Another Cole Smith Mansion Bites the Dust: R.I.P. 10650 Strait Lane

White columns are the way to a girl’s heart!

This house always made me happy. There was a long red brick driveway with a row of magnolia trees lining it, and ponies and mules always traversed the almost four acres that led down to Bachman Creek on the east side. It was stately and elegant, the kind of Main Line home that tastefully exhibited wealth but didn’t bash you over the head with it.

And sometimes the mules poked their noses out of the iron gate for a little rub!

The home was built in 1976 and about 6446 square feet, which back then was considered giant. Of course, I am a total sucker for white brick and columns. Columns columns columns (and maybe champagne) are the way to a girl’s heart!

Cole Smith was the architect, and the home featured the classic two-story foyer, elegant curving strong staircase, large formals, a panelled study, kitchen with granite counters, and spacious upstairs bedrooms we craved. There were five bedrooms, four full baths (which means two bedrooms had to share a Jack and Jill, pity them) and a powder room. The home also had a four car garage, which was a bit unusual in 1976.

The home has been under the care of a trustee for a while, first listed with Dave Perry-Miller, starting at $7,800,000 in January of 2012, then reduced in February of 2013 and listed with Doris Jacobs at $6,895,000. The listing with Doris expired in late 2013. The property was snapped up this May in an off market deal… and now it is biting the dust.

 

The new owners are Bryan and Shanin Wilburn, he being the former president of Southwest Risk, an insurer that takes on high-hazard business exposure. The Wilburns plan to incorporate the property into their $30 million plus plus plus compound at 4939 Manson Court, which is one of the most amazing and expensive homes in Dallas. Probably the universe. That will add 3.97 acres to their 2.87 acres on Manson Court. I am not sure, but sources tell me that the Wilburns picked up the Strait Lane estate for about $6 million. Which was a great price for almost 4 acres on the most prestigious street in Dallas… and now gives them a Strait Lane addy!

Manson court is about 30,000 square feet and has a 14 car garage. See how a 4 car garage just won’t cut it in 2015? No way you could have added 10 bays to the stately white home! No way!

Manson Court also has  nine bedrooms, nine full baths and four half baths. There are multiple formals, casuals, study, library, gourmet kitchen, keeping room (that’s a morning noon and evening room), three wet bars, pantry the size of Sam’s (the owners have five kiddos, do the math) outdoor kitchen and living area, media room, garages, pool and pool house.

It also has a half regulation-sized indoor basketball court — cannot find that in a home built in 1976..

There is a master bedroom suite of 2,200 square feet, larger than the size of the average American HOME! The spa-esque master bath suite has one for him, one for her, the only way to go.

Oh and not just eight bedrooms, but eight deluxe bedroom suites, or children’s retreats. What is a children’s retreat? So glad you asked! These suites are bigger than any master you’ve ever had, try 30 feet by 20 feet with features like study nooks, sitting rooms, spa baths. Let me put it this way: any Dallas socialite would kill to have one of the kid’s rooms in this house. The model airplanes flying in the boys room look like little Lears in mid flight.

The outdoor tiled pool is the size of the one at the Four Season with firepit and pool house.

There are nanny and guest quarters, and even guest quarters for the nanny.

An underground media room for total sound absorption. Ross perot is not going to hear one decibel!

The 3700 square foot garage that holds 14 cars and is twice the size of the average American home. For God’s sake you could hold the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance here.

There is also a secondary generator so you will never, ever lose juice while sitting at the computer. Really, the place is a compound that has now acquired another 4 acres, the only way to go in 2015. R.I.P. 10650 Strait Lane.

HUGE Hat tip to Dallas writer extraordinaire David Hale Smith for alerting us to the story, and letting us use his photos.