Once listed at $5.9M, Ann Arbor area mansion to auction at $1.67M

By Darcie Moran | MLIVE

A Palladian-style mansion initially priced at $5.9 million and renowned for its “no compromise” design approach will head to auction starting at $1.675 million on Monday, June 24.

The “Dogwood Manor,” 8387 Ford Road, northeast of Ann Arbor in Washtenaw County’s Superior Township, has been on and off the market for several years, after 10 years of construction at what the Chicago Tribune has said was an $18 million cost.

Nearly 100 craftsman worked to meet Peter and Eva Meek’s high expectations for the 9,025-square-foot home, the couple previously told The Ann Arbor News. They moved in, in 2008, but as of 2016 were looking to downsize.

They’ve chosen to go to auction to accelerate the process and retire, said Scott Kirk, president and CEO for online luxury home marketplace Interluxe.

“It was a passion project for them to build something this special and unique that will be timeless and live on for virtually forever, so, for them, it’s just time for it to become someone else’s,” he said.

The quality and artisanship of the home is “truly unmatched,” said Kirk. Kyle Schrader, Interluxe business development director, said the cost to construct the home was actually more than the $18 million estimate.

Some craftsman couldn’t handle the perfectionist approach, while others traveled from afar to take part in the project, Peter Meek previously said.

The couple used a full-size mock up of a room to fine tune the ceiling height and had a wall in the guest suite plastered four times until it was exactly straight.

"I didn't want the house to be made with somebody else's decisions," he said.

The result of the Meeks' labors is an impressive four-bedroom, seven-bathroom marvel on a 50-wooded-acre estate.

The home has a symmetrical layout inspired by Italian architect Andrea Palladio, along with a two-story library, an observatory with a rotating dome, a six-seat theater, a 1,000-bottle wine cellar, workshops, multiple two-car garages and an underground tunnel leading to a carriage house.

But the details are what make the home standout.

Every room has custom moldings, several rooms have Italian-tiled designs and most of the floors in the home are hand-scraped oak.

In addition, there are 1,400 bronze dogwood blossoms adorning fixtures and railings, Italian glass tiles covering the floor of a conservatory and photos of the Italian countryside on squares of canvas inset between the ceiling beams in the dining room.

The master suite includes a fireplace, built-in shelves, two walk-in closets and a bathroom with two showers and a Jacuzzi tub. A children’s bedroom includes a loft that looks like a castle.

The home also features a Crestron Smart Home system, heated floors, a five-stop elevator and screened porches.

Prospective buyers can view the home from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, June 21, and Saturday, June 22, as well as 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday June 23. Interested parties are asked to call 888-415-5893 ahead of a visit. Online bidding begins Monday on Interluxe.