CHARLESTON – Looking for a new home?
Here’s one to consider: A 20,000-square-foot home with eight bedrooms and 13 bathrooms. The 17-acre estate also features an infinity swimming pool, a tennis court, a carriage house and spectacular views of downtown Charleston.
That mansion, which was built by West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Robin Jean Davis and attorney Scott Segal in 2001, will be on the market soon. According to Kanawha County records, the home – which also features a $44,000 yearly property tax bill – is appraised for $5.3 million. But the listing likely will be much higher.
Segal said he and Davis have hired a Realtor and an architect to begin the process of selling the home, which is located near Quarry Creek above Kanawha City.
“A real estate agent and architect have been authorized to work on a marketing plan to put it on the market when appropriate,” Segal said. “Because of the type of property it is, that is very strictly regulated by the terms of the agreement with our Realtor. It’s not going to just be one where people can say, “Hey, let’s go look at the Segal house.”
Segal said it basically is time for him and Davis to downsize.
“I’m 60, and Robin’s 59,” he said. “Oliver (their son) is on his way to college soon, and it’s a very, very big house for two people. When you get to the age of 60, I think most couples who have been together as long as Robin and I have and who are deeply committed to each other start thinking like this.
“We need to start simplifying our life. We made the decision a few months ago to sell, but we know it could take a Realtor a significant amount of time to sell it.”
Segal said the home obviously has lots of memories for him.
“My fondest memories are of Oliver and his buddies swimming in pool, our golden retrievers swimming in the pool,” he said. “Their final resting places are there on the point. Oliver grew up there. So, yeah, there are a lots of memories.”
Segal also said he’ll miss the view from the home.
“One of the nicest things about the home is, before the foundation was poured, we actually reseated the house three times so the Capitol dome is in the middle of every window on the first floor,” he said. “In winter, it’s pretty spectacular to see the view of downeuntown Charleston.”
And despite the mansion being so big, Segal said it doesn’t feel that way.
“A lot of people who have visited our home would agree, when you come in you might think, “Oh my God, it’s a mansion,” he said. “But when you’re in the house, it’s very much a home, not a mansion.
“Sure, you’re aware you’re in a large structure. But we’ve accomplished a very homey feeling to the house. You see these professional athlete’s home, these nouveau riche mansions with these oversized, gaping rooms. Our home is not that. It’s warm, aesthetically pleasing. It’s a very difficult thing to accomplish. I’m very proud of that from an architectural standpoint.”
Segal said he knows it will take a special buyer to purchase the home. Until then, he said he and Davis will enjoy the home.
“This was a decision Robin and I made based on where we are in our lives at this point in time,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter if you downsize at 60 or 61, 62, 63. You have to get to that place in your mind and know, with your partner, that’s the move you want to make. If it happens tomorrow, that’s great. I hope they enjoy it as much as we have.
“And if it takes a while, that’s OK, too. We don’t need to move out. We’re not rushing to move out. If I’m there for a little while, that’s OK, too.”
