Opulent European-inspired waterfront estate once owned by famed lawyer is on the market for $4.15 million
A beautiful European-inspired estate originally built for and designed by the famed Florida litigator Fred Levin just hit the market in Pensacola, FL, for $4.1 million.
Situated on 150 feet of frontage along Bayou Texar, the gated three-bedroom brick mansion called Timeless Tanglewood features a “masterfully redefined” 6,498-square-foot interior.
“Fred was very eclectic, fascinated by royalty and traveled the world, so the house is like walking through a piece of history,” says real estate agent Sherlyn Waghalterby Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty. “He was one too well-known lawyer who was best known for settling a tobacco case.”
Levin donated the estate to the University of West Florida in 2018 before passing away in 2021.
“The university used it for events and then decided to sell the property and use the money to build a sports stadium,” says Waghalter. “The sellers bought the house from the university.”
It last traded hands in April 2024 for $2,925,000.
The over-the-top design of the elegant mansion reflects Levin’s bold personality in the courtroom. “Museum-quality finishes” include a 20-foot cathedral foyer with a Palladian crystal chandelier, a grand curved staircase, inlaid marble and granite floors, stained glass windows and silk wall coverings.
“The next buyer will really appreciate a finer, custom finish,” she notes. “In addition to the beautiful house, it has a water facade and is very private. It is so grand that it feels like you are walking into a museum, but not so intimidating that you cannot live there.”
Although both Levin and the sellers have used it as a primary residence, Waghalter says it could also be used as a secondary residence.
“Pensacola has a lot of primary residents, so it also has a great sense of community,” she says.
Designed for grand entertaining, the dining salon features a hand-carved Italian marble fireplace and coffered ceiling. The dining room opens onto a spacious terrace.
The residence also features a music room, a stately library, guest rooms and a ‘gentleman’s arsenal’. The lower level banquet room with a full bar is designed as a replica of the one on the Titanic.
“The lord’s armory was once a cigar room with hand-carved cabinets that provided access to a hidden storage area at the push of a button,” says Waghalter.
The chef’s kitchen features a professional 12-burner gas range, hammered copper cabinetry, black walnut island, stone floor, granite countertops with waterfall edge and a pearl glass tile backsplash.
“There are so many unique finishes that it really is one of one,” she says. “You won’t find another house like this.”
The 700-square-foot primary suite looks like it was designed for royalty with its elegant ceiling, custom crown molding, chandelier and waterfront terrace.
“The Panhandle area is just beautiful, and Pensacola is one of the fastest growing cities in Florida,” she says. “It’s a hidden gem to find a home like this on over an acre of land right on the water. If it were in South Florida, the price tag would be about $15 million.”
