Live in a Haunted, Grey Gardens-esque Staten Island Mansion for $2M
For many New Yorkers, living on Staten Island is scary enough (just kidding!), but for those looking for an extra thrill, a historic, landmarked haunted mansion just hit the market for $2.31 million.
The 7,700-square-foot, 10-bedroom Italianate villa-style home is located at 2475 Richmond Road in Egbertville and is known as the Gustav Mayer House for its original owner, an inventor who created the recipe for Nabisco’s Nilla Wafers. Built in 1885, the house served as a Grey Gardens-esque residence for Mayer’s two daughters, who stayed sequestered inside until their 100th birthdays. It’s said that their ghosts still roam the hallways, along with the presence of their father, according to the Post.
Paula and Emilie Mayer holed up in such an extreme way that they never even walked down the stairs for the better part of a century, remaining in just two bedrooms. They used an elaborate pulley system to bring in groceries, mail, and anything else from the outside world. They moved out with their nurse in the 1980s. The “psychic lawyer” Mark Anthony confirmed their presence in the house.
If the listing photos look familiar to you, it’s likely because you’ve seen the house in one of many fashion shoots. As the New York Times recounted a few months ago, the mansion has served as the backdrop for a Harper’s Bazaar shoot with Mary-Kate Olsen and Lauren Hutton, a Cosmopolitan U.K. spread with model Megan McNierney, and a Vs. magazine feature with the actress Amber Heard. And these are just a few of the dozens of international shoots to have taken place in the storied home, a photographer favorite thanks to its frozen-in-time appearance, complete with a crumbling exterior, original marble fireplaces, chipping paint, and hidden electrical outlets.
The home’s current owner, Bob Troiano, dispels any rumors that his house is haunted, though he does admit it’s eerie. Troiano first came upon the decrepit house when he was 19 years old, but it wasn’t until 1990 that he bought the residence, which sits on a half acre of land. It took him an entire year just to get two first-floor rooms livable for himself, his wife, and their daughter. He then moved on to the rest of the house, stabilizing walls, rebuilding windows, and installing carefully-hidden utilities. In 1992, the first photo shoot took place at the house, and Troiano realized that the “controlled decay” upstairs was actually a gem.
The crowning jewel of the mansion is definitely the square cupola that protrudes from the center of the roof, offering beautiful views of the Raritan Bay. The first floor, or owner’s quarters as it’s referred to, has a double parlor living/dining space with a front porch, two bedrooms, and a kitchen. Currently, the exterior and front porch are undergoing a $570,000 restoration, which the listing agent considers a bonus that actually brings the final cost down to $1.74 million.
[Listing: 2475 Richmond Road by Roberto Rizzini and Jung Ho Kim of Citi Habitats]
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Photos via Citi Habitats
