Mitt Romney can’t seem to put to rest the story about his plans to double (or more) the size of his beachfront mansion near San Diego.
One liberal group, Americans United for Change, has come up with a new photo of the expansive home that a Romney aide recently called “inadequate” in size. Politico and others (see below) have published online a number of photos of the luxurious home that is line for a major reconstruction.
The GOP presidential candidate filed an application with the San Diego government to bulldoze the 3,009-square-foot oceanfront front house in La Jolla and replace it with a 11,062-square-foot property. Romney bought the home three years ago for $12 million.
A few weeks ago, the wealthy former business executive pushed back against reports that he was quadrupling the size of his California getaway home, telling the New Hampshire Union Leader that he was only doubling the living space.
According to Republican presidential candidate, he plans to add a second floor to the house. The reported “quadrupling” figure accounts for building additional “non-living” space, including a basement and garage (imagine the size of those two items).
A Romney spokesman told The Washington Post that the former Massachusetts governor wanted to enlarge the two-bedroom home “because with five married sons and 16 grandchildren it is inadequate for their needs.” Apparently that’s a reference to time when the kids and grandkids come to visit – when Mitt’s not on the campaign trail.
According to The Hill, at one point Romney and his wife, Ann, owned five homes, but they recently sold a 6,500-square-foot house in Belmont, Mass., and a massive 9,500-square-foot lodge near Park City, Utah. The homes sold for a combined $8.75 million, according to The Associated Press.
In addition to their California home, the Romneys still own a townhouse outside of Boston and a vacation house in New Hampshire that is reportedly worth $10 million.
Here’s a look at that inadequate home on the southern California oceanfront:
