Latest news with #historicmansion
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Historic Two Rivers Mansion in Donelson reopens after 2 years. See the nearly $5M in repairs
More than 400 people gathered on a sweltering, sunny morning Aug. 9 to see the results of a two-year, $5 million renovation of the historic Two Rivers Mansion in Donelson. The celebration at the majestic 146-year-old mansion is the latest in a string of major improvements in the working-class section of Nashville that runs from the airport to the Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell noted after the ceremony. "This is pretty amazing," O'Connell told The Tennessean. "It brings together the community. "We've made a series of investments in Donelson, including a new library in Donelson. We're trying to upgrade Donelson (commuter train) station. So all these pieces fit together in a way that not only connect people within Donelson but also are connecting Donelson more effectively to the rest of the city." Though owned by Metro Parks, the 10,000-square-foot mansion — operated by nonprofit The Friends of Two Rivers — is used mostly for weddings, corporate events and other private events and rentals. The mansion was shut down two years after operators discovered extensive water damage and rot that had most of the facade pulling away from the house. Metro government representatives and The Friends of Two Rivers found $4.5 million in grant money to fix the mansion. An Ohio-based, employee-owned historic restoration company, The Tradesmen Group, restored the exterior, put on a new roof, installed four new HVAC units and a new veranda and made some improvements inside, said Jeff Syracuse, president-elect of The Friends of Two Rivers and a former Metro Council Member representing Donelson. "It has never looked so good," Syracuse said. The mansion, on 11 acres, is one of Nashville's earliest Italianate houses. The style is villa-like design that is inspired by the Italian Renaissance and Tuscan farm houses. It was completed in 1879 by an affluent businessman named David McGavock, and three generations of McGavocks lived there until 1965. Metro government bought it the next year. Right now, the public can only tour the mansion, for $15 each, fewer than 20 times a year. Syracuse said he hopes to make the site more available to the public by adding concerts and movie events next year. Nashville Metro Council Member Jeff Gregg, who represents Donelson, said he will continue to ask for city money to open a separate event center on the mansion's grounds. Such a center could be used for meetings for community groups. "We need that event center to further open the grounds to the public," Gregg said. Reach Brad Schmitt at brad@ This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Historic Two Rivers Mansion in Donelson reopens. See inside Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
04-08-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Couple's property hell after mansion they purchased for just £9k and now valued at £1.2million struggles to sell for more than a decade because of one surprising reason
A couple claim their historic 20-bed mansion that they bought for just £9,000 has become unsellable - despite it now being valued at £1.2million. Fashion designers Charles and Patricia Lester MBE, who have made clothes worn by stars such as Barbara Streisand and Adele, originally bought Llanfoist House in Wales in September 1971. The stunning Grade-II listed country house, that is believed to date back to 1690, has since sky rocketed in value - but the couple have failed to sell it even after slashing £350,000 off the asking price. The couple say they have been stuck in limbo for decades due to regular landslides and leaks from a canal running adjacent to their home. The canal is located around 70ft above the property at the top of a steep bank and has caused repeated serious leaks over the decades. Moreover, they were nearly killed by a devastating landslide in 1975 and another disastrous one also took place in 2014. Now Mr and Mrs Lester, who are aged 83 and 82, claim the issues have not only damaged their mental and physical health, but made their home virtually unsellable. Mr Lester said: 'We have been trying to sell the house for the last ten to twelve years. It has ruined our retirement. 'We were going to retire to a home that we had built ourselves in west Wales. 'It was by the sea and it was built for old people. An old couple could have lived in and run it, while still staying in a stunning location. 'We had been working on it since the 1990s - completely rebuilding it. If you give two designers a blank sheet of paper, you get carried away. 'Sadly, we eventually had to sell it. It was heartbreaking.' Their house, which is set in six acres of stunning grounds, was once the home of Crawshay Bailey, the MP for Newport and aa and pioneer of the coal industry. But the couple say they have both developed heart issues and years of 'sleepless nights' at being stuck in a house too grand for an elderly couple to maintain. They had to accept a low offer of £850,000 for the property - nearly half a million below the house's £1.2million valuation - to have a chance at selling. But even that fell through after the couple failed to find a firm that would certify the property as being safe. Mr and Mrs Lester said they blamed the Canal & River Trust (CRT), which took over the state-owned British Waterways in 2012. They claim the trust has been negligent in its maintenance of the canal and say they're complaints haven't been taken seriously over the decades. Mr Lester, who is originally from Banbury in Oxfordshire, recalled the worst landslide in 1975, in which he and his wife were almost killed. He said: 'We heard a noise and came out of the house to see great jets of water coming out of the bank. 'A mass of 20,000 tonnes or so of water headed straight for us, bringing a tremendous amount of rocks and trees streaming towards where we were standing. I remember my body just froze. 'Luckily, the biggest trees came down first and their roots hit a wall and formed a sort of dam and stopped us from getting washed away.' He claims maintenance conducted by the CRT - then British Waterways - had turned a once stable canal into a death trap. He added: 'The canal was closed in 1960. Back then, it was an extraordinary piece of engineering and there had never been a collapse in its 200 year history. 'That is how it was when we bought it. 'But then they dredged it for boats with modern propellers and they lined the canal with clay. British Waterways kept working their way down - dredging it deeper. 'We have had all our problems since then.' According to Mr Lester, the couple complained to the CRT around the time of that incident, five decades ago, but he claimed poor maintenance practices continued. He added: 'In the major landslide, the canal's safety gates hadn't worked because they had rotten away. 'Afterwards, they continued to do all sorts of things which any competent engineer would tell you are terrible ideas. 'They put thick concrete at the bottom of the bank, with concrete slabs on the sides. They didn't even put any seals on the joints!' In 2014, deep cracks appeared once again in the banks above the house. 'One of our engineers said that if the canal came down it could sweep us away', Mr Lester said. Mrs Lester, who is originally from Buckinghamshire, said: 'I still suffer from sleepless nights. Can you imagine what would happen if it went in the middle of the night? 'When something as big as the collapse happens and you know it could happen again, it makes you relive the whole thing again and again. 'I think about it every night when I go to bed. It's a nightmare. You become really really stressed, not knowing if you're going to be bankrupt or even killed. 'It takes your life up completely.' The Lesters have previously attempted to took the CRT to court, using their housing insurance policy which covered legal costs of up to £100,000. Mr Lester added: 'They took on a top legal firm against us because they couldn't afford to lose. If they did, it would set a precedent all over the country. 'They just ran us out of money.' A spokesperson for the CRT said in response: 'The canal is an engineering marvel from the industrial age that attracts visitors from around the world. 'Our charity works hard to keep it open and navigable for people to enjoy and for the benefit of wildlife. 'We will continue our programme of maintenance and repairs, monitoring for leaks or movement in the canal's embankments and acting to remedy them as necessary, along the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal, including at Llanfoist.' Charles and Patricia have been hand painting, designing and creating couture ladies gowns and interior design fabrics for over 50 years. Their creations can be seen in a variety of museums around the world including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Ohio State University - Wexner Centre, Phoenix Art Museum and Houston Museum of Fine Arts. As recognition of their work Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall came to visit their Studio in 2015. They have worked on many film, television and opera projects with their individual designs taking a starring role. They have also personally been worn by some of the worlds best known celebrities such as Barbara Streisand, Whoopi Goldberg, HRH the Duchess of Kent and the late great Elizabeth Taylor.
