This 1930s Portland Mansion Has Been Transformed Into a Modern $25 Million Showpiece

The leafy streets of Portland, Oregon, are filled with historic homes, but as far as grand estates go, the Mittleman Estate is one of the city’s finest. Located in the affluent West Hills neighborhood, the Tudor Revival-style residence was built in 1930 by architect Roscoe D. Hemenway, a preeminent residential architect in Portland in his time.

Named after an early owner, real estate developer Harry Mittleman, the property last changed hands in 2017. Software company founder Stephen Marsh and wife Mary Marsh, who purchased the home to raise their three children after falling in love with it’s elegance and charm, spent four years and $20 million completely restoring and transforming the home. Now, the glamorous mansion can be yours for $25 million, a price that makes it the most expensive home currently for sale in Portland. The estate is available with LUXE Forbes Global Properties.

The 3.26-acre spread includes a sprawling residence that spans more than 25,500 square feet with eight bedrooms and a whopping 13 bathrooms. The home, which offers more privacy than some of its neighbors, is perched on a rare vantage point with panoramic views of the downtown skyline and the four mountains that ring the city: Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Rainier.

The owners tapped Holly Freres of JHL Design and Green Gables Design and Restoration to refresh nearly every inch of every room. Though interior fittings were replaced, the designers paid homage to the residence’s history and carefully studied original details. The restored exterior features original brick, while the interior layout remains largely unchanged, only slightly adjusted for modern functionality. 

Clocking in at 6,250 square feet, the first floor is all by itself much larger than most people’s homes. Upon entering, you’re greeted by a grand foyer with double-height ceilings. To the left is a spacious sunroom, which overlooks the circular driveway and features black marble tile flooring, a wall of black steel-framed Riviera Bronze windows and geometric millwork on the ceiling. The room connects to a breezeway, which was once the home’s carriage entrance, and now acts as a second entrance for guests. Nearby is a New York speakeasy-themed billiards room with Farrow and Ball wallpaper, custom wainscoting, and a full bar, as well as a custom marble fireplace.

Further in, the living room’s more traditional elements, including restored original paneling and a coffered ceiling, are brought into the 21st century with new steel-framed windows, colorful furnishings and exuberant prints. There’s also a formal dining room with high-gloss walls and a cozy, wood-paneled den with a Tudor-style fireplace. The kitchen and breakfast areas, perfect for entertaining intimate groups and casual meals, open via steel-trimmed doors onto a stone terrace for barbecuing and alfresco dining.

Along with a lounge, the upper level holds seven en suite bedrooms, including the 825-square-foot primary suite, which pampers the homeowner with a fireplace and seating area, along with a sumptuous bathroom crafted from 14 slabs of imported marble. Amping up the luxury quotient, there’s also a massive walk-in closet with elegant chandeliers, boutique-like display cases, and designer fixtures.

There are two additional lower levels, one with a gym and a half-basketball court that doubles as a ballroom, and another with a former speakeasy-style party room that’s been converted to a state-of-the-art media room. Elsewhere are a family room, a wine cellar and tasting room, a second kitchen, and a bedroom for guests or staff.

The home is built into the hillside with a second breezeway that connects to the indoor pool and pool house. The pool house, with a retractable roof, includes a beverage station and individual changing rooms, along with a private entrance for guests coming for pool parties. 

Click here for more photos of the Portland mansion.