For Sale: Missile Silo Restored As Luxury Home
Home's Bidding Begins At $2.1M On eBay
Updated: 5:36 p.m. EDT September 18, 2002
SARANAC, N.Y. -- A missile silo built by the federal government in New York's Adirondack Mountains has been converted into a luxury home and is for sale on the Internet auction site eBay.
The silo is one of hundreds constructed during Cold War tension in the 1950s and '60s and once contained an Atlas-F missile and was manned by 40 people.
Entrepreneurial cousins Bruce Francisco and Gregory Gibbons, who restored the complex, cite the security, mountain views, and year-round outdoor activities as the greatest selling points.
"The interest is tremendous, and what I hear is most of the people that are going to bid on the site wait until later in the week," Francisco said.
However, there were no bids placed as of Wednesday afternoon. The auction is scheduled to close Sept. 25 at 3:04 p.m. EDT.
The minimum bid was set at $2.1 million. Francisco declined comment on what he expected to be the ultimate selling price.
The former launch control center has been restored to 2,300 square feet of living space on two levels. The home is connected via tunnel to an additional 20,000 square feet of silo space. The silo is 14 stories deep and 50 feet wide.
The 105-acre property features an airplane hangar and 2,050-foot paved airstrip, but the home can also be accessed by state and county roads.
Realtor Rob Grant said he has been trying to sell the property since 1999.
"It has ... I'll call it sex appeal," Grant said. "Obviously, the media likes it."
Lynn Bushey, who lives across the street from the property, said her fiance and children used to hunt on the land before it was renovated.
"One time, there was a rumor that Wesley Snipes was going to be buying the property and it sparked all the kids' interest," Bushey said.
Francisco and Gibbons listed several possible uses for the property, including the development of a bed and breakfast, a movie set, or a recording studio.
According to the home's Web site, the property is no longer listed as a Russian target and extensive testing has been conducted on the water quality in the area.
Additional Resources:
eBay Listing: Place A Bid
Silohome.com: Pictures, Info, Etc ...
In "The Color Purple" Nettie had her baby there.