Historic Mansion on the Market: Auction ask at $25 million
A historic, Tudor-Revival riverfront mansion located at 3730 Richmond St. is going on the market. The iconic home on the Westside of the St. Johns River is poised to potentially set a record price for real estate with a listing price of $25 million. It goes up for auction in October, with starting bids between $2 and $7 million. The result of this sale will be highly anticipated by realtors, brokers and homeowners in this close-knit neighborhood as well as the citywide housing market.
This isn’t just any historic home, its rich history and famed occupants helped to place it on the U.S. National Register of Historic places in 1982. The landmark has housed top titans of Jacksonville’s business community throughout its lifespan.
“This home is special, the owner is a unique man, and this home is ready for its next rightful owner,” said listing realtor Sperry Lee of RE/MAX Specialists PV [Ponte Vedra], in cooperation with Concierge Auctions.
The home sits on a massive parcel along the St. Johns River with 220 feet of waterfront and room for a yacht along its bulkhead facade. The gated, gilded iron entry welcomes guests under the sprawling oaks of the 2.2-acre estate. For 11-plus years, the home has undergone meticulous renovation, having been gutted and restored beyond its original glory. The estate, from its guest home and six-bay garage to the main home and carriage house, has been brought to modern standards. The current owner and seller, John Hove, likened it to “a modern home in an old suit.”
The property has been curated with wood carvings that speak to old-world craftsmanship, leaded glass windows, slate roof tiles and a driveway pour with blue limestone pavers. From the artistry of the grand, two-story foyer and third-floor ballroom to the Arabesque and Gothic archways, the meticulously engineered details are evident.
“Nobody will be able to say that John Hove took any shortcuts,” he said. “They will look back and know that I put my heart and soul into the place.”
The property is one of, if not the largest estate in the historic districts, and it’s set to bring much attention to the riverfront ranks of the top homes in Avondale, Riverside and Ortega, not to mention the other high-end real estate along the riverbanks of San Marco, San Jose and St. Nicholas. If the auction gets close to the property’s list price, it will affect real estate comps for many years to come.
Having played host to only four families within its walls since 1928, the estate has been home to the Lane family, the Towers family and Raymond Mason, Jr., until it was sold to Hove and his late wife, Yvonne, in 2012 for $2.6 million. It is also a living part of film history, having been a backdrop for six movies. Over the last decade, Hove has invested millions of dollars in renovations to bring the historic home back to life.
“The place was probably heading to a wrecking ball, had we not rescued it. The plan was to restore it to a point where it won’t need anything but upkeep for another 100 years,” said Hove.
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