Stallone Buying Malibu Polo Field Site

Sylvester (Sly) Stallone has chosen a property in Malibu for his private polo field, beach sources say.

After an extensive search of the Westside, the star of “Rocky,� “Rambo� and other films, reportedly entered escrow on an $11.5-million estate on 16 acres across Pacific Coast Highway from Malibu Colony.

The purchase price is expected to be a record for the area. Johnny Carson currently holds the title for paying the most for a house in Malibu. The talk-show host bought his $9.5-million home there in 1984.

Stallone’s property was once part of the Serra Retreat, an estate donated to the Catholic Church by the Rindge family, which for years controlled hundreds of acres in the area. (Mae Rindge and her men rode horseback for a time with shotguns to prevent the state from building Pacific Coast Highway through her land.)

Stallone is buying his parcel from Burt Burton, an entrepreneur who built a 10,000-square-foot house there in 1983. A 125-foot-long tunnel connects the main house to an eight-car garage and two guest apartments.

The main house has four bedroom suites, two maids rooms, a casino, gym, wine cellar, library, and fully equipped theater. Jon Jerde--the architect who designed the Westside Pavilion in Westwood, Horton Plaza in San Diego, and the banners and flags for the ’84 Olympics--designed the house, which has been described as an Italian hillside villa.

Much of the secluded site is on a hill, leading a local observer to say, “I know Stallone bought more land to create his polo field, because only about 2 1/2 acres are level.�

For awhile, it looked as if Stallone would buy 75 acres in that exclusive new enclave overlooking Beverly Hills and known as Beverly Park Estates. (Singer Kenny Rogers is building a home there.)

Earlier, there were rumors that Stallone would buy a five-acre parcel in Pacific Palisades near President Reagan’s former home. Stallone currently lives in Pacific Palisades, next door to sports announcer Vin Scully.

Stallone also owns a gentleman’s ranch in Hidden Valley, says Suzanne Nixon of Sotheby’s International Realty, which is marketing a nearby 63-acre estate.

The property Sotheby’s is trying to sell was used as a location in TV’s “Dynasty.� (It was the ranch of the character played by Rock Hudson) and the motion picture “The Jagged Edge,� starring Glenn Close and Jeff Bridges. It was also formerly owned by Dean Martin.

Current owner Fletcher Jones (of the Chevrolet agency by the same name) wants to sell because he doesn’t use the property enough, Nixon said. He’s asking $5.9 million, furnished.

Situated behind a 10-foot-high wall with electronically controlled gates, the ranch has a tennis court, an executive golf course, equestrian center, swimming pool, heliport and eight-bedroom Spanish-style house, built in the 1930s, with additions in 1968.

Hidden Valley is just west of Thousand Oaks. Besides Stallone, property owners include Robert Wagner, Richard Widmark, Sophia Loren and multimillionaire/real estate developer David Murdock, Nixon said.

Michael Schwab, son of one of the co-founders of the once famous Schwab’s Pharmacy (where Lana Turner was supposedly discovered), and his wife, Cheryl, are eagerly looking forward to moving into their Wallace Neff-designed Beverly Hills house after a major restoration/expansion of the 1927-era structure is completed this fall.

The Schwabs bought the house about two years ago. “And we’re probably doubling it in size,� Cheryl said. When finished, it will be nearly 12,000 square feet, with five bedrooms, two maids rooms and two gyms--one for the adults, one for the Schwabs’ three children.

It will be the largest house Cheryl has ever lived in, she said, “and it will be perfect for civic-type things, which Michael and I love to host.�

Architect Ted Grenzbach paid a lot of attention in designing the project to maintain the integrity of Neff’s design, she added, and landscape architect Mary Marzolf worked with interior designers Hendrix/Allardyce to plan the grounds, including placement of the swimming pool.

“Mary even planned how we can hold a wedding in our backyard,� Cheryl said, “and that would be wonderful.� The Schwabs’ daughters won’t be getting married for some time, since the oldest is only 12, but once they move into the house, Cheryl says, she doesn’t plan on moving for a long time.

The Mirada, that $100-million Rancho Mirage hotel/residential project that has been in planning for a few years, is a step closer to getting under way.

The Rancho Mirage City Council gave its OK to extending Frank Sinatra Drive west of California 111 to the 105-acre project, and when the road is extended, construction can begin on the 46 estate sites, followed by 169 condos, 80 town houses and 250-room Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Road work is expected to start in the next few days.

This is a relief to Sidney Kibrick, managing partner of The Mirada and the person responsible for day-to-day operations.

Kibrick has been a real estate developer for years but is more familiar to fans of the “Our Gang� movie series of the ‘30s as the freckle-faced redhead who played “Woim.�

Movie producer Ron Schwary (he produced the Oscar-winning “Ordinary People�) and his wife, Susan, are planning a home in the Vista Pointe area of Calabasas.

Architect Stanley M. Brent of Sherman Oaks is designing it to have a beauty salon, because Susan is a professional hair stylist.