Writing this was like pulling teeth. You’ll soon see why.
If anyone could afford to bite off more than he can chew, it’s dental mogul David Willens (sorry, couldn’t resist). The founder and chairman of Sage Dental (a chain of affordable dental offices across the Southeast), just listed his loaded, impenetrable South Florida concrete mansion for $27.5 million. That’s a lot of cavities! Steven Solomon of Douglas Elliman Real Estate has the listing and I literally have a toothache as I write this (no lie).
This isn’t your typical gorgeous south Florida home. The eventual buyer can chill by the living green wall or throw a super storm bash during a Category 5 hurricane—blasting JLo and Pitbull on the awesome $1 million-plus, fully-integrated Bang & Olufsen audio system. So get “On The Floor”—the concrete one.
Erected months before the 2017 hurricane season, the mansion sustained no damage from formidable Hurricane Irma who left devastation in her wake elsewhere. This solid concrete Highland Beach bunker estate is designed to withstand 180 mph hurricane winds, secured by its commercial-grade impact glass; post-tension concrete structure; and a dual fuel-generator—convenient features during storms and power outages.
“The design of using post-tension concrete floors and poured concrete walls was intended for strength, longevity, and aesthetics,” says Willens. “This home is built the same way as a high-rise building. The concrete mix we used included additives to mitigate water intrusion and protect the structure against corrosion from water and salt. There’s no exposed steel to rust, as in most Florida homes. Solid concrete is much stronger than the cinder block construction of most Florida homes.”
The mansion is highlighted by exquisite materials and spellbinding centerpieces, spanning 14,808 square feet. Selective use of high-grade woods soften the contemporary design palate. The home’s living green wall features more than 1,800 plants along the entrance and indoor foyer. The estate boasts its own cell tower, an infinity pool, and interiors bathed in functional imported basalt lava stone from Mount Etna, Italy (the only known USA house to make this claim). A transparent wine showcase cellar frames the contemporary kitchen.
“Italian basalt lava stone is known for its beautiful aesthetic and durability where it is primarily used in Italy and other places I have seen like St. Barts and the Middle East,” says Willens. “It has been less used in the United States. To my knowledge, I was the first person to import it from this quarry in Italy.”
Resting on 120 feet of Atlantic Ocean frontage, the mansion has seven bedrooms, seven full baths and two powder rooms—one slabbed with onyx. Entertaining options pervade the home via two full kitchens, a movie theater with laser projector, gaming spaces, and Italian stone fireplaces.
“The ideal buyer is someone that likes to entertain or a large family,” says Douglas Elliman’s Solomon. “The layout of the space is such that the entire bottom floor is specifically designed for a kid-friendly space or entertainment area that opens up to the outdoors.”
The formal dining area seats 18—beautified with custom oak finishes. The massive 2,400-square-foot master suite cantilevers over the infinity pool and private backyard, offering ocean views, a retractable ceiling TV, walk-in closets, a full office, living room, morning kitchen and a spa bathroom. The efficient, well-organized home also features Poliform closets and two laundry rooms.
“It is not often you encounter a home that’s specifically designed to overlook unobstructed ocean views from almost every room on the property,” says Solomon. “[And] the quality of materials selected for each room is unheard of. From the living green wall to the master bedroom to the full-floor family room to the floating infinity pool deck with spa—every room features the highest quality of design and finishes imported directly from Italy and Spain.”
That’s a mouthful. Please forgive me. I literally wrote some of this story on an iPhone from a dentist’s chair while awaiting a root canal. And you thought the dental puns were painful?