The real estate ordeal is finally over for philanthropist/healthcare exec/public policy wonk Mark Chapin Johnson. After a publicized three-year effort, he has unloaded both his palatial Cowan Heights home and his posh office complex in Corona. Johnson said asphalt titan Michael Carver, president of R.J. Noble Co. in Orange, purchased the 2-acre hillside home, complete with an amphitheater, for $4.5 million,$1.5 million less than Johnson’s total investment over 16 years: “The property was so unique it was unaffected by the real estate run-up.” Johnson said he fared much better on the 41,000-square-foot office building with helipad and plane hangar, former site of his Chapin Medical Co. (Johnson sold the business to AmerisourceBergen last year but still manages it and leases space in Anaheim Hills.) Johnson said a guy named David Salene paid $7 million for the Inland Empire site,$1 million under an earlier list price, though Johnson didn’t have to pay a $50,000 bounty. Johnson and wife Barbara have moved into a condo in San Juan Capistrano; son Cameron walks across the street to St. Margaret’s Episcopal School. Johnson is happy to have lightened his real estate portfolio: “There’s a bubble and we’re in it” …
When he became UC Irvine chancellor last July, ophthalmologist/health administrator Michael Drake said he intended to spend almost no time on medical matters so he could get up to speed on other aspects of the university. Instead, he says, he’s been forced to spend half of his time on the problems at UCI Medical Center. The good news: It’s trending down to a third of his time …
Former top operatives of the OC Republican Party now are running the GOP’s statewide campaign machine. Bill Christiansen is director of State GOP Victory ’06 and Kathy Tavoularis is field director …
For the kids: About 650 attended the Black & White Ball, raising $300,000 for Olive Crest. Next night, the Athletes First Classic drew about 800 and raised $250,000 for Orangewood. And Canyon Acres will have a sellout crowd of 470 at the Nixon Library on April 1 for its 25th anniversary gala, kicking off a $5.5 million capital campaign headed by Troy Group CEO Pat Dirk …
Doug Wilson, CEO of Newport Beach real estate firm Next Solutions and a director of the New Majority, opened at No. 20 on the New York Times bestseller list. He is co-author of “Getting America Right” with Heritage Foundation president Edwin J. Feulner …
Sculptor Richard Serra, commissioned by Henry Segerstrom to design the large-scale centerpiece of the OC Performing Arts Center’s new plaza, will speak at the Art of Dining on June 3 at the Island Hotel in Newport Center … Robert Jensen, one of pundit David Horowitz’s “101 Most Dangerous Academics in America,” gives an afternoon lecture at Chapman U on April 4. Call (714) 744-7088.
