A Landmark Lakewood Estate on Nonesuch Road Is Finally For Sale

A one-of-a-kind, landmark Lakewood estate on 2.86 acres will hit the market tomorrow. Listed by Allie Beth Allman & Associates Realtor Pete Livingston, it’s a rare opportunity to own an enormous legacy property that once belonged to Herbert Marcus.

There’s a reason these estates don’t come up for sale often. I’ve always found that when a house serves a family well, they will stay in place for decades. That’s the case with this landmark Lakewood estate. Let’s dip into the history of the area first, so you understand the significance of this opportunity.

In 1923, Theo Marcus, brother of Herbert Marcus (Stanley’s father), who co-founded Neiman Marcus, purchased 83 acres in what we now know as Lakewood. It was the northeastern edge of the city at that time. Henry Miller represented M.E. Florence and S.L. Gross, who sold the acreage for $90,515.88. The Dallas Morning News reported:

“Mr. Marcus said Saturday that the tract soon would be developed into a high-class residential district, probably divided into small estates rather than usual lots.”

Neiman Marcus was founded in 1907. After a fire destroyed the first location, a new store at Main and Ervay (the one we all know) was built seven years later. It was instantly profitable. By 1923, you can imagine the family was doing quite well and, of course, they retained some of that prime acreage for private use.

Herbert had 23 of the original acres and sold one of his parcels of land to Robert A. Ross in 1940. Ross was the vice president and store manager of Neiman Marcus for over 40 years. He was also the highly respected president of the National Retail Credit Association. Ross built this classic three-story home and lived here with his family until 1965.

The estate was then sold to the Davis family, which lived here for 32 years until 1997. Then the present owners, John and Nancy Kirchhofer, purchased it. So, only three families have lived here for 85 years. That proves how well the home was built and how beautifully it has served those families who lived in it. “There is nothing to compare to it in Lakewood,” Livingston said.

We have always loved Nonesuch Road and the story of its name. When Stanley Marcus was building his own home down the street, it was taking the city so long to complete the connection to his site that he decided to call the road Nonesuch. The name stuck, and if you are not specifically looking for it, you’ll still miss it, which creates an unexpected level of privacy.

The home has 6,800 square feet with five bedrooms, five-and-a-half bathrooms, three living areas, and three dining areas. A sun deck off the upstairs den overlooks the estate’s massive lawn. There is also a three-car garage with a large apartment above it. The house has been meticulously cared for and updated over the years, making it truly move-in ready.

It’s easy to see why families have stayed for decades. The ability to have a beautiful home on a substantial amount of land that’s centrally located is rare in Dallas, much less in Lakewood.

“The thing that makes it hard for me to leave is the spaciousness in the back,” John said. “It’s a luxury to be out there, and to have coffee in the sunroom and look out onto the land. I have loved living here and been stubborn about selling it because it’s where I like to be when we are in Dallas. But the kids are grown, and we are not in Dallas as much as we used to be.”

So, lucky readers, someone out there has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a beautifully updated, incredibly private, landmark Lakewood estate.

Livingston has 4 Nonesuch Rd. available for $10.5 million.

Brokers Open: Wednesday, August 27, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.