowing one to bask in ocean views or take a refreshing dip in the Thassos marble-tiled pool. This grand estate also includes a fitness center and a sophisticated wood-paneled office off the primary suite. The affluent owner, who has a primary residence in Dallas, boasts a collection of vacation homes in Texas and Mexico.
He also owns the floating mansion, the $25 million Apogee yacht, featuring seven cabins, an elevator, a gym, two tenders, four wave runners, and a 12-person Jacuzzi, making a land-based vacation home seem almost obsolete. Once again, the Sand Castle is on the market for an impressive $108 million, according to listing agents Brett Dickinson and Ross Clark of Compass.
