Juan and Alicia Rodriquez created Lodestar Ranch to provide more privacy and solitude.
Inspired by I.M. Pei’s design for the National Center for Atmospheric Center in Boulder and the cliff dwellings found in the ancient landscapes of the American Southwest, the 10,720-square-foot mansion constructed in 1997 mimics the vibrant sandstone terrain of the nearby foothills. It sits on a sprawling 55-acre property at 640 S. 68th St. in Boulder County.
“I always loved the view coming into Boulder on the turnpike,” Rodriguez said. “The view here is very similar to that.”
The two-story, five-bedroom, seven-bath home is light-filled and features wooden cathedral ceilings on the top floor. Each bedroom offers panoramic vistas of Boulder, the foothills, and the Continental Divide, stretching from the Indian Peaks Wilderness to Longs Peak.
The home offered plenty of space for Rodriquez’s four children and 12 grandchildren.
“It’s a great family place,” he said.
The home features in-floor radiant heat, two attached garages totaling nearly 2,000 square feet, state-of-the-art security features and a climate-controlled, 144-bottle wine cellar.
Recent renovations include major updates to the primary suite, bathroom and kitchen.
Working for IBM brought Rodriguez to Boulder in the late 1960s. Over the next 20+ years, he worked for various other companies before founding the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at CU Boulder.
After his wife died in December 2022, Rodriquez was ready to downsize and listed the property for $16.5 million.
“It’s been a delightful place to spend the past 27 years,” he said.
Listing agent Brett Sawyer with Kentwood Real Estate said the mansion couldn’t be built today under Boulder guidelines.
He anticipates the property will appeal to an executive who wants exclusivity and privacy.
“It feels very remote and isolated, but it’s not,” Sawyer said. “You get to live in Boulder without being in Boulder.”
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The house also offers security.
When the wind-driven Marshall Fire erupted on Dec. 30, 2021, it destroyed almost every other house in the area. The adobe exterior and slate roof protected the home, which sustained only minor damage to a window in the garage. The air conditioners also were damaged and replaced.
“The architecture is fascinating, and there’s a definite ‘wow’ factor when you drive up to the house,” Sawyer said.
“This is a chance to live in an iconic house, a legacy house in Boulder County.”
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This story was reported by our partner BusinessDen.