{"id":17980,"date":"2026-08-29T20:41:06","date_gmt":"2026-08-29T20:41:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=17980"},"modified":"2026-08-29T20:41:06","modified_gmt":"2026-08-29T20:41:06","slug":"in-1994-hollywood-videos-founder-bought-32-oregon-acres-for-1-25-million-and-began-a-52000-sq-ft-mansion-nearly-30-years-and-3-owners-later-it-is-still-unfinished-and-asking-4-7-million","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=17980","title":{"rendered":"In 1994, Hollywood Video\u2019s founder bought 32 Oregon acres for $1.25 million and began a 52,000-sq-ft mansion; nearly 30 years and 3 owners later, it is still unfinished and asking $4.7 million"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-133566826,imgsize-174602,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg\" alt=\"In 1994, Hollywood Video\u2019s founder bought 32 Oregon acres for $1.25 million and began a 52,000-sq-ft mansion; nearly 30 years and 3 owners later, it is still unfinished and asking $4.7 million\" title=\"The mansion was designed on a scale that made it comparable in size to the White House. (Pictures: Oregon Live)\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"The mansion was designed on a scale that made it comparable in size to the White House. (Pictures: Oregon Live)\">The mansion was designed on a scale that made it comparable in size to the White House. (Pictures: Oregon Live)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A huge unfinished mansion in West Linn, Oregon, once owned by Hollywood Video founder Mark Wattles, is back on the market for $4.7 million, nearly three decades after construction began.<!-- --> The 51,908-square-foot structure sits on a riverfront property and still lacks windows and finished floors. The property at 32020 S.W. Peach Cove Road has passed through three owners, but none has completed the mansion.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"3\"\/>The project began in 1994 when Wattles bought the 32-acre riverfront peninsula for $1.25 million, according to OregonLive. Wattles had started Hollywood Entertainment Corp. in Portland in 1988 and built it into a national chain with about 1,000 stores.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"7\"\/>Two years after buying the land, Wattles received a building permit. Construction began in 1997 on a structure planned to cover about 52,000 square feet. Wattles eventually put around $12 million into the project. The mansion was designed on a scale that made it comparable in size to the White House.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"9\"\/>The plan included nine bedrooms, 18 bathrooms, entertainment areas and a grand ballroom. There were also plans for showrooms for up to 60 collectible cars, garages, mechanic space and a 25-foot-high gym that could accommodate a full basketball court or an indoor swimming pool.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"12\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>A legal challenge changed course<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"14\"\/>The project faced a legal challenge in 1997 from a neighbour who was supported by 1000 Friends of Oregon, a land-use advocacy group. The dispute centred on the large residential development being built on agricultural land.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"16\"\/>Wattles won the legal fight and retained the right to continue construction. However, the mansion was not completed. Wattles later moved to Las Vegas with his wife and five children, leaving the massive structure unfinished and wrapped to protect it from the weather.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"19\"\/>During construction, Wattles had also changed the design. The original plans called for a traditional style, but the design was later changed to a Northwest Craftsman style with a stone facade.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"21\"\/>The property eventually remained unfinished for years before Wattles decided to sell it. In 2018, it went to a live, no-reserve auction at The Nines Hotel in downtown Portland.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"23\"\/><\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The mansion from outside\" msid=\"133566887\" imgsize=\"129911\" resizemode=\"4\" width=\"\" title=\"The plan for the mansion included nine bedrooms, 18 bathrooms, entertainment areas and a grand ballroom.\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/imgsize-129911,msid-133566887\/the-mansion-from-outside.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The plan for the mansion included nine bedrooms, 18 bathrooms, entertainment areas and a grand ballroom.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>New owner had a different vision<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/>Richard L Stanley, founder of Washington-based Rick&#8217;s Custom Fencing &amp; Decking, became the highest bidder at the 2018 auction. <!-- -->The sale closed for $2.27 million. At the time, Clackamas County had assessed the property at $5.3 million.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/>Stanley had a different plan for the unfinished estate. He wanted to turn it into a Tuscan villa-style vineyard property with a wine-tasting room, according to the Lake Oswego Review.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"33\"\/>He invested about $1.5 million in a new roof and other improvements. He added piers that could support a future dock. Blueberries were also planted on the property as part of the requirements linked to Oregon&#8217;s Exclusive Farm Use zoning.