When you think "Castle" do you think New Mexico? What about skid row? Well when it comes to this French style mansion, 73 year old Gertrude Zachary decided that the industrial area of Albuquerque was exactly where she wanted it to be built. This home has 210 chandeliers, an insane antique collection, and boasts a view of vagrants, warehouses and empty lots. Sound like home? Take a look!
Although we don't frequent castles or giant homes in general, the use of artwork, light and over the top flair from all the antiques make this place rather picturesque and quite comfortable. Each room is a piece of artwork in its own right.
Even though an industrial neighborhood seems like an odd place for this structure, the abandonment from your normal hustle and bustle of an urban area (while still usually being quite close to it) makes it a rather ideal place to live. Make sure you head over to the Wall Street Journal to learn more about the space and take the extended tour of many of the spaces throughout the home.
Image: Steven St. John for The Wall Street Journal
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I drive past this all the time! You can't tell from these pictures, but there is an overpass right next to the left-hand property line. Not where I would probably choose to build my castle, but I guess urban renewal can happen in all kinds of ways.
Quirky and full of character, just like the owner!
I love it!
i'm all for urban renewal but am i the only one who thinks this is a bit offensive? i love my home and proably spend more than i should decorating my apt, but it seems rather ostentatious to build a castle right next to skid row, complete with a pool and a 10 ft tall guard wall when those on the other side of the wall don't even have a basic roof over their heads or enough food to eat.
It's an interesting article but ultimately I'm going to have to agree with hachiko_station. And I don't think this qualifies as urban renewal. It's more like gentrification. Urban renewal is indeed bring a housing revival to areas that have been deemed undesirable locations to live, BUT done though mixed income & mixed use dwellings, though the building of parks, increased walkability, to the betterment of the community as a whole. One woman occupying a gargantuan mansion does nothing to help the community in which she's chosen to live, with the exception of the property tax collected (which I hope the city would put back into that area).
One thing struck me the most while reading the article and looking at the pictures. She must be a very sad and lonely woman. Constantly collecting beautiful objects but still all alone in a big house. In a way I feel sorry for her.
The location, obviously, is why this is getting press, but what is even weirder to me is that it's actually done well and fairly convincing. Usually faux chateau=nothing beyond tacky.
I'm just so intrigued by the materials choices and that the line between the old, repurposed elements and the new seems to be invisible.
And I am dying to see the whole kitchen.
Thanks, Sarah Rae, for posting this!
hachiko_station makes an interesting point, but I have to ask: would this ostentatious castle be less offensive if it were built in an exclusive gated community? And if so, why?
Personally I'm tickled by the fact that this eccentric old broad has built a genuinely beautiful, ostentatious folly with such blatant disregard for resale or even value for money.
Way to flaunt it.