Latest news with #historicmansion
Telegraph
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Paul Simon's daughter tears into Richard Gere for selling childhood home to developer
Paul Simon's daughter has torn into Richard Gere for selling her childhood home to a property developer who plans to demolish the historic mansion. Lulu Simon wrote on Instagram: 'Hate! Him!' next to a picture of the Pretty Woman actor and a link to a news story about the home being torn down in the face of anger from preservationists. Ms Simon, 30, a pop singer, claimed that Mr Gere 'promised he would take care of the land' in New Canaan, Connecticut, when he bought it from her father in 2022. Mr Gere sold it to a developer last year for $10.75 million and the company is planning to knock down the six-bedroom mansion, which was built in 1938 on a 32-acre plot. In its place will be nine homes, SBP Homes has said. In her now-deleted post Ms Simon included an image of Mr Gere, 75, surrounded by photos of her late pets. She wrote: 'I hope my dead pets buried in that backyard haunt you until you descend into a slow and unrelenting madness.' The rancour began in 2022 when Mr Simon and his wife Edie Brickell sold the home, which was designed by architect Harold R Sleeper, to Mr Gere. Mr Simon had owned it for 20 years and bought it 20 years ago for $16.5 million. The home was not listed publicly and Mr Gere bought it at a discount, for just $10.8 million. Originally Mr Gere planned to turn the estate into a farm, according to details shared with local planners in 2023. But those plans changed in late 2024 when Mr Gere relocated to Spain with his wife Alejandra Gere, 42, with whom he has two sons Alexander, five, and James, four. Instead they sold the property to SBP Homes which recently revealed its development plans. In her post, Ms Simon posted herself flashing a peace sign and said: 'Just in case anyone was wondering if I still hate Richard Gere – I do! 'He bought my childhood home. Promised he would take care of the land as (a) condition of his purchase. Proceeded to never actually move in and just sold it to a developer as nine separate plots. 'Hate! Him!' Ms Simon continued her rant with a second post about the dead pets. Both posts were deleted around 18 hours after they were first put online.
Times
06-07-2025
- Times
Grand Hotel Tremezzo review: the most storied hotel in Lake Como
La dolce vita doesn't get much sweeter than at this much-loved historic mansion. Near Bellagio, it's in the peachiest of locations, with a backdrop of romantic, century-old terraced gardens looking out at the Grigna mountains as they slide serenely into Lake Como's sparkling turquoise waters. From its trademark extravagant displays of velvety red roses and antique Italian lace to its lavish bedrooms and lakeside restaurant, interiors are an ode to old-school elegance and nostalgia. Charismatic staff, many of whom have been at the hotel for decades, ensure service is equally exceptional. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue Score 9/10The 80 rooms and suites have either lake or garden views and a pleasing mix of classical and contemporary styling, pops of bold colour and marble bathrooms. Luxury touches include indulgent Beltrami bed linens, made locally with yarn from birch wood, which is both sustainable and addictively silky. All rooms are maintained in mint condition and refreshed annually during the hotel's winter closure. Even the snuggest rooms feel spacious thanks to bay windows and balconies but if you can splash out, the top suite — named after the Swedish-American actress Greta Garbo — is as showstopping as the enigmatic star with its extravagant gilded bed, a marble-lined bathroom with a circular whirlpool tub and a huge terrace overlooking the lake. Score 9/10 There are four restaurants and none of them hold back on Italian exuberance. Its flagship is the fine-dining La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi, which is a tribute to the chef widely acknowledged as the founder of modern Italian cuisine. It would be a shame not to order his classic dishes such as the delicious saffron risotto with gold leaf, proudly served by waiters who will present you with a copy of the recipe as a memento. Da Giacomo on the hotel's 'beach' (the sand is imported) is the place for seafood and people-watching — try the lobster. For a casual bite, there's T Pizza in the garden, while L'Escale, the hotel's 21st-century take on a traditional trattoria, serves Instagrammable meals such as carbonara prepared table-side in a parmesan cheese wheel before being generously topped with truffle. Breakfast offers 101 ways to develop diabetes before lunch, with trestle tables laden with every kind of cake and confectionery known to humankind as well as magnificent displays of cheeses, meats, cereals, nuts and fruits. • More great hotels in Lake Como• Best villas in Lake Como Score 9/10There are three pools; the standout one floats on the lake and has its own mini 'beach' for long, lazy sunshine days. There is another cool pool in the garden, surrounded by neatly clipped hedges and sweetly scented borders, while the third is a stylish indoor lap pool in a glass house that has knockout views. The spa