The Van Dusen Mansion

**gameguy56** · September-06-12, 01:30 PM

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...asks-750-k.php

Looks nice.

BitterAndCynical · September-06-12, 02:25 PM

Beautiful place! It's good to see that someone has been taking care of a place like this and not just letting it rot away. However, it makes me acutely cognizant of the fact that I'll never, ever ever have enough money to live somewhere like this.

**rb336** · September-06-12, 02:28 PM

10,000 square feet? I seriously can't imagine even wanting something that large

**p69rrh51** · September-06-12, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

10,000 square feet? I seriously can't imagine even wanting something that large

It's not as big as the square footage suggests 1/3 of that is the Ballroom/billiard room on the third floor. Actually its quite livable for the size of the mansion. Alvin Harley did a nice job designing the home. One of his best designs.

**mikefmich** · September-06-12, 03:28 PM

Me and my photography could settle in there rather nicely. Some superb natural light in that place.

**gameguy56** · September-06-12, 04:03 PM

Could be a nice place for Gilbert and his 5 kids?

**cman710** · September-06-12, 04:50 PM

That is really a beautiful house. I hope it goes to an owner that will take excellent care of it.

**Patrick** · September-06-12, 04:53 PM

Turn it into a bed and breakfast! Such an amazing design. Mitt Romney is probably familiar with this home since he lived right next to it when he was a kid.

**Guideboat** · September-06-12, 05:12 PM

What a cool place. I like the safe behind the ornate door. Hopefully it finds an owner that loves it and can afford the upkeep.

**Hamtragedy** · September-06-12, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by BitterAndCynical

Beautiful place! It's good to see that someone has been taking care of a place like this and not just letting it rot away. However, it makes me acutely cognizant of the fact that I'll never, ever ever have enough money to live somewhere like this.

There are a still a few foreclosures in Palmer Woods, and the scrappers have been pretty much kept at bay. Last summer [[2011) there were a few in the 120-150K range. Houses vary in size from a modest 2500' sq to much larger.

**Hamtragedy** · September-06-12, 10:38 PM

Can anyone identify the art tiles in the 6th row of pictures, third photo from left?

I have done extensive work on a neighboring home, which happens to have those same tiles, and the same tourquoise tiles as well. We've ruled out Pewabic, perhaps accidently, even though there are Pewabic tiles in the house. Rookwood, perhaps? Anyone?

**Király** · September-06-12, 11:53 PM

It's a bargain. Look at what that kind of money would buy me where I live.

**canuck** · September-07-12, 05:23 AM

Originally Posted by Király

It's a bargain. Look at what that kind of money would buy me where I live.

So true, Vancouver is totally disconnected as that goes. I am working on a big movie with a bunch of carpenters from Vancouver that brings the count to 190 carpenters to build sets of the White House. The Vancouver guys were looking for stone houses to compare prices in Montreal with their properties. Totally insane how little you get for a million bucks in Lotusland.

**swingline** · September-07-12, 10:34 AM

Do any of the Palmer Woods historians out there know if this house once had a circular driveway on the current footprint of the overgrown front sidewalk that leads to the front door? It seems unlikely that such a grand front entrance would not have been more conveniently available to guests arriving by chauffeur driven limosine.

**pkbroch** · September-07-12, 10:54 AM

There never was a front circular drive, just the slate walkway that is there today.

People came by the back entrance. The house has dual driveways in the back coming out on both streets. The entrance is rather grand in the back.

See row 8 of the pictures, 2nd photo from the right

**swingline** · September-07-12, 11:14 AM

Yeah, I saw that pic. It's nice for an entrance that serves the detached garage. A little strange to be receiving guests there though. It would be a hefty expense to put in a circular drive now. Especially if it wouldn't be used very often. It's absence detracts from the house IMHO. Regardless, it's a great property.

**Jimaz** · September-07-12, 12:52 PM

It looks like there's a circular walkway in front.

Google Street View for exploring the context. The house next door was covered in blue tarp three years ago. From above it looks like part of the roof was missing. Fire?

**scottn55** · September-07-12, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

It looks like there's a circular walkway in front.

Google Street View for exploring the context. The house next door was covered in blue tarp three years ago. From above it looks like part of the roof was missing. Fire?

I'm pretty sure that's the old Romney house. If so it was torn down recently.