While it has been decades since publishing mogul Hugh Hefner occupied the stately mansion at 1340 North State Parkway in the Gold Coast, its legacy as a Playboy party house and Bunny burrow lives on. As the story goes, Hef would host swanky, star-studded ragers at the 19th-century mansion through the ’60s and early ’70s, eventually eliciting attention from federal investigators who looked into drug use and the suicide of Playboy Bunny Bobbie Arnstein.
Today, the grand residence is a collection of seven upscale condos with lushly landscaped grounds. Not unlike other ultra-luxe houses in the neighborhood, the units at the old Playboy mansion offer the highest-end finishes and have price tags in the millions.
Currently, there are three units for sale, with combined asking prices totalling more than $9 million. While the residences share a common entry and roof, each has been shaped by individual owners and reflect personal tastes and needs. The priciest unit of the trio currently on the market is unit 1S, a 4,000-square-foot, three-bedroom dwelling located on the first floor, priced at $3.7 million.
The property offers a lot beyond the building’s storied legacy and historical architectural details. “I’ve sold in the Gold Coast for 30 years and rarely do I see something this impressive, especially considering how much light it gets being located on the first floor,” listing agent Randy McGhee says. “The space is well laid out and the entire unit is on the first floor, so it feels like a house. Each bedroom has its own bathroom, and when you enter the kitchen, you’re flanked by large windows on both sides looking out to the landscaped courtyard.”
Records show that the current owner, whom McGhee says is an executive looking to downsize, paid $2.45 million for the unit in September 2012. However, shortly after closing the deal, the owner embarked on a major renovation to completely overhaul the kitchen, bathrooms, and formal rooms. The resulting residence features breezy, white interiors, broken up by a reading room with a cool, blue motif. Off the kitchen and living room, a private courtyard offers an exclusive escape.
The unit boasts the grandeur of upscale Gold Coast residences, including details like two wood-burning fireplaces and a dramatic arched window in the living room that lets in a flood of natural light. A pair of garage parking spots are also included in the asking price.
McGhee says that the unit is perfect for buyers who want a lot of space in one continuous floor place and the privacy of being in a smaller development. “For someone who doesn’t want an elevator, one of big draws is that it’s an iconic building that it lives like a private detached house,” she says.