has treatments by the world's oldest pharmacy, the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, which has been making incredible lotions and potions in Florence since 1221, and the high-tech Swiss brand Transvital, as well as a sauna with lake views, a steam room, a hammam, an ice fountain and a hair salon. There's a tennis court, the gym comes with killer views and there are complimentary morning yoga classes. Score 9/10The gardens of Villa Carlotta, one of the lake's main tourist attractions, are next door, and the extraordinary Villa del Balbianello is also close by. Pick up a ferry from a pier that's about a five-minute walk away to explore the lake's charming towns including Bellagio and Varenna. Price B&B doubles from £1,900Restaurant mains from £32Family-friendly YAccessible Y Susan d'Arcy was a guest of Grand Hotel Tremezzo ( • Lake Como v Lake Garda: which one should you visit?• Best villas in Italy with a pool
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Mystery as Gone With The Wind-style plantation that's one of south's oldest antebellum homes is destroyed by huge blaze
One of the Antebellum-era plantations in the country was destroyed after a massive fire ripped through the historic mansion and completely engulfed it in flames. The massive inferno erupted at Louisiana 's historic Nottoway Plantation House shortly after 2pm Thursday. A giant orange wall of fire consumed the 166-year-old home, which was located along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The blaze, which started in the south wing of the building, devoured the upper portion of the rotunda and sent a plume of thick smoke into the sky. Officials claim the inferno quickly spread to the main house and left behind a trail of destruction. Footage from the property shows charred and collapsed remnants of the once beautiful house. The plantation's northern wing and back wall were completely destroyed, with only the chimneys remaining on each side. The façade and upper balcony had also collapsed. Although authorities note it is too soon to determine the full extent of the damage, the mansion's owner, Louisiana attorney Dan Dyess, said in a written statement that the fire had led to a 'total loss' after all the time and money he invested in the building. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Iberville Parish government officials said. No injuries were reported. Nearly a dozen fire departments from surrounding towns were called to Nottoway Plantation in White Castle on Thursday after a blaze broke out at the home. Flames ripped through a massive mansion, destroying much of the historic structure that was used as a plantation house when it was completed in 1859. Mansion staff discovered smoke around 2pm after walking into a room in the museum on the second floor of the home, WAFB reports. Firefighters initially extinguished the blaze, but it reignited Thursday evening, causing flames to shoot from the roof as it collapsed in. Officials suspect the fire broke out in a second-floor bedroom. The fire has been contained, and no other properties were harmed, said Maj. Monty Migliacio of the Iberville Parish Sheriff´s Office. Other structures on the grounds have been preserved, parish officials said. Before the fire, Nottoway Plantation was a resort and event venue, and its website described it as 'the South's largest remaining antebellum mansion'. Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle called it 'a cornerstone of our tourism economy and a site of national significance.' Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal Public Affairs Director Ken Pastorick said authorities are still in the 'beginning phases of the investigation'. 'We don't know how the fire began and our objective is to determine how it started,' he added. When the fire first broke out, authorities said the planation's owners were dedicated to rebuilding and repairing the home in line with historic preservation. But now the owners are reportedly unsure if they will move forward with that plan, officials told WAFB. The 53,000-square-foot home on a former sugar plantation about 65 miles northwest of New Orleans had a three-story rotunda adorned with giant white columns and hand-carved Italian marble fireplaces, according to a description on its website. 'We are devastated and heartbroken for this loss,' owner Dan Dyess said. 'This was my dream that has now been dashed.' In a statement on Facebook, Daigle touched on the structure's history of racial injustice during a time when enslaved Black people helped build the home and operate the sugar plantation that surrounded it. In 1860, 155 enslaved people were held at the property, according to National Park Service records. 'While its early history is undeniably tied to a time of great injustice, over the last several decades it evolved into a place of reflection, education, and dialogue,' Daigle said. 'Since the 1980s, it has welcomed visitors from around the world who came to appreciate its architecture and confront the legacies of its era,' he added. 'It stood as both a cautionary monument and a testament to the importance of preserving history - even the painful parts - so that future generations can learn and grow from it.'
