Inside Mel Gibson's Connecticut Mansion
Known for portraying Martin Riggs in the "Lethal Weapon" films and William Wallace in the 1995 film "Braveheart," Mel Gibson has been a prominent name in Hollywood since the late 1970s. The actor, producer, and director has won countless awards, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. And while he has homes all around the world, the native New Yorker returned to the Northeast in the mid-'90s after buying a remarkable property in Greenwich, Connecticut, only 45 minutes away from his hometown of Peekskill, New York, per IMDb.
Purchased in 1994 for $9.3 million, Gibson lived there for 15 years before selling the residence in 2010 for $24 million to Cosette Property LLC, according to Westchester & Fairfield County Business Journals. After unsuccessfully listing the residence in 2014 for $31.5 million and again in 2018 for $22.5 million, the real estate development company submitted development plans to Greenwich's Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency.
Their plans consisted of dividing the land into two parts, one of which included the mansion along with almost nine and a quarter acres, and the other proposed dispersing 28 new homes across the remaining land. However, the residents of Greenwich opposed the company's plans and voiced their concerns over the construction negatively affecting not only Gibson's former home but the surrounding water channels and wetlands (via Patch). After reducing their asking price and removing the listing multiple times, Cosette eventually withdrew their plans and sold the property in late 2019 for $13.25 million.
Features of the property
Built sometime between 1925 and 1927 by award-winning architect Charles Lewis Bowman for an investment banker and decorated veteran pilot Charles L. Ohrstrom, according to the Greenwich Historical Society, the secluded colonial Tudor-style mansion features a grand stone exterior accented by lush greenery. Sitting on almost 76 acres of well-kept land, the impressive property includes multiple fountains, flower gardens, and hiking trails, as well as an orchard and dock access to a small lake.
The property additionally boasts a tree-lined circle driveway, two greenhouses, a 60-foot swimming pool with a diving board and patio space for lounging in the sun, an outdoor chess set, a maze made out of boxwood bushes, and a tennis court with lights and a stone pavilion (via Zillow). With plenty of green space and gardens to relax and roam around in and countless activities to do, the property is the perfect place for anyone who enjoys spending time outside.
Along with the historic mansion and stunning grounds, multiple outbuildings on the property serve as guest houses, including a fairytale-esque stone cottage that offers eight additional bedrooms (via Sotheby's International Realty). Guests can also stay in a charmingly rustic log cabin that features its original stone fireplace and is tucked into the nearby woods or in another ivy-covered stone building adjacent to the spacious horse barn with enough room to house approximately 10 to 12 horses.
Inside the manor
As for the stately manor's interior, the mansion boasts over 15,800 square feet and consists of eight bedrooms and 21 bathrooms, 14 of which include a tub and shower. Originally named the "Old Mill Farm" by Ohrstrom and Bowman, Mel Gibson renamed the mansion "Wayne Manor" as a homage to the DC Comics character Bruce Wayne, whom the actor almost portrayed in the 1989 film "Batman." Gibson also added a few modern amenities to the residence, including air conditioning and a high-end theater room that can seat up to 15 people in luxurious dark emerald green velvet chairs.
Keeping in line with the property's new and old nicknames, the mansion is filled with rich and traditional Elizabethan architectural features, such as oak-paneled walls, intricate woodworking, 40-foot vaulted ceilings, and high-quality stained-glass windows (via Sotheby's International Realty). Multiple fireplaces can also be found in rooms throughout the mansion, including the tavern-like basement and master suite. The home additionally includes two dining areas, a butler's pantry, a study, and a double chef's kitchen with bay window seating.
Surrounded by country clubs, golf courses, and nature preserves, the property now houses the philanthropic organization Foundation House, which was created by neighbor Mimi Sternlicht in 2019 to preserve the property. Along with hosting a number of events such as workshops and lectures, the organization has been opening its doors to artists and activists working on environmental, community, and mental health-related projects and providing them with housing throughout the year.