Robert Magda: UPDATE: Josh Hartnett Unloads Victorian Mansion in Minneapolis

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

UPDATE: Josh Hartnett Unloads Victorian Mansion in Minneapolis

UPDATE: It was a big June for Josh Hartnett. The actor sold his Victorian mansion in Minneapolis within a week of Showtime renewing his “Penny Dreadful” series for a third season. Hartnett fetched $2.3 million, slightly under his asking price, as first reported by the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

ORIGINAL POST 1/26/2015: Now that Josh Hartnett is back on the scene, after the vagaries of fame drove him to low-key indie roles, he expects to spend less time in his native Twin Cities and is downsizing there.

Ironically, the actor is selling his 1800s Victorian mansion while starring in “Penny Dreadful,” a Showtime horror series set in that same period. He’s asking $2.395 million, precisely what he paid for it in 2002.

The 5,056-square-foot home was famous in Minneapolis before Hartnett bought it.

“It was one of the first homes built on Lake of the Isles, which is a highly sought-after community on a lake in the city limits of Minneapolis,” said Frank Roffers, the listing agent with Smith + Roffers and Lakes Sotheby’s International Realty.

The 4-bedroom, 3-bath home has stained-glass windows, a gourmet kitchen, wine cellar, gym and gorgeous views of the lake from the porch and master suite.

Built in 1887, it was renovated in the 1980s by Katherine Chrisman, who subsequently wrote a book about the experience. “Dreaming in the Dust: Restoring an Old House” captures the harrowing and joyful moments of the project. It was an American Society of Interior Designers showcase home in 2001.

Hartnett, who has another residence in New York, also renovated the house, including adding the gourmet kitchen.

The listing features a 3-minute video that’s well produced but, alas, does not star Hartnett: