Hollow Hill, the storybook estate of noted architect George Howe, nabbed $2 million at at its sheriff’s sale yesterday.
The Chestnut Hill property, with its towering turret sitting on nearly 5 acres, was designed and built between 1914-17 by Howe, the architect that gave Philadelphia the PSFS Building. The auction was yesterday, and bidding began at $100,600, according to the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office website.
Despite its low starting bid, the property sold for just under its assessed value of $2,070,000. Though the original asking price of the 6-bedroom, 7-bath, 12,925-square-foot estate in 2014 was $3.5 million.
The winning bidder is now owner to the 100-year-old property, which is recognized by the Chestnut Hill Historical Society as significant, but it is not certified historic (i.e. not protected by any easements). The property’s roof has been undergoing slate and copper flashing restorations, according to a Curbed reader who shared some photos of the process.
Here are some more photos of the property via its original listing: