Early excitement over a $1.6-million house sale in Detroit has given way to concerns among neighbors following revelations that the out-of-town buyer intends to make his mansion a "spiritual retreat" for addiction treatment patients.

The 15-bedroom Alfred J. Fisher mansion in historic Palmer Woods, 1771 Balmoral Drive, sold on Aug. 22, fetching the highest price in recent memory for a Detroit house that was still used as a primary residence.

The buyer — Brad Lamm, founder and director of the Breathe Life Healing Centers in New York and Los Angeles — initially chose to be anonymous, but confirmed his identity Monday to the Detroit News and revealed plans for using the 1926 mansion as part of his addiction treatment business.

In a statement to the Free Press on Tuesday, a representative for Breathe Life Healing Centers said the Fisher mansion is being renovated to serve as both the company's newest spiritual retreat center and Lamm's primary residence. "Each [[center) offers a welcoming atmosphere coupled with amenities and grounds designed to encourage serenity and self-reflection," the statement read.


http://www.freep.com/story/money/bus...ment/16509845/