This "slightly haunted" Italianate Revival mansion at 2475 Richmond Road in Egbertville may make you think of moving to Staten Island.
According to The Real Deal, the 10-bedroom mansion was listed on the market in 2014 with an asking price of $2.31 million, but did not find a buyer. Now it is listed again for a reduced price of $1.74 million.
Confectioner Gustav Mayer, who became famous for creating sugar wafers for Nabisco, has lived in this home until his death. Mayer's daughters, Paula and Emilie, didn't keep up the house, hence it started to look like a haunted mansion.
However, the spooky and decayed interiors of the home attracted Vogue photographers, who became interested in the property. The mansion features original moldings and a squared cupola with views of the Raritan Bay.
Local legend says that the 7,700-square-foot Italianate villa-style home is haunted by the spirits of the former owner. The mansion was once owned by a 19th-century inventor named Gustav A. Mayer, who created a sugar-cookie recipe that became Nabisco's Nilla Wafers.
Mayer died in the mansion in 1918, but his two daughters stayed there until beyond their 100th birthdays and never moved.
Mayer's daughters, Paula and Emilie, never even walked down the stairs - and just holed up in two bedrooms of the "Grey Gardens of Staten Island." They used a pulley system that brought in their groceries, mail and other essential needs.
Their ghosts are said to be still roaming the hallways - and Mark Anthony, who is known as the "psychic lawyer," said the family's presence is "positive," as reported by Anna Abner.
Built in 1855, the mansion still has hidden electrical outlets, while its original marble fireplace is still intact.
The untouched interior and spooky tales have made the mansion popular for photo opportunities.
Owner Bob Troiano is trying to avoid talking of paranormal activity as he tries to unload the home. "The owner is super-touchy about people calling it haunted," said a source.
