A local Mediterranean Revival property known as the "Palmer Estate" is going to auction in Belleair.
Located at 701 Bayview Dr., the home was originally built in 1920 and was first owned by Earl E. Carley, who was the vice president of the nearby Belleview Biltmore Hotel Co. and later the president of Belleair Estates.
In 1928, Carley sold the property to rubber tycoon Theron Palmer, who founded the Pennsylvania-based company Continental Rubber. Palmer's company mostly focused on bicycle manufacturing, including bicycle tires and tubes, and during the war effort in 1917, manufactured bike tires and gas masks for troops overseas.
The Palmer Estate has also long been rumored as a vacationing spot for the notorious mobster Al Capone, though this claim has never been confirmed.
The 7,517-square-foot home has been updated throughout the years and comes with a total of six bedrooms and seven bathrooms, as well as Cuban tile flooring, a sunken grand living room with 13-foot ceilings, and more. The estate is being sold fully-furnished, and the auction price will sell at or above the starting reserve bid of $1.2 million via Interluxe. Online bids will begin Tuesday, Nov. 9.
"The seller works and lives abroad and doesnt have the time to spend at this extraordinary property. When discussing the listing, we knew that we needed a different approach to attract the right buyers and to do so in a timely, efficient manner, said Gordon Kyle of Premier Sothebys International Realty in a statement.
Previews of the estate will be held starting Nov 5. For more info visit interluxe.com.
Photos via Realtor