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"36\"\/>The agricultural zoning placed limits on residential development and required active commercial farming to maintain certain tax benefits. The blueberry planting was therefore part of the property&#8217;s use under those rules.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"38\"\/>But Stanley&#8217;s plans did not result in a completed mansion. In June 2020, only two years after buying the property, he put the unfinished structure on the market for $3.99 million. The listing was later removed without a sale.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"41\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Mansion returns for $4.7 million<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"43\"\/>The unfinished estate appeared again on regional listing services this year in May. This time, the asking price was $4.7 million.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"45\"\/>The property now covers about 29 acres and has water rights and around 2,700 feet of Willamette River frontage, including sandy beaches. Clackamas County currently assesses the property at about $4.1 million, while annual property taxes are listed at $46,947.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"47\"\/>Listing broker Jason Mendell of eXp Realty described the property as an opportunity for a buyer with a vision for an estate that would be difficult to recreate. <!-- -->Potential uses mentioned include a multigenerational family compound, a wellness destination and a legacy estate.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"51\"\/>Despite sitting unfinished for decades, the mansion already has much of its structural framework. The building includes steel beams, concrete and large glulam timber ceiling rafters. An elevator shaft also runs through the structure and could serve its different levels once construction is completed.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"54\"\/>Building permits have reportedly been kept active through seasonal maintenance. The structure has remained covered with synthetic protective material while waiting for the next stage of development.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"56\"\/><\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The unfinished riverfront mansion\" msid=\"133567007\" imgsize=\"147196\" resizemode=\"4\" width=\"\" title=\"The 51,908-square-foot structure sits on a riverfront property\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/imgsize-147196,msid-133567007\/the-unfinished-riverfront-mansion.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The 51,908-square-foot structure sits on a riverfront property<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"58\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Property shaped by Oregon&#8217;s land rules<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"60\"\/>The property&#8217;s location adds another unusual element to its history. A 2018 land-use analysis prepared for the auction said the mansion sits closer to the Willamette River shoreline than current setback rules would allow.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"64\"\/>That means the existing position of the structure cannot be legally recreated under today&#8217;s local regulations, according to Platinum Luxury Auctions.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"66\"\/>Its agricultural zoning also continues to affect how the property can be used. Active agricultural production, such as the blueberry planting, is linked to the property&#8217;s farm-use status and tax advantages.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"68\"\/>At the same time, the estate is close to the Oregon Golf Club and Aurora State Airport. It is also less than 30 minutes from downtown Portland and Portland International Airport.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/world\/us\/in-1994-hollywood-videos-founder-bought-32-oregon-acres-for-1-25-million-and-began-a-52000-sq-ft-mansion-nearly-30-years-and-3-owners-later-it-is-still-unfinished-and-asking-4-7-million\/articleshow\/133566223.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The mansion was designed on a scale that made it comparable in size to the White House. (Pictures: Oregon Live) A huge unfinished mansion in West Linn, Oregon, once owned by Hollywood Video founder Mark Wattles, is back on the market for $4.7 million, nearly three decades after construction began. The 51,908-square-foot structure sits on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17981,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"The mansion was designed on a scale that made it comparable in size to the White House. (Pictures: Oregon Live) A huge unfinished mansion in West Linn, Oregon, once owned by Hollywood Video founder Mark Wattles, is back on the market for $4.7 million, nearly three decades after construction began. The 51,908-square-foot structure sits on [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":1,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":5,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg",400,225,false],"medium":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg",300,169,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-mansion-was-planned-to-be-nearly-as-large-as-the-white-house.jpg",150,84,false]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/author\/admin"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"<a href=\"#\" class=\"category-link category-link-31\">\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36<\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17980"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17980\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}