An Ohio man spent 4 years building a riverside castle, only to move out 2 years after completing it. A decade later, he's selling it for $2.59 million — take a look.

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Amanda GohJun 2, 2022, 07:33 IST
An Ohio man spent 4 years building a riverside castle, only to move out 2 years after completing it. A decade later, he's selling it for $2.59 million — take a look.

The exterior of the home.Courtesy of Effler/Schmitt Co

  • Bradley Delp spent four years building a castle in Rossford, Ohio.
  • It was completed in 2007, but he and his family only spent two years living in it.
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Bradley Delp spent four years building a six-bedroom castle on the Maumee River in Rossford, Ohio. He estimates he spent more than $6 million on construction costs.

Bradley Delp spent four years building a six-bedroom castle on the Maumee River in Rossford, Ohio. He estimates he spent more than $6 million on construction costs.
The exterior of the home.Courtesy of Effler/Schmitt Co

The home sits on a 1.17-acre plot and comes with a private dock, per the listing. The three-story house has 18 rooms, including a home theater, a cellar, and a children's playroom.

"It took four years to build the new house because there was an existing home on the lot that we had to knock down," Delp told Insider.

A lot of the furniture and interior furnishings were customized to his liking, adding to the cost and the time spent, he said.

Despite the effort it took to build the home, it's been hardly lived in. The Delps moved to Florida in 2009, two years after it was completed, and the house has been sitting empty ever since.

Over a decade later, he's selling the property for $2.59 million — which is "less than half of what it cost to construct," per the listing.

Over a decade later, he's selling the property for $2.59 million — which is "less than half of what it cost to construct," per the listing.
The exterior of the home.Courtesy of Effler/Schmitt Co

Delp, who works in wealth management, bought the land in 2003 for $577,500, county records show.

This is not the first time Delp has tried to sell the property: The home has been on and off the market since it was first listed for $3.97 million in March 2018, per listing records.

There are currently 25 homes for sale in Rossford, with a median listing home price of $170,000, per real-estate platform Realtor.com. The $2.59 million waterfront castle is the priciest listing available at the moment.

David Effler of Effler/Schmitt Co. holds the listing.

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Delp worked with an Italian architect to design his dream home in the style of Old World architecture, which relies heavily on the use of stone and wood.

Delp worked with an Italian architect to design his dream home in the style of Old World architecture, which relies heavily on the use of stone and wood.
The main living area.Courtesy of Effler/Schmitt Co

This architectural style is strongly influenced by old European manors, which include features such as exposed beams and arched doorways.

"Old World architecture was something that always fascinated me. I went along with that theme and it ended up morphing into the castle," Delp said.

The kitchen features marble columns and arched brick ceilings, which were laid by hand, Delp said.

The kitchen features marble columns and arched brick ceilings, which were laid by hand, Delp said.
The kitchen, which is connected to a bar, is fitted with wood cabinets and a full suite of appliances.Courtesy of Effler/Schmitt Co

"The architect told us we couldn't do that, and here I give my wife credit. She said 'Yes, you can. It's like the reverse of an umbrella.' They took that and they went to work," he added.

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A floating staircase leads from the main entrance to the second floor. At the top of the stairs, a reproduction of a revolutionary war painting covers an entire wall.

A floating staircase leads from the main entrance to the second floor. At the top of the stairs, a reproduction of a revolutionary war painting covers an entire wall.
At the top of the floating staircase is a reproduction of a revolutionary war painting "The Battle of Bunker Hill" by John Trumbull.Courtesy of Effler/Schmitt Co

"I'm a Revolutionary War enthusiast and that is a reproduction of 'The Battle of Bunker Hill' by the most famous painter from that period — John Trumbull," Delp said.

A Detroit artist reproduced the painting on wallpaper and even hid an Easter egg in it at Delp's request.

"In the real John Trumbull picture, the flag they're flying in the picture is the English flag because we lost the battle of Bunker Hill. But in my picture I changed the flag from the Union Jack to the stars and stripes," he said.

Due to the sheer size and weight of the floating staircase, it had to be customized by a craftsman in Canada, he added.

The master bedroom has a wood-barrel ceiling that's at least 20 feet long, Delp said. It's lit from below and extends out to shelter the outdoor balcony.

The master bedroom has a wood-barrel ceiling that's at least 20 feet long, Delp said. It's lit from below and extends out to shelter the outdoor balcony.
The master bedroom.Courtesy of Effler/Schmitt Co

The ceiling in the master bedroom had to be high to accommodate the handcrafted double-king bed, he added.

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There are eight bathrooms in the house, including the master bathroom, which is covered in patterned blue wallpaper.

There are eight bathrooms in the house, including the master bathroom, which is covered in patterned blue wallpaper.
The master bathroom.Courtesy of Effler/Schmitt Co

Source: Effler/Schmitt Co

The master bathroom leads to two separate walk-in closets — one each for Delp and his wife.

The master bathroom leads to two separate walk-in closets — one each for Delp and his wife.
A two-story walk-in closet Delp built for his wifeCourtesy of Effler/Schmitt Co

"What's unique about my wife's closet is that it's two stories high. There's a wooden staircase on the side that leads up to an even bigger space," he said.

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Delp designed a nautical-themed bedroom for his son, which is located in one of the house's turrets and has a circular floor plan.

Delp designed a nautical-themed bedroom for his son, which is located in one of the house's turrets and has a circular floor plan.
His son's bedroom.Courtesy of Effler/Schmitt Co

Besides the themed furniture, the room also has round windows that resemble a ship's portholes.

"At the top of his room, we wrote a quote. It says 'Red at night, sailors' delight. Red in the morning, sailors take warning,'" he added.

Even his son's bathroom follows the theme — the bathroom walls are covered in blue wallpaper with sailboats on them.

Even his son's bathroom follows the theme — the bathroom walls are covered in blue wallpaper with sailboats on them.
His son's bathroom.Courtesy of Effler/Schmitt Co

Nautical flags are signal flags that ships use to communicate with one another. There are 26 square nautical flags and each represents a letter of the alphabet. Delp had these flags arranged to spell 'Row, row, row your boat' and printed them on his son's shower tiles.

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In his daughter's circus-themed bedroom, the walls were painted to resemble the interior of a tent.

In his daughter's circus-themed bedroom, the walls were painted to resemble the interior of a tent.
His daughter's room.Courtesy of Effler/Schmitt Co

Source: Effler/Schmitt Co

Delp's home office is located at the top of a turret and features wood interiors.

Delp's home office is located at the top of a turret and features wood interiors.
Delp's office.Courtesy of Effler/Schmitt Co

The large windows offer an almost 180-degree view of the outdoor landscape.

"Whether it's spring, summer, fall, or winter, the view is just spectacular. It doesn't feel like you're working when you're up there," he said.

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The highlight of the children's playroom in the basement is a mini swing.

The highlight of the children's playroom in the basement is a mini swing.
A playroom.Courtesy of Effler/Schmitt Co

"The play area is fully enclosed because the kids were babies when we moved in," he said.

The wine cellar comes with temperature control features and includes a seated area meant for wine-tasting sessions, Delp said.

The wine cellar comes with temperature control features and includes a seated area meant for wine-tasting sessions, Delp said.
The wine cellar.Courtesy of Effler/Schmitt Co

Source: Effler/Schmitt Co

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Other amenities in the house include a home theater, a pool, and a six-car garage.

Other amenities in the house include a home theater, a pool, and a six-car garage.
The home sits right by a dock.Courtesy of Effler/Schmitt Co

Source: Effler/Schmitt Co

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