Villa Collina demolition complete, new project underway

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The Villa Collina, crowned as Tennessee’s largest home, is officially gone. Drone footage captured by WVLT News showed the famed structure is no longer there.

Crews began the demolition back in Nov. 2021. Furrow Auction previously took public bids for everything inside the Villa Collina from chairs and tables to slabs of marble.

The 40,250-square-foot mansion had 86 rooms, 8 bedrooms, 11 full baths, and five half baths. It included both indoor and outdoor pools, a fitness center, spa, sauna, an elevator, a home theater, a six-car garage, and a wine cellar. Eight acres of land accompanied the structure originally built in the 1990s.

In a previous sale, the owner originally listed the home for $14.5 million, but the Villa Collina ended up selling for $11 million to an undisclosed buyer.

“I’m honored to have been able to open the doors of Villa Collina for numerous fundraisers, celebrations, and other events that benefited our community and local nonprofits,” Owner Dr. Eric W. Barton said. “Villa Collina provides the perfect location to entertain and impress guests while raising money in support of East Tennessee charities. In just a few years, we were able to raise millions of dollars to help many worthwhile organizations.”

Now, that land will make way for three new homes along the Tennessee River. The three new owners who purchased the prized waterfront land for $6.5 million were most intrigued by the unique location, the owners’ realtor Sharon Bailey of Realty Executives Associates said.

Copyright 2022 WVLT. All rights reserved.