Hollow Hill, once the castle-like estate of a noted architect, is headed to sheriff’s sale in October.
The Chestnut Hill property, with its towering turret sitting on nearly 5 acres, was designed and built between 1914-17 by George Howe, the architect that gave Philadelphia the PSFS Building. It's scheduled for sheriff’s sale on Tuesday, October 4, with bidding starting at $100,600, according to the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office website.
Despite its low starting bid, the property’s assessed value is $2,070,000, though it was asking for much more when it was for sale a few years ago. The 6-bedroom, 7-bath, 12,925-square-foot estate has been on and off the market for the past few years, listing in 2014 to the tune of $3.5 million.
The listing photos at the time revealed a sort of old-world fortress with stone arched fences, a grand, marble staircase, a two-story kitchen, and exposed beam and brick. It sits on 4.39 acres, right on the edge of Fairmount Park near Morris Arboretum.
The 100-year-old property is recognized by the Chestnut Hill Historical Society as significant, but it is not certified historic (i.e. not protected by any easements). It’s in the same boat as another property in Chestnut Hill, the Greylock Mansion, which heads to sheriff’s sale in November.
Here are some photos of the property via its original listing.
- High Hollow, George Howe's personal mansion, asks $3.5M [Curbed Philly]
- Magnificent Greylock Mansion in Chestnut Hill up for sheriff's sale [Curbed Philly]