A renovated home with a once sordid history is now one of the highest-priced listings in Windermere.
The current owners recently reimagined their sprawling Park Avenue mansion from the ground up and put it on the market for $15.5 million, the third-highest listing in Orlando’s Butler Chain of Lakes submarket.
The lakefront home on almost three acres was built in 1996 and was previously owned by the late Lou Pearlman, who bought the home in 1999 for $1.9 million.
Pearlman was a music mogul during the boy band heyday in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He formed and funded the Backstreet Boys, ‘NSYNC, O-town and others, putting Orlando on the map as a music mecca.
He was just as notorious as a fraudster who was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to running a Ponzi scheme that cost investors hundreds of millions of dollars.
The home on Lake Butler was searched during the investigation into the financial crimes and went into foreclosure after an auction failed to secure a high enough bid. It finally sold in 2011.
Pearlman died in prison in 2016
The sellers bought it almost a decade ago for $2.1 million, and according to the listing, “this extraordinary Windermere estate is a true work of art” and “the residence showcases a level of craftsmanship, design integrity, and finish quality that is simply unrivaled in Central Florida.”
The exterior of the 3,425-square-foot home still has an Italian Renaissance style, but has been painted a light beige. With an almost sanitized black, white and gray color palette, the inside looks nothing like it did when Pearlman’s boy bands topped the charts and spent time at the mansion. The living room, accentuated with 30-foot ceilings and grand staircases, has been updated with new white marble floors and contemporary black handrails.
Realtors Julie and Chris Christenson with One Luxury International have the exclusive listing for the estate they describe as “designed for both refined living and grand-scale entertaining” with interior amenities rivaling those of a world-class resort.
The 10 bedrooms and 12 full bathrooms are divided between a main house with separate wings for the primary suite and guest suites, along with a detached guest house with its own kitchen. Inside, there is also a spa area, fitness center, home theater, and game and entertainment lounge.
Outside with 239 feet of lakefront, “the property unfolds into a private resort oasis. Impeccably manicured grounds lead to a private boat dock on the Butler Chain, a hidden garden retreat, and a stunning resort-style pool ideal for both relaxation and large-scale gatherings.”
With a chef’s kitchen, a 9-car garage, and smart home technology throughout, the home is “a rare opportunity to own one of Central Florida’s most iconic and impressive lakefront compounds, where every detail has been elevated to the highest standard.”
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