$15 Million Mansion Sits on Its Own Island, on Top of a Garage With Car Wash

This manse is as real as it gets, but it would still appeal to the baddest super-villain ever birthed from a creator’s mind. It’s flashy, decadent, not necessarily ugly, and it’s got not one but two tunnels running underneath it. Oh, and it sits on its own island on a lake; how on earth could anything else top this?

This is Windermere, a property located in St. Alban’s Bay on Lake Minnetonka in Greenwood, Minnesota. The mansion sits on its own island and is isolated from the rest of the world in the name of “privacy” and security. Access to the island is via a single driveway, which then leads to two “secret” tunnels. Guests arriving by car will take one of them and head down into an underground garage that also houses a drive-through car wash. Who wouldn’t want their car to be serviced when arriving at their destination of choice, right?

Windermere was listed last month with an asking price of $15 million. While the listing makes it clear that the 8-car garage, which is also insulated and heated, is one of the highlights of the property, no photos of it are provided. Go ahead and assume that some type of secret Batman cave must also be featured in that area, especially if you consider the existence of older reports mentioning plans for a 15-vehicle garage.

Guests arriving into the garage are then whisked away to the surface in an elevator into the main building. And what a sight they’re treated to as they come up! Built according to the principles of Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, one of the most influential individuals in the history of architecture, the 4-story building was completed in 2004. It comes with a history as rich as its furnishes, including how the first owner, developer Jeffrey Wirth, was charged with and sentenced for fraud after pouring $5 million of illegal funds into it.

When Wirth was sent to prison for tax evasion and wire fraud in 2012, the building had already sat unoccupied for years, allowing another developer, Kam Talebi, to snap it up for a meager $1.88 million in 2013. He spruced it up by investing $5 million more into it, and it’s now for sale for a whopping $15 million.

The mansion looks exactly like you’d expect a mansion with secret tunnels and a sizable underground, custom garage to look. It’s all decked in marble, black wood, and gold polish, recalling all those cinema tropes about bad guys’ preference for this particular combination. Featured art includes Scarface posters, abstract paintings, and sculptural light fixtures that dazzle but never engage emotionally—another movie cliché that feels right at home. It is the kind of residence that’s all about “look at me how fancy and rich I am.”

The amenities are astounding, as expected, starting from the atrium, which is described as “one of Minnesota’s largest residential glass enclosed atriums.” You have a double wine room, a 12-person cinema, a cigar room and a poker room (they’re separate), a recreation room that serves non-descript recreation purposes, a spa with a sauna and fully-equipped gym, a bar, and a grotto with gold tiles. The second tunnel leads to this grotto because, presumably, you want to be able to go for a dip without everyone else knowing it. If you don’t mind walking in plain sight, a sizable outdoor pool, also heated, is available.

With nearly 14,000 square feet (1,300 square meters) of living space, this mansion has only five bedrooms, one less than the number of fireplaces. It’s a single-family residence and, while it can accommodate large parties, it’s not exactly ideal for large sleepovers. In keeping with the running joke, villains are occasionally known for throwing massive bashes, but they don't exactly welcome overnight guests.