This was the first house built in Brookfield, by the founder of Brookfield, Samuel Eberly Gross, for his brother, John Gross, who was the first village president. If you've ever read "Devil in a White City" you will find Mr. Gross' name on the map on the inside cover of the book. He was a real estate developer in the late 1800's who was the first to develop Brookfield (previously called Grossdale after himself). This home, referred to in the neighborhood as "the castle house" due to its castle-like features (including a turret that goes from the basement all the way up to the 3rd floor), was gutted down to the studs and remodeled in 2007/2008: All 3 stories - with new electrical, plumbing, flooring, drywall throughout, granite and marble finishes, master suite taking up the entire 3rd floor. All of the original woodwork and trim was kept and beautifully restored, along with the original light fixtures and stained glass windows. The current owners purchased the home for $420k and then spent another $300k completing this full restoration. Quite a feat! The home is on a 4x lot, it is one-third of an acre, with a beautiful, large yard on the side and back of the home, along with a large shade garden with a flagstone walkway on the other side of the home. There is a large stamped concrete patio along with an additional concrete pad with an 8-person hot tub in the backyard. It has 4 parking spaces in the form of a 3-car garage (new construction built in 2007/2008) and an additional concrete pad on the side of the garage for a 4th vehicle. The garage itself has a 2nd story, accessible via a pull-down stair/ladder. This 2nd story above the garage has loads of storage, in fact, a whole floor of storage above the 3 car garage spaces. The home has zoned heat and AC, so you can regulate the temperature on each floor separately. There are 2 furnaces and AC units to generously cover the entire house. There are also 2 staircases from the first to the second floor - one at the front with an impressive, original carved staircase and stained-glass windows, and one at the back of the home from the kitchen to the 2nd floor. Right off the kitchen is the original Butler's Pantry which still has its 1800's refrigerator. One side for a block of ice, the other with shelves to store food. The cabinetry is still original, full of charm, and loads of storage space. The current owners added a handmade mosaic countertop to this special vintage room with tiles matching those in the vestibule of the home. The dining room has a large bay window and room for an 8–10-person dining table. The living room includes a gas fireplace with a Carrara marble surround, which means you can have a cozy fire at the touch of a button. There is also a wet bar in the turret area of the living room with a custom-made pedestal sink. The 2nd story has 3 bedrooms with walk-in closets, something extremely unique for a Victorian. There is also a 4th bedroom/den at the front of the house that looks out on the boulevard. There is a very large bathroom on the 2nd floor - during the remodel the owners converted one of the bedrooms into a full bath with ample space (including a closet) heated floors and a double sink. What was the original (tiny) bathroom is now a 2nd story laundry room. And finally, there is a sleeping porch on the 2nd story as well. This area was originally where you would sleep in the summer before air conditioning came along. It is now screened in, with windows that fully open to enjoy the breeze, and is used as a bright and cheery 3-season room.
This property is off market, which means it's not currently listed for sale or rent on Zillow. This may be different from what's available on other websites or public sources.