The Independent
16-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Fire destroys a sprawling mansion on a former Louisiana sugar plantation
Flames ripped through a massive mansion in Louisiana, destroying much of the historic structure that was used as a plantation house when it was completed in 1859, authorities said. The fire that engulfed the Nottoway Plantation House on Thursday devastated the building along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle said on social media. Nearly a dozen fire departments from surrounding towns battled the blaze, he said. No injuries were reported. Before the fire, it was a resort and event venue, and its website described it as 'the South's largest remaining antebellum mansion." Daigle called it 'a cornerstone of our tourism economy and a site of national significance.' The 53,000-square-foot (4,924-square-meter) home on a former sugar plantation about 65 miles (105 kilometers) northwest of New Orleans included a three-story rotunda adorned with giant white columns and included hand-carved Italian marble fireplaces, according to a description on its website. The mansion's owner, Louisiana attorney Dan Dyess, said in a written statement that the fire had led to a 'total loss" after all the time and money he invested in the building. 'We are devastated and heartbroken for this loss,' he said. 'This was my dream that has now been dashed.' Photos from local news outlets showed a giant orange wall of fire consuming the upper portion of the rotunda and sending a plume of thick smoke into the sky. The fire has been contained, and no other properties were harmed, said Maj. Monty Migliacio of the Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office. Authorities were investigating the cause of the fire, he added. In a statement on Facebook, Daigle touched on the structure's history of racial injustice during a time when enslaved Black people helped build the home and operate the sugar plantation that surrounded it. In 1860, 155 enslaved people were held at the property, according to National Park Service records. 'While its early history is undeniably tied to a time of great injustice, over the last several decades it evolved into a place of reflection, education, and dialogue,' Daigle said. 'Since the 1980s, it has welcomed visitors from around the world who came to appreciate its architecture and confront the legacies of its era," he added. "It stood as both a cautionary monument and a testament to the importance of preserving history — even the painful parts — so that future generations can learn and grow from it.'
Associated Press
16-05-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Fire destroys a sprawling mansion on a former Louisiana sugar plantation
WHITE CASTLE, La. (AP) — Flames ripped through a massive mansion in Louisiana, destroying much of the historic structure that was used as a plantation house when it was completed in 1859, authorities said. The fire that engulfed the Nottoway Plantation House on Thursday devastated the building along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle said on social media. Nearly a dozen fire departments from surrounding towns battled the blaze, he said. No injuries were reported. Before the fire, it was a resort and event venue, and its website described it as 'the South's largest remaining antebellum mansion.' Daigle called it 'a cornerstone of our tourism economy and a site of national significance.' The 53,000-square-foot (4,924-square-meter) home on a former sugar plantation about 65 miles (105 kilometers) northwest of New Orleans included a three-story rotunda adorned with giant white columns and included hand-carved Italian marble fireplaces, according to a description on its website. Photos from local news outlets show a giant orange wall of fire consuming the upper portion of the rotunda and sending a plume of thick smoke into the sky. In a statement on Facebook, Daigle touched on the structure's history of racial injustice during a time when enslaved people helped build the home and operate the sugar plantation that surrounded it. 'While its early history is undeniably tied to a time of great injustice, over the last several decades it evolved into a place of reflection, education, and dialogue,' Daigle said. 'Since the 1980s, it has welcomed visitors from around the world who came to appreciate its architecture and confront the legacies of its era,' he added. 'It stood as both a cautionary monument and a testament to the importance of preserving history — even the painful parts — so that future generations can learn and grow from it.'