Telegraph
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Paul Simon's daughter tears into Richard Gere for selling childhood home to developer
Paul Simon's daughter has torn into Richard Gere for selling her childhood home to a property developer who plans to demolish the historic mansion. Lulu Simon wrote on Instagram: 'Hate! Him!' next to a picture of the Pretty Woman actor and a link to a news story about the home being torn down in the face of anger from preservationists. Ms Simon, 30, a pop singer, claimed that Mr Gere 'promised he would take care of the land' in New Canaan, Connecticut, when he bought it from her father in 2022. Mr Gere sold it to a developer last year for $10.75 million and the company is planning to knock down the six-bedroom mansion, which was built in 1938 on a 32-acre plot. In its place will be nine homes, SBP Homes has said. In her now-deleted post Ms Simon included an image of Mr Gere, 75, surrounded by photos of her late pets. She wrote: 'I hope my dead pets buried in that backyard haunt you until you descend into a slow and unrelenting madness.' The rancour began in 2022 when Mr Simon and his wife Edie Brickell sold the home, which was designed by architect Harold R Sleeper, to Mr Gere. Mr Simon had owned it for 20 years and bought it 20 years ago for $16.5 million. The home was not listed publicly and Mr Gere bought it at a discount, for just $10.8 million. Originally Mr Gere planned to turn the estate into a farm, according to details shared with local planners in 2023. But those plans changed in late 2024 when Mr Gere relocated to Spain with his wife Alejandra Gere, 42, with whom he has two sons Alexander, five, and James, four. Instead they sold the property to SBP Homes which recently revealed its development plans. In her post, Ms Simon posted herself flashing a peace sign and said: 'Just in case anyone was wondering if I still hate Richard Gere – I do! 'He bought my childhood home. Promised he would take care of the land as (a) condition of his purchase. Proceeded to never actually move in and just sold it to a developer as nine separate plots. 'Hate! Him!' Ms Simon continued her rant with a second post about the dead pets. Both posts were deleted around 18 hours after they were first put online.
Times
06-07-2025
- Times
Grand Hotel Tremezzo review: the most storied hotel in Lake Como
La dolce vita doesn't get much sweeter than at this much-loved historic mansion. Near Bellagio, it's in the peachiest of locations, with a backdrop of romantic, century-old terraced gardens looking out at the Grigna mountains as they slide serenely into Lake Como's sparkling turquoise waters. From its trademark extravagant displays of velvety red roses and antique Italian lace to its lavish bedrooms and lakeside restaurant, interiors are an ode to old-school elegance and nostalgia. Charismatic staff, many of whom have been at the hotel for decades, ensure service is equally exceptional. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue Score 9/10The 80 rooms and suites have either lake or garden views and a pleasing mix of classical and contemporary styling, pops of bold colour and marble bathrooms. Luxury touches include indulgent Beltrami bed linens, made locally with yarn from birch wood, which is both sustainable and addictively silky. All rooms are maintained in mint condition and refreshed annually during the hotel's winter closure. Even the snuggest rooms feel spacious thanks to bay windows and balconies but if you can splash out, the top suite — named after the Swedish-American actress Greta Garbo — is as showstopping as the enigmatic star with its extravagant gilded bed, a marble-lined bathroom with a circular whirlpool tub and a huge terrace overlooking the lake. Score 9/10 There are four restaurants and none of them hold back on Italian exuberance. Its flagship is the fine-dining La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi, which is a tribute to the chef widely acknowledged as the founder of modern Italian cuisine. It would be a shame not to order his classic dishes such as the delicious saffron risotto with gold leaf, proudly served by waiters who will present you with a copy of the recipe as a memento. Da Giacomo on the hotel's 'beach' (the sand is imported) is the place for seafood and people-watching — try the lobster. For a casual bite, there's T Pizza in the garden, while L'Escale, the hotel's 21st-century take on a traditional trattoria, serves Instagrammable meals such as carbonara prepared table-side in a parmesan cheese wheel before being generously topped with truffle. Breakfast offers 101 ways to develop diabetes before lunch, with trestle tables laden with every kind of cake and confectionery known to humankind as well as magnificent displays of cheeses, meats, cereals, nuts and fruits. • More great hotels in Lake Como• Best villas in Lake Como Score 9/10There are three pools; the standout one floats on the lake and has its own mini 'beach' for long, lazy sunshine days. There is another cool pool in the garden, surrounded by neatly clipped hedges and sweetly scented borders, while the third is a stylish indoor lap pool in a glass house that has knockout views. The spa has treatments