Will Kobe Bryant be moving to a sprawling home under construction just 5 minutes from his Newport Coast house? An ocean-view mansion being built along a hill in the guard-gated community of Pelican Crest has some Newport residents wondering.
Public records show the nearly 1-acre property with sweeping coastline views was purchased 3 years ago in the name of Robert T. Pelinka. Ring a bell? That’s the name of Kobe’s agent. Pelinka is on paper as the “trustee/conservator” of the property, along with the mysterious (to us, anyway) Tauro Trust. Last time we checked the Multiple Listing Service,
Pelinka did not appear to be selling his own house. But neither, for that matter, did Kobe Bryant. The Pelican Crest house, which will include a 2-level “sport court,” according to a building permit issued for the residence, is less than 2 miles from Kobe’s home in Pelican Ridge and another house he owns there.
Records show the property under construction, which had been listed for $10 million, was purchased for $9,450,000 in July 2008 from JCLS & Associates. At that time, the home was described as a roughly 14,500-square-foot, 3-story Santa Barbara-style residence, with 6 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, along with a private pool and a 5-car garage.
It was estimated that construction would be completed in 2009. But the house is still being built, with permits issued for various revisions. So far, the Orange County tax assessor’s office shows partial construction and lists it only as land.
We called around and pressed for more, but were told that confidentiality agreements are in place. If Kobe is building the home, will he move in? Or is it being built on spec?
Time will tell.
