Abandoned Oscar Mayer Mansion is Restored

Remember the century-old Oscar Mayer mansion in Evanston, Illinois? The Chicago landmark, home to Oscar Mayer Sr. from 1927 to 1965, sat vacant for over 10 years before it was purchased and renovated.

VHT’s Petr Poliak photographed the abandoned property last year in its neglected state. There were holes in the roof and vines taking over the home’s exterior. Not a pretty sight.

Most homebuyers would run from a listing in that state, but real estate attorney Scott Hargadon and his business partner Jim Kastenholz were open to the challenge. They purchased the property in June of 2015 and renovations began almost immediately after.

“This house had less curb appeal than anything I had ever seen,” recalls Hargadon in a Realtor.com article. They were pleasantly surprised to see that all original woodwork, hardwood floors and light fixtures were still in place. According to Hargadon, it looked like the home was frozen in time.

Here’s what the property looked like before renovations:

View more photographs of the 1901 mansion in its original state here.

“This house, as presented, will in effect be a brand-new 2016 house inside the shell of a 1901 house,” Hargadon stated in the Realtor.com article. The home’s plumbing, electrical, foundation and roof were repaired and modernized. Decorative art glass windows were also repaired.

After renovations were underway, VHT photographer Petr Poliak returned to capture updated images of the home.

Watch an aerial drone video of the property’s exterior below.

Here’s what the home looked like during renovations:

View more photographs of the mansion’s transformation here.

Hargadon and his business partner listed the 7,400-square-foot mansion in May for $2.95 million. Renovations are scheduled to be completed in August. We can’t wait to see the new and improved mansion once all renovations are complete.

What do you think of the Oscar Mayer mansion’s transformation so far? Share in the comments below!