Lake Minnetonka's Southways Pillsbury Mansion Demolished
MINNETONKA, Minn. (WCCO) -- After weeks of talk of a tear down, the former Pillsbury mansion on Brackett's Point on Lake Minnetonka has been demolished.
Southways had been on the market for more than a decade. The new owner closed on the property Monday, and began the tear down immediately after. Crews were at the property on Lake Minnetonka's most prominent point on Tuesday.
The demolition of the 32,000 square foot estate that first belonged to one of Minnesota's pioneering families began on Monday. The new owner was sensitive and saved what is architecturally significant.
Realtor Meredith Howell gave WCCO-TV a tour in 2015. She shared the history of how John and Eleanor Pillsbury built the estate in 1918 and used it as their summer home, a place to spend time with their six kids.
After Eleanor died in 1992, former hedge fund manager Jim Jundt and his wife, Joann, bought Southways, spending tens of millions of dollars to winterize and restore it.
Howell worked alongside Brian Benson the last year to divide the 13 acres into five parcels. There are now three owners on the lot.
"Sad to see the Dough Boy's summer home to the seller had put his heart and soul into the restoration 30 years ago, but it's the end of an era," Howell said.
