They're rich and came from across the globe. Some brought fortunes to Tampa Bay. Others earned riches here. But 10 millionaires have one thing in common: They bought the most expensive mansions in the region last year, totaling $55 million. Some are young entrepreneurs; others are seasoned business professionals. Some work out of the public eye; others run large corporations. Some reside here full time; others only play here. Edeals.com founder David Abraham is the youngest buyer at 39. Harry Stonecipher, who headed McDonnell Douglas and Boeing, is the oldest at 75. Information could not be found on several owners who shielded the homes in trusts or limited-liability corporations. Hillsborough and Pinellas counties each recorded half of the sales. Here are snapshots of the priciest mansions and their owners.
$9 million
Snell Isle, St. Petersburg
Bought: April 26
Buyer: Bill Edwards
Basics: 12,412 sq. ft.; 5 bedrooms; 6 full baths; 1 half bath
Amenities: 380 ft. of waterfront, can accommodate 112-foot boat
Edwards, 66, has made millions refinancing VA loans with his mortgage company Mortgage Investors Corp. and now has an extensive music promotions business. He became a main player in downtown St. Petersburg in 2011. He won the city's bid to run the flailing Mahaffey Theater, snapped up the near-vacant BayWalk shopping complex for just $5.2 million and wooed country singer Martina McBride to an unprecedented charity concert at the waterfront Demens Landing Park. Edwards has pumped lots of private money into both the Mahaffey and BayWalk.
$8 million
Tarpon Springs
Bought: Jan. 3
Buyer: Lake Ridge Trust
Basics: 30,237 sq. ft.; 6 bedrooms; 8 full baths; 4 half baths
Amenities: Shark tank, 330,000-gallon swimming pool, 5,200-square-foot guest house, rock-climbing cliff
The largest mansion in Pinellas County finally sold after nearly four years on the market. Former NBA player Matt Geiger sold the 28,000-square-foot palace to Texas buyers. He originally listed the mansion for $20 million in 2007. The estate sits on nearly 28 acres. Only a few homes in the Tampa Bay area are bigger. Several people connected to the trust declined to comment.
$6.75 million
Hyde Park, Tampa
Bought: Sept. 1
Buyers: Harry and Carmen Barkett
Basics: 15,396 sq. ft.; 5 bedrooms; 12 full baths; 1 half bath
Amenities: Butler's pantry, full gym, juice bar, outdoor kitchen
Harry Barkett, 68, leads Tampa-based Amalie Oil, one of the largest independent manufacturers, marketers and distributors of lubricants and oil products throughout the United States and the world.
$5.5 million
Tierra Verde, St. Petersburg
Bought: Dec. 1
Buyer: Povalia Inc.
Basics: 8,105 sq. ft.; 5 bedrooms; 5 full baths; 2 half baths
Amenities: 30 ft. ceilings and window walls, sits on 1 acre, multiple kitchens
Pascal Payraudeau is listed as the corporation's president. Payraudeau is a high-ranking official at France's second-largest retailer, Leclerc. The chain operates 2,000 stores in six European countries and averages $50 billion a year in sales.
The corporation is also listed as the owner of two other nearby mansions. Povalia paid nearly $3.4 million in November for a 10,338-square-foot home and $5.6 million for a 10,236-square-foot estate in May 2008.
$4.5 million
Avila, Tampa
Bought: Oct. 31
Buyer: David Abraham
Basics: 9,788 sq. ft.; 6 bedrooms; 6 full baths; 3 half baths
Amenities: Gourmet kitchen, theater, wine room, grotto spa
Abraham, 37, bought the house from New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada and owns Edeals.com, an online coupon site. The company publishes coupon codes for more than 10,000 online retailers. The site allows consumers to search for money-saving coupon codes before making purchases on other online sites, according to Edeals.
$4.1 million
Davis Islands, Tampa
Bought: Feb. 4
Buyers: R. Kyle and Michelle Bailey
Basics: 7,953 sq. ft.; 6 bedrooms; 6 full baths; 1 half bath
Amenities: Wine room, marble floors, three-car garage with a porte cochere
R. Kyle Bailey, 39, a trustee at the Tampa-based Bailey Family Foundation and a member of the University of Tampa Board of Trustees, helps operate a foundation founded by his father. His father formerly owned Strayer University. The foundation has awarded $15.6 million in scholarships to 2,350 students in Florida and Virginia. Bailey also manages real estate investments here and in the Washington, D.C., area. He graduated from the University of Tampa.
The family is committed to donating its fortunes to the education pipeline.
"It's rewarding what we're doing," Kyle Bailey said. "I hope it makes an impact."
$4.1 million
Davis Islands, Tampa
Bought: March 16
Buyers: Gregory and Vera Muzzillo
Basics: 6,460 sq. ft.; 5 bedrooms; 4 full baths; 2 half baths
Amenities: 245 ft. of waterfront, 11 grand oak trees, gourmet kitchen
Greg Muzzillo, 57, founded Proforma in 1978. The Cleveland-based company provides print and promotional products for business-to-business sales. With more than 600 franchises across the U.S. and Canada, the firm has served more than 50,000 clients in the fields of education, finance, food and beverage packaging, health care, manufacturing and retail, according to the company website.
$4 million
Bayway Isles, St. Petersburg
Bought: March 28
Buyer: Harry C. Stonecipher Trust
Basics: 6,585 sq. ft.; 4 bedrooms; 6 full baths; 1 half bath
Amenities: 180 ft. of waterfront, music room, marble floors, two boat lifts
Stonecipher, 75, was elected president and chief operating officer of Boeing in August 1997. He became vice chairman in May 2001 and retired June 1, 2002, according to the Boeing website. Stonecipher returned as president and chief executive officer in December 2003 and resigned in March 2005. He has also donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to battle homeless causes in Pinellas County.
$3.7 million
Pasadena Yacht Club, St. Petersburg
Sold date: Feb. 18
Buyers: Igor Tugbaev/Vera Tugbayeva
Basics: 5,672 sq. ft.; 5 bedrooms; 5 full baths
Amenities: 175 ft. of waterfront, mahogany woodwork, 2 boat lifts
The Russian couple declined to comment on the purchase. No information could be found on them through newspaper searches.
Sources: Hillsborough and Pinellas county records; My Florida Regional MLS; Times archives
$5 million
Davis Islands, Tampa
Bought: April 15
Buyer: Riviera LLC
Basics: 8,587 sq. ft.; 6 bedrooms; 7 full baths; 1 half bath
Amenities: Onyx floors, Italian stone columns, wine room
A man connected to Riviera declined to comment on whether he owned or lived in the house. Riviera bought the home from Elizabeth and Aram Guluzian, who at one time owned LIST Group Developers.
More pricey homes ahead
See the rest of the top 10 homes on the back page of this section, including the most expensive home, which sold for $9 million.
$5 million
Davis Islands, Tampa
Bought: April 15
Buyer: Riviera LLC
Basics: 8,587 sq. ft.; 6 bedrooms; 7 full baths; 1 half bath
Amenities: Onyx floors, Italian stone columns, wine room
A man connected to Riviera declined to comment on whether he owned or lived in the house. Riviera bought the home from Elizabeth and Aram Guluzian, who at one time owned LIST Group Developers.
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