This Thursday, October 8th, an expansive riverside estate in outer Savannah built by a fourth-generation member of the Oscar Mayer hotdog family will be sold via luxury auction®. The property is owned by Donald Mayer and his wife Sandra. Mr. Mayer’s father ran the hot dog conglomerate until its sale to Kraft Foods in the 1980’s. After first listing the home for $3.9 million, the Mayers decided to retain Miami-based Platinum Luxury Auctions to offer the property for sale at auction without reserve, meaning the highest bidder will prevail regardless of the price. And while the tasteful, luxurious residence bears no outward signs of the family business, there is an iconic, Oscar Mayer “Wienermobile” parked in the garage. (The whimsical vehicle will not be included with the sale of the home, however)
Platinum specializes in the non-distressed auction sale of multimillion-dollar properties on behalf of sellers like the Mayers, for whom the date-certainty and expedition of the auction process offers great appeal. The luxury real estate auction firm is managing the sale in cooperation with listing broker Liza DiMarco of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ Bay Street Realty Group in Savannah.
Situated on 1.22 lush and private acres at the confluence of the Skidaway and Wilmington Rivers, the estate is located in Modena Island, a gated community on Savannah’s Skidaway Island. The homesite is positioned to offer serene, natural vistas from virtually every vantage. As stated in an email from Mrs. Mayer and previously reported by the Wall Street Journal, she and her husband designed the home to, “… bring outdoor living in and inside living out [by] using extensive glass and warm wood finishes, elevated decking, landscaping and gardening, and the arts-and-crafts feeling reflecting the Frank Lloyd Wright architectural style.”
To be sure, soaring, 20-ft walls of windows in the grand salon reveal an expanse of peaceful marshes to the east and deep-water views to the west. Thoughtful, outdoor living spaces – from the private gardens to the infinity pool – allow for further enjoyment of the surrounding nature-scape, a hallmark of Lloyd Wright’s designs.
The 6,800-sf residence offers 4 bedrooms, 5 full and one-half baths, and a largely open floor plan allowing for a seamless flow between common areas – making the home ideal for entertaining on an intimate or grand scale. Other notable features include a chef’s kitchen with center island and Gaggenau cooktop, private office, 1-bedroom “guesthouse,” fitness room, 3-car garage, greenhouse and courtyard with terrarium. Those looking for ways to warm up in the coolest winter months can gather indoors around the double-sided, stone fireplace, or grab some blankets and head outside for homemade s’mores at the fire pit lounge.
Modena Island is within a 20-min drive of downtown Savannah, and is immediately adjacent to The Landings, a development offering 31 tennis courts, 6 golf courses, 5 restaurants, 5 pools and premier fitness center. Club membership to The Landings is available for those seeking to enjoy its many amenities.
Interested bidders can find more information online at SavannahLuxuryAuction.com, or by contacting Platinum’s project manager, Leslie Rose, at 800.593.4177. Bidders must register to participate in live sale, which will be held on the property site. The registration deadline is 5pm ET on Wednesday, October 7th. Final previews of the home can be scheduled by appointment between 12 & 5pm ET today and Wednesday.