by the world's oldest pharmacy, the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, which has been making incredible lotions and potions in Florence since 1221, and the high-tech Swiss brand Transvital, as well as a sauna with lake views, a steam room, a hammam, an ice fountain and a hair salon. There's a tennis court, the gym comes with killer views and there are complimentary morning yoga classes. Score 9/10The gardens of Villa Carlotta, one of the lake's main tourist attractions, are next door, and the extraordinary Villa del Balbianello is also close by. Pick up a ferry from a pier that's about a five-minute walk away to explore the lake's charming towns including Bellagio and Varenna. Price B&B doubles from £1,900Restaurant mains from £32Family-friendly YAccessible Y Susan d'Arcy was a guest of Grand Hotel Tremezzo ( • Lake Como v Lake Garda: which one should you visit?• Best villas in Italy with a pool
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Mystery as Gone With The Wind-style plantation that's one of south's oldest antebellum homes is destroyed by huge blaze
One of the Antebellum-era plantations in the country was destroyed after a massive fire ripped through the historic mansion and completely engulfed it in flames. The massive inferno erupted at Louisiana 's historic Nottoway Plantation House shortly after 2pm Thursday. A giant orange wall of fire consumed the 166-year-old home, which was located along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The blaze, which started in the south wing of the building, devoured the upper portion of the rotunda and sent a plume of thick smoke into the sky. Officials claim the inferno quickly spread to the main house and left behind a trail of destruction. Footage from the property shows charred and collapsed remnants of the once beautiful house. The plantation's northern wing and back wall were completely destroyed, with only the chimneys remaining on each side. The façade and upper balcony had also collapsed. Although authorities note it is too soon to determine the full extent of the damage, the mansion's owner, Louisiana attorney Dan Dyess, said in a written statement that the fire had led to a 'total loss' after all the time and money he invested in the building. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Iberville Parish government officials said. No injuries were reported. Nearly a dozen fire departments from surrounding towns were called to Nottoway Plantation in White Castle on Thursday after a blaze broke out at the home. Flames ripped through a massive mansion, destroying much of the historic structure that was used as a plantation house when it was completed in 1859. Mansion staff discovered smoke around 2pm after walking into a room in the museum on the second floor of the home, WAFB reports. Firefighters initially extinguished the blaze, but it reignited Thursday evening, causing flames to shoot from the roof as it collapsed in. Officials suspect the fire broke out in a second-floor bedroom. The fire has been contained, and no other properties were harmed, said Maj. Monty Migliacio of the Iberville Parish Sheriff´s Office. Other structures on the grounds have been preserved, parish officials said. Before the fire, Nottoway Plantation was a resort and event venue, and its website described it as 'the South's largest remaining antebellum mansion'. Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle called it 'a cornerstone of our tourism economy and a site of national significance.' Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal Public Affairs Director Ken Pastorick said authorities are still in the 'beginning phases of the investigation'. 'We don't know how the fire began and our objective is to determine how it started,' he added. When the fire first broke out, authorities said the planation's owners were dedicated to rebuilding and repairing the home in line with historic preservation. But now the owners are reportedly unsure if they will move forward with that plan, officials told WAFB. The 53,000-square-foot home on a former sugar plantation about 65 miles northwest of New Orleans had a three-story rotunda adorned with giant white columns and hand-carved Italian marble fireplaces, according to a description on its website. 'We are devastated and heartbroken for this loss,' owner Dan Dyess said. 'This was my dream that has now been dashed.' In a statement on Facebook, Daigle touched on the structure's history of racial injustice during a time when enslaved Black people helped build the home and operate the sugar plantation that surrounded it. In 1860, 155 enslaved people were held at the property, according to National Park Service records. 'While its early history is undeniably tied to a time of great injustice, over the last several decades it evolved into a place of reflection, education, and dialogue,' Daigle said. 'Since the 1980s, it has welcomed visitors from around the world who came to appreciate its architecture and confront the legacies of its era,' he added. 'It stood as both a cautionary monument and a testament to the importance of preserving history - even the painful parts - so that future generations can learn and grow from it.'
