SOLD: Former Mel Gibson Mansion in Back Country Greenwich

Old Mill Farm, better known as the former Mel Gibson Estate, located at 124 Old Mill Road has sold.

The property features a historic mansion Gibson dubbed “Wayne Manor.” He lived there for 15 years. When Gibson and his wife purchased the mansion it was in disrepair. They redid much of it, built a theater and put in air conditioning.

The 16,862 sq ft. brick and stone mansion was built in 1926. It has 28 rooms, including 15 bedrooms, 9 full baths, and 6 half baths. The property features an in-ground pool, tennis court, fountain, and flagstone patio.

The property also features guest quarters, secret passage ways, stained glass windows, and 42 ft ceilings.

On Dec 18 the property sold from Cosette Property LLC to 124 OM LLC for $13,250,000.

Previously Cosette Property LLC purchased the property from Bruce Davey and Thomas Hansen in June 2010 for $23,875,000.

Prior to this sale, Cosette created a panic in back country by seeking to resubdivide the 75.72 acre property into two lots.

One would have been 9.21 acres and would retain Old Mill Farm.

For the second lot the applicant sought a Conservation Easement area of 31.24 acres, which if approved would have featured 28 homes on 17 acres.


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The idea was to have condo-type ownership for the 28 homes, with shared community center and pool, plus a shared water supply and septic system.

The controversial proposal, which came up during debates for Selectmen in the Nov 5 municipal election, was submitted under two sections of Greenwich’s Building Zone Regulations – the Conservation Zone and the Historic Overlay Zone for Historic Preservation.

The regs give applicants incentives to preserve both open space as a “set aside,” and preserve historical structures.

In this case they had proposed to preserve the existing main dwelling, a mansion built in 1926, and set aside land.

During a well attended Wetlands hearing, where many members of the public spoke out against the proposal, John Conte, the president of the Round Hill Association who is a landscape architect and arborist, described the set aside as a “well crafted illusion.”

“Most of the land offered as a set-aside is already unsuitable for development,” he said.

Local real estate agent Mark Pruner pointed out at the time that the property currently has four tax ID numbers. “That would allow four houses,” he said. “That is the alternative….Not 28.”

Unfortunately, should the new owners decide to build four houses, they will have no incentive preserve the historic mansion. What would Mel Gibson say?

See also:

WETLANDS WATCH: 28 Proposed Residences at Former Mel Gibson Estate Scrutinized