Motown Mansion: From $250K to $1.65M

The Nels Michelson Mansion, famously known as the Motown Mansion, has a storied past tied to Detroit's music and industrial history. Built between 1916 and 1917 for lumberman Nels Michelson, the 10,500-square-foot residence at 918 W. Boston Blvd. later served as the home of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. Leonard A. Young, owner of the L. A. Young Spring & Wire Company, significantly expanded the estate in the 1920s, adding an Athletic Building with an Olympic-sized swimming pool and other recreational facilities, turning it into an entertainment compound. In 1967, Berry Gordy Jr. purchased the mansion, residing there during Motown's most influential period. It became a notable site for gatherings where artists like Diana Ross and Aretha Franklin performed. Decades later, in 2002, Detroit attorney Cynthia F. Reaves bought the property from Gordy for $250,000. She initiated a comprehensive restoration, utilizing historic-preservation tax credits and dedicating four years to meticulously preserving the mansion's original architecture and updating its systems. Following extensive rehabilitation, which earned a Michigan historic-preservation award, the restored mansion was listed and eventually sold in August 2017 for $1.65 million, far exceeding its initial purchase price. The sale was followed by an estate auction of Motown memorabilia.