A historic estate in St. Petersburg with ties to a former mayor, a land boom developer, a Home Shopping Network president and more, is now for sale in the Snell Isle neighborhood.
Located at 416 Brightwaters Blvd. NE, the sprawling Mediterranean Revival estate was completed in 1925 for prominent attorney and Florida Land Boom developer Robert J. Mefford and his wife Harriet, who recruited the Kiehnel and Elliott architectural firm, the same builders behind the nearby Snell Arcade and the Rolyat Hotel in Gulfport (now part of Stetson University).
For the first 10 years, the Mefford Mansion was the scene of lavish parties and events for local socialites and politicians, until the 75-year-old Robert died of a sudden heart attack during a dinner party in the home in 1935.
The mansion has changed hands multiple times over the last century, and has been owned by prominent names like the late St. Pete Mayor Don Spicer, former president of the Home Shopping Network Gerald Hogan, and former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Peter Wallace.
The Mefford Mansion is currently owned by Premier Eye Care president and CEO Lorna Taylor, who purchased the house in 2013 for $2,020,000, according to public property records.
The 6,065-square-foot home now comes with five bedrooms and six bathrooms, and has gone through a four-year renovation by architect Greg Jones and builder Carmine Pici of Tom Pici & Son, says the listing. The property features a detached guest house (which housed soldiers during WWII), Wolf, Sub-Zero, Miele, and Cove appliances, an infinity pool, a fitness studio, and more.
The Mefford Mansion is currently asking $12.5 million, and the listing agents are Robyn Gunn of Premier Sotheby’s International and Stephen Gay of the Gay Glaser Gunning team at Smith & Associates Real Estate.
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This article appears in Apr. 09 – 15, 2026.