Inside the Rutland-Farley estate

The 105-year-old Rutland-Farley estate, which housed numerous prominent families over the decades, will now be demolished as termite damage and festering black mold are riddled throughout its historic mansion walls. 

The Rutland-Farley estate. 

Hubert Rutland. Image: St. Petersburg Museum of History.

The 1918 estate at 5030 Sunrise Drive was originally built for R.B. Worthington, who later sold the mansion to Pennsylvania oil business mogul William Muir. The property eventually ended up in Hubert Rutland’s hands. Rutland was a prominent St. Pete businessman and banker who acquired the property and the surrounding 20 acres of land in 1935.

The Rutland family sold the property in the 1980s. Developer Robert Swain acquired it in the ’90s and sold off most of the adjoining land to developers, according to reports. 

After trading hands multiple times, Philip Farley, a real estate developer, purchased the property in 2004 for $2.3 million. 

Farley’s plaque on the entrance gates. 

Louis Miele is the current owner. He purchased the property in a $8.1 million all-cash deal two months ago. 

Ziba Mohammadi with Keller Williams St. Pete Realty, who represented the seller, said the out-of-state buyer purchased the business entity tied to the estate. Although the sale was associated with the private business purchase, the sale of the estate was executed through a separate transaction. 

“The buyer was looking at a few options and narrowed it down to this estate and one in Key West,” Mohammadi previously said. “The buyer loves its history and plans to move to St. Petersburg and make this their permanent home.” 

Black mold inside the pool house. 

Before closing on the home, Miele saw the structural damage. A further inspection of the home revealed  significant, irreversible damage. 

The view of the pool and property from the pool house. 

Although the structures on the 4.41-acre property will be bulldozed, sources said the owner intends to build anew on the property rather than sell it by parcels or for one lump sum to another buyer. 

The exterior of the guest house. 

Miele hired Bradenton-based estate sales planning firm Palma Sola Sales Inc. to host a “demolition and estate sale” this past weekend. 

A demolition permit has not yet been filed. 

Long lines formed throughout the day at the estate, as only 50 people could enter at a time. 

Pickers and curious residents scattered across the property to explore a pool house, a connected guesthouse and a closed-off deteriorating treehouse overlooking the Olympic-sized swimming pool and Little Bayou, south of Coquina Key. The property also features a bocce ball court, a putting green and a dock with a 50,000-pound lift. 

The treehouse. 

Over 500 people entered the property to take home a piece of history before the site is cleared, Palma Sola Sales President Ina Baden said Sunday morning as she was ringing up tickets from customers inside the main house. 

The anxious buyers held items ranging from mirrors to paintings and porcelain figurines. 

Pickers waiting for their numbers to be called and allowed entry into the main house. 

Hundreds of people waited in line to enter the English Tudor mansion; only 50 pickers could enter at once. 

A tour inside the house and findings from pickers: 

Inside the main house as pickers eased their way into the home.

Lion stone statutes and a stone door were among the higher-priced items that sold.  

A fountain in front of estate created with tiles and koi fish artwork. Local realtor Melissa Rutland, who is Hubert Rutland’s first great grandchild, purchased the fountain. 

Inside the dining room in the main house. 

A husband-and-wife dismantle a door on the second level of the main house. The couple purchased a total of eight doors, which they plan to install inside their future Tennessee home. 

Two pickers confirm an artist’s signature on a painting, which they later purchased. 

One of rooms in the main house with a stone ceiling. 

Two rotted vintage trunks on the porch. 

A pizza oven, one of many items listed for sale at the pool house. 

Vanities and knobs from random cabinets were also listed in the main house. 

An entertainment room with red recliners and a glass dresser, all of which were available for purchase. 

A George Steck piano, which sold. 

A purple-painted and decorated office.