The largest house in Tennessee, which spans nearly 40,000 square feet with 86 rooms in total, and comes with doorknobs worth $200,000 and Swarovski crystal chandeliers is being torn down.
Located in Knoxville, the home — which features a three-story library, a home theater and a $5 million master suite — sold back in October for $6.5 million by developer Lview Properties LLC.
The plan is to replace the current home, which sits on 8.2 acres into three lots for three different homes, Sharon Bailey, a broker and representative of the Villa Collina owners, told Knox News.
Before its demolition, a December 4 auction with all the items inside the home took place. People from as far as Utah and New York came down to bid on high-quality items ranging from the estate’s collection of Sherle Wagner door handles and bathroom fixtures, a mechanical desk, a slot machine, a life-size Roman bust, a Wellington sofa, a Weber piano and much more.
While the tear down began on Monday, The Post obtained photos inside the extravagant home and all the luxury features and items that came with it.
“The auctions went above expectations,” Bailey told Knox News. “We were somewhat shocked for the demand for a lot of that stuff. To buy paneling and commodes and lighting systems — it was pretty shocking but very interesting.”
“Unfortunately, the house has proven itself impractical as a single-family residence,” Sam Furrow, owner of Furrow Auction Co., told Knox News.
“What we’re doing, at least, is sharing some of the heritage of Villa Collina and its memories for the whole community because a lot of people have been here over the years in various ways.”
The Italianate-style mansion is made up of eight bedrooms and 16 bathrooms, a three-story library, home theater and a $5 million master suite, according to the Villa Collina website (yes, a whole website was dedicated to the home).
Features of the mansion include a 2,600 square-feet wine cellar that boasts a grotto, curated tasting rooms and storage for thousands of bottles within its twisting brick corridors. It also has a home spa with a heated indoor pool, hot tub, sauna and exercise room.
The listing also describes how the home was made up of hand-crafted finishes, bathrooms with gilded fixtures and Italian marble accent pieces.
Situated in the upscale historic Lyons View neighborhood, through wrought-iron gates, other features include a secluded guest suite, staff quarters, and a commercial elevator.
“The property features unparalleled views of the Tennessee River and Great Smoky Mountains, while only being a few minutes from Downtown Knoxville and the University of Tennessee,” the previous listing noted.
Debbie Elliott-Sexton and Blake Pruitt of Alliance Sotheby’s International Realty held the listing, and also took part in the last three transactions of the home.
“All three are record-breaking sales,” a rep for Alliance Sotheby’s International Realty told The Post.
Villa Collina was built in stages in the 90s and 2000s by Mike and Deane Conley, who previously owned heavy equipment company Regal Corp.
The property was sold four different times in the last decade and it’s pricing history was called into question after it sold for $8.5 million in 2011, but then re-listed and sold in 2016 at a 25% loss for $6.375 million.
The most head-turning activity on the home took place in 2020 when it sold for $10.5 million to Afghan military contractor, Shafiqullah Koshani, only for him to try and sell it a mere two weeks later for $750,000 less than he paid for it. Koshani had purchased the largest home in Tennessee from his business partner, according to Moon Capital Management.
The Post has reached out Koshani for comment.
