Choose Your Own Venture

By Mark Loehrke
Appears in the June 2023 issue.

One of Naperville’s most conspicuous (and expensive) properties offers a wealth of possibilities

It would be hard to characterize anything about the Laurel Estate as “subtle.” From its heart-of-downtown-Naperville location to the daunting size of the mansion itself (encompassing five bedrooms, nine baths, and some 15,000 square feet of finished space), this blockbuster one-acre property, back on the market for $12.75 million, has been the talk of the town ever since it came on the scene at 222 West Van Buren in 2019. After all, while it’s not unusual to find roughly comparable homes elsewhere in Naperville (particularly up and down the Hobson Road corridor), this size so close to downtown—not to mention the eye-popping price tag—is bound to inspire curiosity.

But beyond all of the typical bells and whistles at this price point—large professionally landscaped lot, in-ground pool, high-end appliances, wine room, basement art studio, top-quality wood and stonework throughout—listing agents Kim Marino and Katie Minott of @properties Christie’s International Real Estate say the most intriguing aspect of the property just might be the transitional-use zoning for its three parcels, which allows for residential or commercial use (or both).

“The home could be used as a residence now and in the future be used for commercial purposes, like a Restoration Hardware,” Minott says. “Or someone could build a hotel on the parcels to the east and use the main home’s pool and amenities as a continuation of the project. You could build an outpatient surgery facility on the land and use the main home for recovery. There are endless possibilities.”

Photos: Drone Hub Media (aerial); Hursthouse (pool); Miguel from Next Door Photos (interior)