The house before recent upgrades. CHS has removed images from the new listing at the request of the brokerage. (Image: Wikipedia)

Capitol Hill’s Sam Hill mansion is once again one of the most expensive properties for sale in Seattle. But this time around, the sellers have a story as interesting as the 11,000-square-foot 1910-built stone structure.

The new listing hit the wire this week for the 814 E Highland property. The current price tag makes it the most expensive house for sale on the open market in Seattle at a cool $16 million.

The sellers? Current owners, spouses Boris Nikolic and Sam Jaradeh. Jaradeh is a real estate and design guy. Nikolic?

814 E Highland Dr –Redfin

He made international headlines when it was revealed Jeffrey Epstein named the physician, investor, and former chief advisor for science and technology to Bill Gates as the executor of his will. The surprise twist in the story of the financier and convicted sex offender’s death is believed to have been Epstein’s bid to reveal connections to Gates. Nikolic said he was shocked by the revelation and never consulted in the decision by Epstein.

Gates last year called his friendship with Epstein a “huge mistake” in the wake of the billionaire’s divorce from Melinda French Gates.

Before all of this, Nikolic and Jaradeh purchased the E Highland property for $10.96 million in May of 2018. Previously, the house had made headlines for being Seattle’s most expensive listing — in those days after a Stuart Silk Architects and Garret Cord Werner overhaul, the price was $15 million.

The one of a kind, 1910-built Seattle mansion neighboring St. Mark’s in this CHS architectural post in 2013:

Mr. Hill was a railroad executive and promoter of transportation of all kinds in the late 19th and early 20th century (Wikipedia has a nice entry). In the early 20th century, Mr. Hill decided to locate his Seattle residence at the northern edge of the Harvard-Belmont neighborhood. Edge indeed, as the difference between the street side of the house and that of its hillside side must be one of the most dramatic one could encounter in the neighborhood. The drama is best captured by the arc of the driveway, with its foundation forming a formidable wall, making the driveway above appear much larger and more important than it otherwise would. This view came as quite a surprise, as for years I have admired Mr. Hill’s house, but on its Highland Drive side.

The eclectic Hill also built his own stonehenge and the Peace Arch in Blaine.

Four years after their purchase of Hill’s Seattle mansion, Nikolic and Jaradeh appear ready to move on — but at a steep price. The asking price is about 46% higher than what they financed in 2018.

“Reminiscent of a true Manhattan Brownstone, the Neo-Classical Revival style mansion is one of Seattle’s most distinguished residences,” the listing reads. “Prominently positioned on one of the most beautiful tree-lined streets within the Harvard-Belmont Historic Landmark District, it captures unobstructed views of Lake Union, the Olympic Mountains, Puget Sound and the storied St. Mark’s Cathedral.”

For the same amount, consider this “secret” Harvard Ave E mansion which seems to be perpetually available or save $810,000 and buy this 49-unit E Roy apartment building for $15.19 million.

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