One of Houston’s most exclusive and historic homes is on the market for $16 million.
The 21,500-square-foot mansion in the River Oaks Country Club Estates subdivision holds a unique and glamorous history. The property was once home to the late Baron Ricky di Portanova, heir to an oil fortune, and his wife, Baroness Alessandra di Portanova. The couple held exgravegant parties in their home attended by celebrities and dignitaries from across the globe, according to a news release.
“This home is a part of Houston history,” said listing agent Nancy Almodovar, CEO of Nan and Company Properties, an affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate. “Countless stories have been written and told for years of the opulent parties and its previous owner’s past. The current owners took on an extensive remodeling project with precision and exacting detail to modernize the home for today’s living, and of course, grand entertaining that is synonymous with the home’s history. It is truly a home that embodies both Houston’s future and its glamorous past.”
The centerpiece of the seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom property is the 12,000-square-foot indoor pool, enclosed with a glass panel ceiling and decorated with three ornate chandeliers and multiple sets of French doors leading to other parts of the home.
The property was updated in 2004 with a $7 million renovation and features high-end design finishes, including marble columns, elegant archways, an iron spiral staircase, mahogany paneled walls, custom shelving, and marble and wood flooring.
The home includes two kitchens, a gold-detailed fireplace in the great room, plus a media room with projection screen with access to the pool through wooden double doors.
The exterior features stucco and stone, sitting on a nearly 44,000-square-foot manicured lot at 2115 River Oaks Boulevard, accessed through an iron gate.
Almodovar founded Nan and Company Properties in 2014. The company was named Christie’s global Affiliate of the Year in 2019 and was picked as Best Brokerage Website for 2020 by Houston Agent magazine.