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Money to burn: $27.8 mil teardown

Annie Deighnaugh

last year

https://patch.com/connecticut/greenwich/greenwich-estate-sold-record-price-houlihan-lawrence

Now the owner wants to tear it down and build something even larger...

https://patch.com/connecticut/greenwich/homeowner-wants-replace-27-75m-colonial-bigger-mansion

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Comments (11)

Jilly
last year
“I'm looking at a basement laundry that's 1,100 square feet in a single-family.”

😳

What a beautiful home there now, how sad it might be demolished. What a waste.
deegw
last year
That's a shame, I was hoping the house was an 80s monstrosity but it's actually a lovely 1937 colonial.
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"gh", In case the point was lost, there is a vast difference between disagreeing and being disagreeable. Posts of the second type deserve to be ignored. Period. They add nothing to the knowledge we're in here to gain or share. With that said, let me add another point...in your favor. In a forum, or any written communication, there is always the pitfall of misinterpretation of intent. Lacking facial cues and body language to judge by, it's very easy to err on the actual meaning of ones statements. I've re-read this entire thread, and must admit I may have done just that. If that's truly the case here, "gh", you have my sincere apology for my couple of comments. As a last comment on this, I'd like you to know I've been a member here for a long time, too. I'm not, stress not, one of the "can't we all just get along" crowd. Disagreements help spread information...good information. My problem is with those whose egos get in the way of good judgement. Unfortunately, the numbers of those who choose the style of confrontation instead of civil discourse seem to be increasing on this Tractor forum. Not so on most of the other forums, but surely evident here just in the past couple of years. Sorry for the long post, but I chose to explain my position here (rather than send you a personal email) in the hopes that it may have some positive effects on the forum. Once again, my apologies if I misjudged your intent. I enjoy all mechanical things, but I love FEETBALL, too! Hal
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Comments (81)
Donna, Thank you for sharing your experience. Here it is, May, and I am just now starting to read the posts on this forum, but wanted to tell you how beautiful your bathroom is. I hope that you are enjoying it and that the stresses of the remodeling have dissipated. In the middle of January, I was in the midst of my bathroom re-do too, and mine is still in the early stages. We had to fire the contractor as he made many mistakes, ruined materials because he didn't follow the directions clearly printed (as in, you must seal crackle tile before you grout it.) I have a Porcher Ardennes tub, same as yours, but mine is still sitting on the floor in the hallway! I do have hopes that we will be getting started again next week with a different contractor! I especially appreciate your candor, and the candor of the other people who posted, about the importance of not getting swept up in all the products that seems so wonderful but are probably not necessary. The bathroom is not yet done and I am already planning the kitchen. Have been spending time on the kitchen forum where I am reading about BlueStar ranges and fireclay sinks, and of course granite and marble. Taking a detour here to the bathroom forum and finding your post was like entering a temple and hearing words of wisdom when I most needed to hear them! Thanks again, and enjoy your bathroom and kitchen. PS We're not out of the woods but looks like the market is turning around. . . .
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Comments (25)
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Comments (34)
Thanks again for the valuable inputs. From the research so far, few things are clear: 1. Teardown will cost anywhere between $20K-$30K. 2. I could possibly remodel the house by adding another bedroom and a full bath. I am thinking that may be accomplished by using the screened-in patio space. (A1 area in the attached floorplan). 3. I do plan to stay put in this house for the forseeable future. My business and kids schools are close by (1 middle school and 1 elementary school). 4. Speaking to the village engineers, I know that I could do an expansion of the house by simply adding footers to the existing foundation. Sorry if these questions are slightly off topic and tangential: 1. Since I have to replace the roof anyway, is it possible to lift the ceiling/roof a bit? This will (I think/hope) will increase the amount of light entering the areas of the house, making it a bit more brighter. Currently, I have 8ft ceilings. 2. Currently the house has small windows and not big French doors. If I replace them with French doors or sliding doors, that should help with the daylight also? 3. How feasible is it to remove the pool and utilize some of that space for expanding the living space of the house? I understand this will adversely affect the resale value of the house. Attached is a floorplan.
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Zalco/bring back Sophie!
last year
Heavenly property and lovely house. I can just imagine what will replace it.
porkandham
last year
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
Lars
last year
last modified: last year
According to Zillow, the house is only worth $7 million, and so they paid $20+ million too much for it.

Since they are combining two adjoining lots into one lot, I can see why they would consider it a tear-down, but I do not understand why they overpaid so much for it - almost four times its value.

I wonder if a Russian oligarch bought it.

I will say that I also like the property more than I like the house (the pool is my favorite feature), I'm not fond of any of the wallpaper or drapes, but that's not a reason to tear down a house.

I find it odd that one bedroom has four bunk beds, but maybe the children had lots of friends for sleep-overs.
Zalco/bring back Sophie!
last year
Lars, Russians are not able to do business in the US any more.
palimpsest
last year
last modified: last year
Well most of the people in the Building a Home forum would consider most of the bathrooms undersized and insist that no civilized person over about 12 can sleep in anything under a queen sized bed, and that carpet is "disgusting", so maybe there is a lot wrong with the house that the really well-heeled, as opposed to the middle class, don't realize.
Annie Deighnaugh
Original Author
last year
And I think it's gorgeous...love the use of color throughout and especially the blue study. My fear is that whatever they replace it with is going to be horrid.
Lars
last year
last modified: last year
I don't have that fear - I trust that they will easily be able to replace it with something better and more aesthetically pleasing - it's certainly not museum quality or worthy of landmark status. I often follow the philosophy of the Italian Futurists.

Hope springs eternal.
Zalco/bring back Sophie!
last year
last modified: last year
Just looked at all the pictures. I am with Lars in this one after all. The kitchen was particularly hard to take with those ridiculous columns.

The garage with the antique cars reminded me of Tom Buchanan, in Gatsby, as he bragged about how most people were turned stables into garages, but he turned a garage into a stables.
jojoco
last year
I grew up a few miles from that house in a decidely not $27 million dollar home. That section of town has always been quite tony and it is no surprise that each new ownerr feels the need to out cigar each other. When I was a kid, several of my friends lived in Belle Haven. Their homes were old and large and understated. Very New England back then. The other thing is the view from that lawn is a rather commercial/hotel area. There is also a town ferry that goes back and forth hourly. It would not be my first choice for a home. But for way too many people, the address is all that matters. Its a shame.

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